C4 Bellhousings

[Mantooth]

Need help sourcing the right bellhousing. My 93 ranger has a 4.0 and an M5OD manual transmission. I just picked up a complete c4 with a sbf bellhousing and an advanced adapters tailhousing setup to use the stock ranger transfer case. My truck has a behemoth drivetrain doubler so i will be sticking with ranger transfercases. This one has lost first gear. It also came with another c4 that has the slip yoke style output but it has been completely disassembled and the parts seem to be in good condition. They are both case fill style transmissions. What I’m having a hard time trying to figure out is what bellhousing I need. From searching around different forums, I’m seeing everyone say that to bolt the c4 to a 4.0 I will need a c5 bellhousing, flex plate, converter, and maybe a spacer as well. The 4.0 and the 2.8/2.9 are of the same engine family and the bellhousing bolt pattern are the same so it will work. The part that confuses me is why would I want to find a c5 bellhousing and other parts and not find a c4 bellhousing? They don’t make lockup converters anymore so there’s no benefit of a c5 bellhousing that I can see. I’ve found 2 bellhousings from mustang II’s with a 2.8L and a C4 that I’m trying to purchase. Why haven’t I seen many people recommending that bellhousing? If these fall through, can anyone recommend a few years/models of fords that I can source the right set of components from? And does anyone have what I need? Pic is of the complete trans with missing 1st which did come with a converter (again this was from a sbf so converter won’t work). This is for a dedicated rock crawler truck that gets trailered. Looking to have an automatic for more technical trails and I know the C4 can be built to be plenty strong for what I need.

 

[Shran]

I’m seeing everyone say that to bolt the c4 to a 4.0 I will need a c5 bellhousing, flex plate, converter, and maybe a spacer as well. The 4.0 and the 2.8/2.9 are of the same engine family and the bellhousing bolt pattern are the same so it will work. The part that confuses me is why would I want to find a c5 bellhousing and other parts and not find a c4 bellhousing?

If you can find a 2.8 V6 C4 bellhousing, it should work. I think the part that gets confusing is when you get V8s involved and there are several V8 bellhousings and flex plates available for C4's.

Main thing is getting the spacer plate that matches your bellhousing, and a torque converter that matches your flex plate, and a starter that matches the flex plate. I think that V6 auto flex plates are all the same - I am 95% sure that I had one from a C5 truck and one from an A4LD truck next to each other at one point and they were identical. The spacer goes between the crank and flex plate.

For starters you can use either a 2.8/2.9 starter (manual or auto, they are the same) or a 4.0 automatic (these are different than a 4.0 manual starter.) I've had both in mine, the wiring is just different.

I put a C5 in one of my Explorers years ago behind a 4.0 OHV. I've been really pleased with it. The only major issue I ran into was with starter alignment with the flex plate, I don't have a clue why but it was just a hair off. I had to remove the spacer plate about 15 times and grind tiny bits out so that it would fit better on the engine alignment dowels. You may run into this as well. My best guess is that the 4.0 alignment dowels are just slightly different and it makes the plate sit lower and thus the starter bendix just barely contacts the flex plate teeth.

 

[mmerlinn]

Need help sourcing the right bellhousing. My 93 ranger has a 4.0 and an M5OD manual transmission. I just picked up a complete c4 with a sbf bellhousing and an advanced adapters tailhousing setup to use the stock ranger transfer case.

If you are from Mukki, I have a bell housing removed from an 85 4.0L for a C4/C5 transmission and have emailed you a quote.

If you are someone else, I have two of these.

 

[19Walt93]

A Mustang II used a 140 tooth ring gear becuase the bell is slightly smaller diameter to fit under the floor. Make sure your oil pan is narrow enough to allow the starter to bolt up before installing it. I was originally going to use a Mustang II bell housing, flex plate and convertor behind the 351 in my truck and did not notice the pan blocked the starter until after the trans was in place.

 

[mmerlinn]

A Mustang II used a 140 tooth ring gear becuase the bell is slightly smaller diameter to fit under the floor. Make sure your oil pan is narrow enough to allow the starter to bolt up before installing it. I was originally going to use a Mustang II bell housing, flex plate and convertor behind the 351 in my truck and did not notice the pan blocked the starter until after the trans was in place.

Not an issue with 2.8/4.0 engines.

 

[Mantooth]

If you are from Mukki, I have a bell housing removed from an 85 4.0L for a C4/C5 transmission and have emailed you a quote.

If you are someone else, I have two of these.

Yeah that’s me. I’ll email you back.