6F35 Transmission Rebuild Kit with Frictions and Bushings

A 2013-2017 Ford Fusion or Escape, a 2.3L Explorer, or a Lincoln MKZ or MKC with the 6F35 six-speed that flares on the 2-3 or 3-4 shift, slips worse once it is hot, or has lost reverse needs more than fluid. The clutch packs are burned, and the bushings that feed them usually share the blame. This kit covers the whole soft-parts job in one box: the overhaul gasket and seal set, 15 friction plates, 15 steel plates, a 12-piece bushing set, piston packs and a new filter. The listing gives Ford overhaul kit reference 9L8Z-7A098-D.

What this rebuild kit does in a 6F35

The 6F35 is a front-drive transaxle. It gets its six ratios by applying pairs of five clutch packs: 1-2-3-4, 3-5-reverse, 4-5-6, 2-6 and low/reverse. Each pack is a stack of lined frictions between steel plates, clamped by a hydraulic piston. That oil has to get from the pump to the piston through rotating shafts, and the bushings are a big part of what holds that pressure. A worn bushing leaks apply oil, so the pack gets less pressure than the computer commanded, slips, and glazes. This kit's selling point is that you replace the bushings alongside the frictions and steels, so new clutches start out with full apply pressure. Without that, fresh plates in a 6F35 burn quickly.

Symptoms this kit is meant to fix

• Flare or engine rev between gears, most often 2-3 and 3-4 under throttle
• Slipping that gets worse as the Mercon LV heats up, a classic sign of bushing and seal leakage
• Reverse that slips or engages late, plus a missing 3rd or 5th. A burned 3-5-reverse pack is the best-known 6F35 failure
• Harsh 1-2 upshift as clutch clearances open up
• TCC slip or shudder from a worn stator support bushing, which Sonnax ties to codes P0741 and P1744
• Dark, burnt-smelling fluid with friction material in the pan

How to confirm the transmission needs a rebuild

Start with fluid level and condition, then read the codes. A gear ratio or TCC slip code tells you where the unit is slipping, but not why. Solenoid and valve body wear can cause the same flare as burned clutches, so rule out the hydraulics before you pull the unit. Our Ford 6F35 transmission problems guide covers how to tell a valve body fault from a mechanical failure. If the pan has heavy clutch debris, or the slip is still there after a fluid service and adaptive reset, a teardown with this kit is the honest fix.

Fitment

The listing covers 2013-2017 Ford Fusion, Escape and Explorer, plus the Lincoln MKZ and MKC. On the Explorer, the 6F35 was used behind the 2.3L EcoBoost. V6 Explorers use the larger 6F50 and need a different kit. Ford changed the 6F35 hydraulics in 2013: Sonnax lists Gen 1 valve body castings as 9L8P/BL8P and Gen 2 as CV6P. Seal and gasket details can follow those changes, so compare the separator plate gaskets in the kit against your valve body before you start, or send us your year and VIN to confirm. Browse other 6F35 parts on our 6F35 collection page.

Install notes

• Inspect the hard parts before reassembly: drums, the center support, the 3-5-reverse wave plate and the pump. A cracked part or a scored bore will undo a new clutch pack.
• Soak the frictions in Mercon LV before assembly and check each pack's clearance as you stack it. The 6F35 is sensitive to loose 3-5-reverse and 2-6 clearances.
• Sonnax notes that the 6F35 stator tube bore is tapered from the factory and that bushings pressed into it can spin. Install bushings with an arbor press, not a hammer, and check them for a tight fit.
• If the pump gears or bore are worn, replace the pump at the same time. We stock the 6F35 pump. If the old unit had solenoid codes, add a 6F35 solenoid kit.
• Fill with Mercon LV only, then clear the adaptive tables and run the transmission relearn with a scan tool before judging shift quality.

If your old steels are flat with no heat discoloration and you only need frictions and steels, compare this kit with our 6F35 frictions and steels kit. If the unit ran hot or lost apply pressure, the bushings are the reason to choose this one.

What comes in this 6F35 rebuild kit?

The overhaul gasket and seal set, 15 friction plates, 15 steel plates, a 12-piece bushing set, piston packs and a filter. It does not include drums, the pump, the valve body or solenoids.

Will it fit my V6 Explorer or Edge?

No. V6 Explorers and the Edge use the larger 6F50/6F55 transaxle. This kit is for the 6F35, used in the 2013-2017 Fusion, Escape, 2.3L Explorer, MKZ and MKC listed for it. If you are not sure which unit you have, send us your year and VIN.

Why replace the bushings if only the clutches are burned?

Worn bushings leak clutch apply oil, and that low apply pressure is often what burned the clutches. If you put new plates in with the old bushings, the same leak can burn the new plates.

What fluid does the 6F35 use after the rebuild?

Ford specifies Mercon LV for every 6F35 application. Do not use a multi-vehicle or Mercon V fluid.

Do I need a scan tool after the rebuild?

Yes. Clear the transmission adaptive tables and run the relearn after installation. Without a relearn, the computer starts from the old unit's worn-clutch values, and the first shifts can be harsh or soft.

• Ford 6F35 Transmission Problems: Real Causes and the Fixes That Last