Looking for C4 information
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,479
Likes: 92
From: Between Tally and Gatorville ,Florida
Looking for C4 information
Im trying to educated myself on C4 and have a few questions.
What's the difference between the Dana 36 and 44? Could a 36 be converted to a 44?
Which models year is the Dana 44 available?
Which model years is the 6 speed available and whatmake is it?
What's the difference between the Dana 36 and 44? Could a 36 be converted to a 44?
Which models year is the Dana 44 available?
Which model years is the 6 speed available and whatmake is it?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The Dana 44 is a heavier duty one fitted to cars with manual transmissions from the factory.
The ZF 6 speed manual gearbox became available after 1988 prior to that only the Doug Nash 4+3 was available.
The ZF S6-650 is a 6-speed manual transmission manufactured by ZF Friedrichshafen AG. It is designed for longitudinal engine applications, and is rated to handle up to 705 newton metres (520 lbf·ft) of torque.
General Motors used the S6 as RPO ML6.
Others may chime in and correct me if i am wrong.
Last edited by gerardvg; Feb 15, 2013 at 05:04 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
A Dana 36 has smaller weaker gears/internals. You cannot physically change a Dana 36 into a Dana 44, but you can unbolt the Dana 36 from your car and bolt in a Dana 44 in its place. You need the driveshaft and C-beam for the Dana 44, but it is a bolt in application. Every year (except '84) that had a manual transmission also got a Dana 44. All automatics got the Dana 36.
The ZF6, like others mentioned, was available from 1989-1996. There are two versions of his transmission, black tag and blue tag. They physically have different color service tags on the side (black or blue). The black tag is the stronger of the two since it has straighter cut gears. Due to this it is also a little louder. In an effort to quiet it down ZF made the gears with more of an angle between the teeth, but it also weakened it slightly. The black tag was used from '89- mid '93, and the blue tag from '93 -'96.
The ZF6, like others mentioned, was available from 1989-1996. There are two versions of his transmission, black tag and blue tag. They physically have different color service tags on the side (black or blue). The black tag is the stronger of the two since it has straighter cut gears. Due to this it is also a little louder. In an effort to quiet it down ZF made the gears with more of an angle between the teeth, but it also weakened it slightly. The black tag was used from '89- mid '93, and the blue tag from '93 -'96.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
So unless you are going to run super sticky drag slicks, and have a seriously modified engine. You are fine with the dana 36. The auto cars came with the D36 and manuals with D44.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 144
From: on Barnegat Bay Joisey
I've never changed the oil in my '90 Dana 44 rear or ZF with 44K miles. Is there a time/mileage limit? Sorry for the hi-jack but it sounds like you folks are experts.
Last edited by mickey5; Feb 16, 2013 at 10:17 AM. Reason: addition
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,479
Likes: 92
From: Between Tally and Gatorville ,Florida
The Dana 36 in my 85 with auto trans has put up with many years with the added h/p and torque of the vortech supercharger, the aluminum half shafts twist and break easily saving the Dana 36. Now with steel half shafts it is still going strong, even the larger Dana 44 breaks. People with serious h/p are putting solid axle 9 inch diffs in their corvettes.......
So unless you are going to run super sticky drag slicks, and have a seriously modified engine. You are fine with the dana 36. The auto cars came with the D36 and manuals with D44.
So unless you are going to run super sticky drag slicks, and have a seriously modified engine. You are fine with the dana 36. The auto cars came with the D36 and manuals with D44.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,616
Likes: 1,055
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C4 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C4 of Year Finalist
2015 C4 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '16
Under the ECM, Firewall you have to remove the ECM 2 10mm nuts.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,479
Likes: 92
From: Between Tally and Gatorville ,Florida
I have been looking at some C4 online for sell and the ones thatsdo not show the pedals or say they are a manual, I can't tell if they are auto or manual.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 144
From: on Barnegat Bay Joisey
Look at the pics of the interior. Usually the shift lever is in park and the manual trans is in neutral when they are shut off or idling. Its not foolproof but its what you would normally do.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 394
Likes: 27
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 144
From: on Barnegat Bay Joisey