Torque ConverterInstallation Instructions

forFord, Lincoln, Mercury

C-4, C-6 and AOD© 1995, 2002 B&M Racing and Performance Products

Printed in the U.S.A. 9500198-03

Congratulations. You have justpurchased the best performing and high-est quality torque converter available.We feel the installation instructions onthe following pages are as completeand clear as possible. Anyone with aminimum of mechanical experienceshould be capable of installing a torqueconverter using the proper tools andfollowing instructions. It is important toclosely follow the instructions. Readeach step and if you don’t understandgo back and read it again.

Included are part numbers forflexplates and other components whichmay aid in installation. Every attempthas been made to assure the accuracyof this information. These instructionsare aimed at making your installationas easy and simple as possible.

INTRODUCTIONThe torque converter in your auto-

matic transmission is a unique deviceand must perform several functions:First, it must provide some slip at anidle so the engine does not stall whenthe vehicle is stopped and the engine isrunning.Second, it multiplies torque under ini-tial accelerations to provide more powerto the rear wheels. The typical torquemultiplication of a torque converter isabout 2:1. This means that the torqueconverter is actually doubling enginetorque or power on initial acceleration.Some high stall converters have torquemultiplication as high as 2.6:1.

Third, the torque converter must haveas little slippage as possible undernormal driving conditions so the engineoperates efficiently. High stall speedconverters are designed to be as effi-cient as possible at high rpm for maxi-mum mph.Fourth, the torque converter must havereverse coupling to slow the vehiclewhen you downshift to second or low.Traveler torque converters are designedto give maximum deceleration for im-proved engine braking.

All of the above functions occurautomatically under various operatingconditions. The torque converter is asimple and yet complex piece of equip-ment. Improper installation will re-sult in poor performance and possi-ble damage to the torque converterand/or transmission. Read all in-structions first to familiarize yourselfwith the parts and procedures. Workslowly and do not force any parts.Burrs and dirt are the number oneenemies of automatic transmissionassembly. Cleanliness is very impor-tant. Avoid getting any dirt or foreignparticles in the transmission or torqueconverter.

Automatic transmissions operateat temperatures between 1500F and2500F. It is suggested that the vehiclebe allowed to cool for a few hours toavoid burns from hot oil and parts. Thevehicle should be off the ground for easeof installation. Jack stands, wheelramps or a hoist will work fine. Make

sure the vehicle is firmly support-ed!! Try to raise it 1 - 2 feet so you haveplenty of room to work easily. Alsohave a small box or pan handy to putbolts in so they won’t be lost, and adrain pan to catch oil. We suggest yourent a transmission jack from a rentalyard to remove the transmission as thetransmission/converter assembly isheavy. A regular floor jack may be usedif a transmission jack is unavailable.

Due to variations between differentcar models, exact instructions for everyvehicle cannot be provided. Theseinstructions are sufficient for all vehicleinstallations. You may find it neces-sary to disconnect and lower exhaustpipes during transmission removal.STEP 1. Drain oil pan. This will makeless of a mess during transmissionremoval. C-6, C-4 and AOD transmis-sions do not have drain plugs. Somemodels of C-4 transmissions have adipstick tube which screws into the oilpan. This can be loosened to drain theoil pan. If you do not have a drain plug,you should consider installing a B&MDrain Plug Kit, P/N 80250, while trans-mission is out of vehicle. If your trans-mission does not have a drain plug or adipstick tube in the oil pan, loosen theoil pan bolts to allow the fluid to drain.After the fluid has drained, snug the oilpan back into place.STEP 2. Remove driveshaft. Be carefulnot to damage the smooth bushingdiameter on slip yoke models. Do notlet the cups fall off the U-joint crosses.

