Aod......worth the effort?

Title says it all, am looking to install an AOD in my mav, dont think it will be that big a deal, but want to get opinions first.
Thanx.......Dave

 

from what i hear, it's well worth the effort if u plan on doing any kind of highway drving. just ask Frank (71gold)... he loves his AOD


and on another note, if u install the AOD then also plan on installing a set of 3.55 or lower (numericly higher) gears so you dont burn up the trans from shifting in and out of OD

 

yes it is. the bigest thing to watch is seting up the tv cable. its said that the trans can be destroyed with in 1 block if its set up wrong. i recomend puting the trans in and all set up then get somebody to do the tv adjustment who has done it before.

 

Assuming you already have the AOD transmission , your next step will be the crossmember which you’ll probably have to make yourself since there are none available as yet. Also you’ll need a set of headers . There are none available that I know of that will fit this application without modification to some of the tubes for clearances. Shorty headers are the same deal. You may possibly have to shorten your driveshaft somewhat for fit . We shortened the driveshaft by removing some of the unsplined portion from the FRONT yoke . Also your setting for your TV or Throttle valve linkage sometimes referred to as “kickdown” lever is critical and you must get this right or you could lose the transmission. The AOD’s have no Vacuum Modulator and the TV linkage is not merely for the “passing gear” function but is also pertinent to the operation of the transmission itself. If the TV linkage is omitted you could develop low line pressure and in turn damage the transmission.
There are websites on the internet that deal with the line pressure requirements if you search for them. As far as being worth the effort , we think so . We have changed two Comets to AODs and one has been of four Hot Rod POWER TOURS at an average of 2500 miles each time with no adverse affect. Gas mileage was great and I highly recommend it if you’re into driving your car over the road. If its just a show hopper and once in a while driver you might want to keep it a C4. I have a COMET that I would NEVER take on the road . It has a Dynamic Racing Transmission with reversed valve body shifting , 3.55 posi, 9”inch rear ,sub frame connectors and lift bars . This car is what I call a show hopper .. It’s a lot of fun but I wouldn’t invest the time or finances to convert it . These are NOT specific instructions naturally but a general overview to help you to decide if you really want to go the AOD route. By the way the stock tunnel does NOT have to be modified unless you want to .. it WILL FIT ..its tight .. but doable .. Hope this helps. Cometized.

 

Frank (71gold) sells a custom crossmember for the AOD swap that he keeps in stock. he's also running headers in his car.

needless to say, he's probably the best person to ask when it comes to this subject

 

with this stuff, no more destruction OF AOD because of TV cables:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TCI-436020/

 

I once put an AOD in my 351w powered F100. I never could get any gas mileage out of it but the lowest gear I went to was a 3.70. I often wondered it I had went to a 4.10-4.11 gear and tuned it for that if I would of had better luck. I ended up dropping in a mild 460/c6-3.25 gear and got about a mile an hour better and gobbs more torque.
I still believe in the AOD though and think if I had played with the gears more I might have gotten where I wanted to be. I just ran across a great deal on a nice 460 and 2 c6's for little money.
Keep in mind I am talking about a 71 F100 with 235-75-15" tires with a diameter of what? 28" or so? A good bit more than a Maverick or Comet anyway.
I bet a Maverick with a nice 302/5.0/ AOD and 3.70 or close gears would get great gas mileage and run like a raped ape.
clint

 

I have a AOD in my green 73.
Used Franks cross member, Thanks Frank!! (fit like a glove)
Used Doug Thorley shorty Maverick headers (awesome)
But..stay away from the Lokar cable, use a stock 93 Mustang GT cable, they work much better.
One small issue with the transmission touching the transmission tunnel support, nothing a grinder didn't fix.
I have 3.55:1 rear end gears, the car rev's at 1900 rpm at 65 MPH.
Oh yeah, I had an inch cut out of my drive shaft.
If you have any questions, let me know!

 

i like my aod
headman headers
stock driveshaft
modded crossmeber


stock gear

 

thanks Guys...:Handshake

MG]

I have sold 28 of these to board members...

......

 

Love my AOD, had it rebuilt with a Lentech valve body, lokar cable, shifts hard, had to cut the headers and move out a little for clearence no biggie, also put a bigger driveshaft in.

 

wilbur, what headers are you useing?

 

I forgot something else:
I'm using this, so it works with my column shifter
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LOK-ACA-1807/

 

Hooker 6901's cut into the collectors and pushed out for clearance and rewelded.

 

my 6901s i just heated and tweeked to the outside (one side).


:Handshake