FishnRace, The lockup converters are great for cruising. As you say, HP limits their use but so does load. As far as your post goes, it is right on the money! Even with a stock configuration the converter will only stay locked as long as the load is low. This is to prevent damage to the converter lockup clutches. Each time you accelerate to pass or climb a steep grade the converter comes out of lockup. If you have a stock engine and rear gear and put an OD automatic in the car then the engine is below the torque range of your engine when at freeway speeds. That means that the converter clutches will be engaging and disengaging a lot. That will wear them out and you will be replacing converters or not realize the damage has been done and the clutches will slip causing even more heat than the converter being unlocked. Unless you have a gauge on the transmission you won't notice the heat until damage is done.
I understand Frank and Effie had an issue with their AOD on the way down to joplin for the gathering......I didn't get the jist of it..............maybe somebody else can fill us in......
If I recall, Frank bought a used AOD and stuck it in his car without rebuilding it. It lasted two years. His third gear went out. He had it rebuilt and headed back out to Joplin. I think he more than got his money's worth out of that AOD...way more.
I would say since he has been dynoing it and increased his power it was just a weak link being an older unit......Should be fine now......I hope he spent the extra doe on a shift kit and upgrades...... I just thought it was a tad ironic they used Frank as an example and it failed a few weeks later..... I'm glad they got it fixed and made it to the gathering......hopefully they have no issues on the trip to the Round up and home!!!!....
Frank just got me an AOD out of a '87 from a F150 truck for $100. If Frank bought his for $100 and got two years out of it with his engine and the long trips her makes, that makes a very good case for the AOD in a Maverick. I'm having mine rebuilt with the latest and greatest AOD parts before I put it behind my 250 CI '77 Maverick. Oh, my tranny guy told me $800 to rebuild the AOD with the newest parts and that includes a rebuilt converter. I trust my tranny guy. I've never had to take one back in the 15 years or so we've been using him and, as far as I know, every vehicle he touched for my family is till chugging with his rebuilt trannies.
For my '77 I am. It has a semi-built 250 that should produce about 180 HP and 270 ft lb of torque at that flywheel. The AOD will go in between the 250 and 8.8 with 3.73 gears and limited slip. Now, for my '73. I plan on 450 HP 351, 9 inch with posi and 3.89 gears, and a Borg Warner T-10 four speed. It may one day get one of the tougher built 5-speeds, but it wall stay manual. My '71 drag car will have a Powerglide. If we're going to chose transmissions by how much HP and torque they can take, how long they will last, and how easy and economical they are to rebuild, we should all be using Powerglides.
wow you make it sound like we need to march and have ralleys in front of transmission shops waving signs or something
If you feel the need to....... I'll have fun shifting a tremec......maybe I can drive by and heckle the protesters
I would love to see the itemized statement on that rebuild. I doubt that he can do more than a factory shift kit and replace stock frictions with a converter for $800. Still that should be fine for your 250.
Well, Paul, over the last 15 years or so, my tranny guy has probably rebuilt 20 transmissions for me, my family members, and folks I that sent to him. Sometimes, just sometimes, a fine guy like me can benefit from such business and loyalty.
I agree, loyalty can go a long way in getting you good deals and excellent service. I doubt that it goes far enough to install the gear train from a late model AODE to get the 2" OD band and the A+ servo from aftermarket. It wasn't the quality of work or good deal that I was doubting - it was the term "latest and greatest AOD parts" that I doubted.That term covers a lot of the very most expensive mods that can be made to the AOD. You might be right, but if that is true then you should know that it is costing him a lot of money to give you that price.
Semantics. He said something about a better band and other things and said that he would build it to hold up to my engine and the way it is built. I can take that to the bank.
I've seen many of those E40D's go out or slip. My gramps 95 F-150 has had 2 in it I think. Garbage. The AODs have lasted better for him in other applications.