You may lose some of the needlebearings if the cups fall on the ground.It is a good idea to tape the cups to theU-joint cross, so they won’t fall off.Now is a good time to clean and in-spect your U-joints.STEP 3. Disconnect vacuum line tovacuum modulator. Disconnectkickdown linkage. (See Figs. 1&2)Remove clip holding rod or cable tokickdown lever and allow rod or cable tohang free. Disconnect shifter:

Column Shift Models: Disconnectrod or cable from shift lever on trans-mission. (See Fig. 1) The rod orcable is retained by a clip or bysnapping into a plastic grommet.Remove clip or pry rod out of grom-met and allow linkage to hang free.Cable models; unbolt cable bracketfrom bell housing and allow cable tohang free.Console Shift Models: Disconnectrod from shift lever on transmission.(See Fig. 2) The rod is retained by aclip or by snapping into a plasticgrommet. Remove clip or pry rod outof grommet and allow linkage to hangfree.'70 and Later Vehicles Equipped

With Locking Steering Column AndConsole Shifter: Disconnect col-umn lock rod from transmission shiftlever and allow it to hang free.4 Wheel Drive Models: Removeknob from transfer case shift lever.

STEP 4. Loosen and disconnect speed-ometer cable:

Clamp Type Cable: Remove bolt orspeedometer cable clamp. Pullspeedometer cable out of extensionhousing and let it hang free.Sleeve Type Cable: Loosen cablesleeve. Pull speedometer cable out ofspeedometer housing and let it hangfree.

STEP 5. Disconnect oil cooler lines.Use a fitting wrench, if available, to avoiddamage to compression nuts. Werecommend that the oil cooler lines beflushed out to remove any foreign par-ticles trapped in the cooler. Cooler linesshould be flushed in both directions withsolvent and air pressure.STEP 6. Remove dipstick and tubeassembly. Remove torque converteraccess cover bolts and remove con-verter access cover. Remove flexplateto converter nuts. Use starter motor to“bump” each bolt into position.STEP 7. Disconnect neutral safetyswitch on vehicles equipped with neu-tral safety switch mounted on the trans-mission by unplugging connector endson wire harness. Allow connector endsto hang free.STEP 8. Remove starter motor assem-bly and tie it up out of the way. On somevehicles, it is difficult to remove thestarter completely, so it is easier tosimply support it out of the way.STEP 9. Support the transmission witha jack. Remove the transmission rearmount bolts. Raise the transmissionslightly and remove the crossmember.Be sure the transmission jack supportsthe transmission on a wide area so youdon’t crush the oil pan.STEP 10. Remove the bellhousingbolts. Lower transmission until theengine is supported. Pull transmissionback slightly away from engine. Makesure converter stays with transmission.Lower transmission/converter assem-bly and remove from vehicle. Caution:4 Wheel Drive Vehicles: Transmis-sion/converter transfer case assemblyis heavy. Exercise care during removal

if your transfer case bolts to the trans-mission.STEP 11. Pull converter off the front ofthe transmission. Some oil will leakout at this time. On C-4, C-6 and AODtransmission, the input shaft may pullout of the transmission when you re-move the torque converter. Do not bealarmed.

C-4: Install the short splined endof the input shaft into the transmis-sion until the splines engage thedrum inside the transmission. Pushthe shaft in all the way until it stops.C-6: Install the long splined end ofthe input shaft into the transmissionuntil the splines engage the druminside the transmission. Push theshaft in all the way until it stops.

Important C-4 ONLY: C-4 transmis-sions have either a 24T or 26T (Early &Late models) spline input shaft. Re-move the input shaft and insert it intoyour B&M converter. Be sure that theinput shaft engages the spline inside ofthe torque converter and is a good fitinto the spline. Install input shaft intotransmission as previously described.STEP 12. Inspect your engine blockand engine plate. Make sure there areno burrs that will prevent the transmis-sion from bolting down flat against theengine. File off any burrs that may bepresent. Dowel pins should stick out ofthe engine block a minimum of 1/2" forproper alignment. (See Fig. 3) Insuffi-cient dowel pin engagement can causefront seal and/or bushing failure due toimproper engine/transmission align-ment. Bellhousing bolts alone willnot align the transmission properly.

Kickdown lever

Column Shiftlever

Figure 1

Figure 2

Console Shiftlever

Neutral safteyswitch harness

Kickdownlever

Dowel pins muststick out 1/2" forproper transmis-sion engagement

Figure 3

STEP 13. Inspect your flexplate. Checkfor distortion, excessive warpage orworn/elongated stud holes. (See Fig.4) The flexplate should not be “dished”backwards. Check condition of starterring gear teeth. Distorted or wornflexplates should be replaced.STEP 14. Check the bolt pattern ofyour B&M torque converter and makesure it matches your flexplate. Thereare several bolt patterns possible fromFord Motor Company:

C-4: (4) 3/8" studs on 11.40" B.C.(4) 3/8" studs on 10.50" B.C.(4) 3/8" studs on 9.28" B.C.

C-6: (4) 3/8" studs on 11.40" B.C.(4) 3/8" studs on 9.28" B.C.

FMX: (4) 3/8" studs on 11.40" B.C.(4) 3/8" studs on 10.50" B.C.(4) 3/8" studs on 9.28" B.C.

AOD: (4) 3/8" studs on 11.40" B.C.

If your flexplate does not match upto the bolt pattern on your B&M torqueconverter, you will have to replace yourflexplate. You may enlarge your origi-nal flexplate holes to accept larger 7/16"-20 studs used on most B&M Per-formance coverters. Use a 15/32" (.468")dia. drill and deburr the holes afterdrilling.

B&M Converter Applications

Converter B&M B&M Converter FlexplatePart Number Converter Bolt Pattern Modifications

40425 C-6 Traveler 3/8"-24 x 11.40" B.C. Stock flexplate40412 C-6 Holeshot 2400 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Drill 15/32"40422 C-6 Holeshot 2400 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Drill 15/32"40442 C-6 Holeshot 3000 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Drill 15/32"40427 C-6 TorkMaster 2000 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Stock flexplate

50412 C-4 Holeshot 2400 3/8"-24 x 10.50" B.C. Stock flexplate50416 C-4 Holeshot 2400 3/8"-24 x 10.50" B.C. Stock flexplate50432 C-4 Holeshot 3000 7/16"-20 x 10.50" B.C. Drill 15/32"50436 C-4 Holeshot 3000 7/16"-20 x 10.50" B.C. Drill 15/32"50440 C-4 TorkMaster 2000 3/8"-24 x 10.50" B.C. Stock flexplate

40430 AOD Holeshot 2400 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Drill 15/32"40431 AOD Holeshot 3000 7/16"-20 x 11.40" B.C. Drill 15/32"40437 AOD TorkMaster 2000 3/8"-24 x 11.40" B.C. Stock flexplate

Note: B&M AOD 40430 & 40431 Open Converters (non-split path) do not require any transmission modifications.

Refer to the following chart for flexplate and starter nose-piece cross reference.

Stock Flexplate Replacement Starter NosepieceFlexplate

C-4 Applications

C5AZ-6375-T Do not change Use same starter11.40" bolt circle nosepiece164 tooth ring gear

D5ZZ-6375-A C3AZ-6375-L D1AZ-11130-A9.28" bolt circle 10.50" bolt circle141 tooth ring gear 157 tooth ring gear

C-6 Applications

D1ZZ-6375-C D1ZZ-6375-A Use same starter9.28" bolt circle 11.40" bolt circle nosepiece164 tooth ring gear 164 tooth ring gear

AOD Applications

Use same flexplate

Factory part numbers are for reference only, and are not guaranteed foraccuracy.Make sure that the replacement flexplate has an equivalent balance weighton it. Improper flexplate balance will cause severe engine vibration.

Figure 4

Inspect converter stud holes, crankshaftbolt holes and starter ring gear teeth fordamage, cracks and excessive wear.

Note: C-4 transmission bellhousingshave two different mounting designs.1. Flared case: The bellhousing boltsdirectly to the transmission case with5 bolts and the oil pump bolts areseparate. (See Fig. 5) The case flaresout to meet the bellhousing.2. Pump Mount: The bellhousing boltsto the transmission with the samebolts that hold the oil pump. (See Fig.6) There is a 1/4" gap between the caseand the bellhousing.Caution: Do not use a 10.50" boltcircle torque converter with a flaredcase bellhousing C-4. Do not use an11.40" bolt circle converter with PumpMount bellhousing C-4. Improper pilothub or oil pump engagement will resultwhich could damage the transmissionand/or torque converter.STEP 14. Install flexplate onto crank-shaft if you have removed or replacedit. When properly installed, the raisedinner lip on the flexplate crankshaftdiameter is away from the crank-shaft. Install flexplate to crankshaftbolts and torque to 55 lb. ft.STEP 15. Install B&M torque converteragainst crankshaft and flexplate. Theconverter should fit the crank snuglywith no excessive slop. A tight fit mayindicate burrs or rust in the pilot diam-eter of the crank. This can be cleanedwith some emery paper or a file. If yourflexplate is new or in good condition theconverter may not contact the flexplatebefore it bottoms in the crankshaft. A1/16 - 1/8" gap is normal. When theflexplate to converter bolts are tight-ened the flexplate will bow backwardsslightly and hold the torque converteragainst the crankshaft. Make sureflexplate clears any drain plugs onconverter.STEP 16. Remove the front pump sealin the transmission and replace withthe new seal supplied with the con-verter. Lubricate the seal with ATF orwhite grease. Pour one quart of B&MTrick Shift ATF into the B&M torqueconverter so there will be some lubrica-tion on initial start-up. While Trick Shiftis superior in lubrication, heat capacityand friction material performance, ifTrick Shift is unavailable be sure to useFord Type F fluid.STEP 17. Install B&M torque converteronto transmission. Push and rotate

converter to engage input shaft, statorshaft and oil pump rotors. Place astraightedge across the face of thetransmission bellhousing. Measure thedistance from the face of the bellhousingto the base of the torque converter drivestud. (See Fig. 7) The base of the studmust be at least 13/16" (4 cyl-351 V-8)or 1-1/8" (360 Larger-V-8) inside thebellhousing. A measurement of lessthan 13/16" (4 cyl-351 V-8) or 1-1/8"(360-Larger V-8) indicates the torqueconverter is not fully engaged in thetransmission, except torque convert-ers specially built for motor plate appli-cations. (Subtract the thickness ofyour motor plate from the 13/16" or 1-1/8" dimension for proper measurement.)Continue to rotate and turn the con-verter to obtain full engagement. If youinstall the transmission without fullconverter engagement, you willdamage the oil pump and/or con-verter.STEP 18. Place transmission in posi-tion on transmission jack. Be sure thejack supports the transmission on awide area so you don’t crush the pan.Align converter drive studs with holes inflexplate. Install transmission/torqueconverter against engine. Transmis-sion should engage dowel pins and sitflat against the engine block with handpressure only. If the transmission willnot sit flat against the engine, the con-verter is not installed into the transmis-sion all the way or there is some inter-

ference problem. Do not attempt topull the transmission up against theengine with the bellhousing boltsas this can cause transmission and/or torque converter damage.STEP 19. Once the transmission is inposition against the engine, install trans-mission bellhousing bolts and tighten25-30 lb.ft. At this point, the torqueconverter should be free to move backand forth slightly. A tight converterindicates improper pump engagement,badly burred crankshaft, distortedflexplate or flexplate stud holes notdrilled to size. This condition mustbe corrected before going any fur-ther.STEP 20. Inspect rubber transmissionmount. Worn, cracked or oil soakedtransmission and/or engine mountsshould be replaced. Raise transmis-sion and install crossmember and trans-mission mount bolts securely. Installstarter motor in place. Install starterbolts and tighten securely. Connectneutral safety switch on vehicles withswitch mounted on transmission.STEP 21. Install four flexplate to con-verter nuts. Use the starter motor to“bump” each stud into position. Tightennuts: 3/8" - 24 23 - 28 lb.ft. 7/16" - 20 26 - 32 lb.ft.

Install converter access cover andtighten bolts 30-60 lb.in.

C-4 Flared case

C-4 Flared case 289, 302,351C,351W Figure 5

C-4 Step case

C-4 Step case 289, 302,351C,351W Figure 6

STEP 22. Install dipstick and tubeassembly. Use a small amount ofsealer on dipsticks with an O-ring toprevent leaks. Connect oil cooler lines.Use a fitting wrench on the compres-sion nuts to avoid damage to the nutsand hold the fittings with a wrench whiletightening compression nuts 75 lb.in.STEP 23. Connect speedometer cable:Clamp Type Cable: Use a smallamount of sealer on the O-ring to pre-vent leaks. Push speedometer cableassembly into extension housing. In-stall clamp bolt and tighten to 150 lb.in.Sleeve Type Cable: Push speedom-eter cable into speedometer housingand tighten sleeve.STEP 24. Connect shifter:Column Shift Models: Connect rod orcable to shift lever on transmission.(See Fig. 1) Snap rod into grommetretainers by squeezing rod and levertogether with a pair of pliers. Connectrod or cable to clip retainer levers andinstall clip.Console Shift Models: Connect rodto shift lever on transmission. (See Fig.2) Snap rod into grommet retainers bysqueezing rod and lever together with apair of pliers. Connect rod to clipretainer levers and install clip.'70 and Later Vehicles EquippedWith Locking Steering Column AndConsole Shifter: Connect columnlock rod to transmission shift lever andinstall clip. Check shifter adjustment.Selector lever must coincide with de-tent feel in transmission. There mustbe equal clearance between the Neu-

tral stop and detent position and theDrive stop and detent position.4 Wheel Drive Models: Install knobon transfer case shift lever.STEP 25. Connect kickdown linkage.(See Fig. 1 & 2) Connect rod or cablekickdown lever and install clip. Kickdownlinkage should work smoothly with apositive spring return action.STEP 26. Inspect vacuum line. Re-place any vacuum lines that are bro-ken, cracked, kinked or restricted. Vac-uum source should be from the mani-fold for proper vacuum sensing to auto-matic valve bodies.STEP 27. Install driveshaft. Make sureU-joint cups are installed properly.Tighten U-joint bolts or nuts securely.STEP 28. Lower vehicle but keep therear wheels off the ground if possible.Add 3 quarts (C-4), 4 quarts (FMX) or 6quarts (C-6 or AOD) of B&M Trick Shiftto the transmission. While Trick Shiftis superior in heat capacity, lubricationand friction material performance, ifTrick Shift is unavailable be sure to useFord Type F fluid.STEP 29. Start engine and placeshifter in the Neutral position. Addfluid until the oil level is between theAdd and Full marks. Shift transmis-sion through all gear positions. If therear wheels are off the ground, allow thetransmission to shift through all gearsseveral times. Place selector in Neu-tral and check fluid level. Do notoverfill. This can cause foaming andoverheating. Check for leaks at coolerlines, etc.

OPERATING RECOMMENDATIONS

Torque Converter PerformanceThe torque converter is a compo-

nent of the automatic transmissionhowever it must be properly matched tothe engine for maximum performance.

A torque converter reacts to torque.The more torque you put to the con-verter the better your performance.However this torque must match theoperating RPM of the converter. Tomake a converter operate properly, yourengine must make sufficient bottom-end torque. You cannot build anengine for an automatic transmissionthe same way you would build an en-gine for a 4-speed because the operat-ing ranges are different . Your enginemust be built to produce as muchbottom-end and mid-range torquepossible for your operating conditions.This is especially important for goodstreet performance.

Do not make the mistake of over-camming your engine. You will need tolimit camshaft duration to 245o @ .050for street engines. We also suggestyou run the cam 2o-4o advanced. SmallCFM carburetors give better bottom-end response. Be careful not to overcarburete your engine.

Approximate stall speed of B&Mtorque converters is indicated by theB&M model. For example, a Holeshot3000 has a stall speed of approxi-mately 3000 RPM. This is a generalguide and should be used for referenceonly. Exact stall speeds are impos-sible to predict. A specific stall speedcannot be guaranteed due to the manyvariables involved in each car. If you areexperiencing stall speed difficulties, thefollowing items can contribute to lowstall speeds:

Light carsSmall displacement enginesVery high compression ratiosLarge throttle bore carburetorsMechanical carburetor secondarylinkageLong duration camshaftsRetarded cam timingPoor rear brakesHigh-ram manifoldsMultiple carburetion

Low stall speeds, poor throttleresponse, sluggish performance and

Figure 7

Drive lug face (base of stud) must be atleast 13/16" (4 cyl to 351 V8) or 1-1/8" (360

to Larger V8) inside front edge ofbellhousing

high idle speed requirements indicatepoor bottom-end torque characteris-tics which will need to be correctedto obtain maximum converter perfor-mance.Modified torque converters are installedto improve performance and durabilitynot available from a stock torque con-verter. Heavy Duty and racing applica-tions impose higher loads and greaterheat dissipation than stock operatingconditions.Oil Cooling: The factory heat ex-changer is usually inadequate for HeavyDuty and/or Racing applications. Thefollowing B&M Oil Coolers are recom-mended for performance applications.Heat is the major enemy of automatictransmissions and a cooler will alsoprolong the life of your transmission.B&M will not warranty torque convert-ers which show heat damage from mis-use or inadequate cooling.

B&MPart No. Rating/Application

70255 16,000 GVW Street perfomance70268 19,000 GVW Campers, small

motor homes, high stall converters

70264 24,000 GVW Large motor homes,

towing, high stall converters

70266 28,000 GVW Road & off-road race

cars (high flow race cooler)

Driving Techniques:Traveler:

Traveler torque converters shouldbe driven like a stock torque converter.Stall speeds and converter slip willcoincide with torque demand and ad-just automatically. Additional decel-eration will be noticed during manualdownshifts.Holeshot and TorkMaster:

Holeshot and TorkMaster torque con-verters are designed for street perfor-mance and should not be consideredas a low cost race converter. Undernormal driving conditions Holeshot andTorkMaster torque converters will func-tion like stock converters with someadditional slip. High stall speeds areavailable at torque demand. The beststanding start acceleration performanceis usually obtained by “stalling” theconverter at 1500-2000 rpm with thebrakes locked just prior to launchingthe car. Bang the throttle and releasethe brake pedal at the instant of launch.Marginal traction situations may re-quire you to “drive the car out” or feel fortraction with the gas pedal as you leavethe starting line. Remember, Holeshotand TorkMaster torque converters aredesigned for street performance andoccasional drag strip use. Race carsneed Race converters.

Maintenance:Street Use: Change fluid and filterevery 10,000 - 12,000 miles. This willalso help the life of the transmission.

Check torque converter bolts or nutsevery 20,000 - 24,000 miles.Ballooning: Ballooning is expansionof the torque converter along the axis ofrotation (front to back). This is causedby high rpm use and/or continuouswide open throttle stall speeds. Aballooned converter can lose thrustwasher piloting and must be cut openfor repair. You can check for ballooningby measuring the end play clearance ofthe stator and turbine. (See Fig. 8) Youwill have to make a hooked tool to grabthe stator or turbine. (See Fig. 9) Maxi-mum stator or turbine end play is .050inch. If stator or turbine end playexceeds .050 inch the converter willhave to be cut open to repair the cover.Cracks and Leaks:

Leaks can be caused by severalreasons. The most common are frontseal failure and vibration cracks.

Front seal failure is due to improp-erly installed seal (damaged during in-stallation), misalignment, worn pumpbushing, or worn converter impeller hub.A ballooned converter can have a slightlybent impeller hub. Inspect the pumpbushing when you replace the seal.Check dowel pins in the engine blockfor sufficient engagement and polishthe converter impeller hub with 400 gritwet and dry sandpaper and oil.

Cracks can develop in the impellerhub or perimeter weld from stress andvibration. If a crack occurs around theimpeller or pilot hub we recommendyou return it for repair.

Measure end playby hooking thetool to the stator andlifting up and down

Figure 8 Figure 9

12"

Typical homemade toolused to check torqueconverter end play