I have a C4 in my 73 mav right now, will an AOD drop right in? What would have to be done to install one?
a little floorboard bashing would be in order. Also, you will most likely have to fabricate some sort of crossmember. After you get it installed, make darn sure the proper TV cable is connected and adjusted correctly. This little cable is responsible for ALL the shifting and internal pressures in the AOD. I think Rickyracer has done this swap. I have not, but would either like to go with an AOD or t-5 in the future.
AOD4U Not that hard and works pretty good, email me and I'll give you all the details. rickyracer81@hotmail.com
That aod will do wonders for your gas milage. On the other hand, the stock c4 will leave the aod behind in the dust in a race. You are going to have to change a few things to make the aod performance worthy. Consider your reasons for swapping and your budget. If u are on a budget and are looking to go fast, the t-5's can't be beat.
Ahum, Being an AOD advocate, I'd like to offer a rebuttle: As far as a C4 "leaving an AOD in the dust": both trannies have very similar gear ratios 1st through 3rd. The OD in AOD simply offers a better than 1-1 ratio in 'fourth' or over-drive. An AOD can be picked up for a $300 and rebuilt to easily handle 600 HP (@ engine). It 'is' a little more expensive to re-build - but odds are, you won't be rebuilding it close to the amount of times a s a T-5. Nor will you be going through clutches and TOB's every other month. Another peice to the puzzle is the correct choice of convertor and stall (long winded topic to discuss on another post - as well as omitting the trans-"break"). Last comment: With God as my witness I swear I have NEVER missed a gear in an automatic (state 'duh - obvious' here). I personally don't know many (any?) T-5 user who hasn't gone 4 or 5 races deep, missed third gear - and lost to an automatic. Just my .02. Pro AOD, I am Rick
Rick, you definetly have a very valid point. I am coming straight from my own late model mustang experience. Just an opionion...of course every time I ever got in a stock auto mustang, it feels about 50 horses less, in fact they are, vs a t-5 from what I understand they loose about 50 horses to the rear. On the other hand, I never knew what "missing third gear was" until the pomona drag strip. Man, I have never seen a gear just disappear like that!!! Had to go out and fork over the $200 for a good shifter. If I was to go all out for racing, I would choose the auto for consistency, for street, I have always liked shifting a stick.
trans debate A standard trans doesn't obsorb HP like a auto does. And when you're dealing with close to stock engines they can make the difference. A C-4 takes about 30 HP to spin a C-6 takes about 55. How a auto won't miss gears but you can burn up a clutch pack. Autos are easy on the drivetrain and suspension so they react differently them a standard. I've raced both and prefer a auto. Less parts breakage and linkage to screw with. AODs the OD smaller shaft is the leak part. But you have to be around 450 "honest" HP to worry about it.
I suppose I should've qualified my praise of AOD's as well. Before I even put the newly bored/stroked (302 to 347), internally balanced, 11.25:1 CR small block in my (heavy) 90 Must Vert, I had the AOD overhauled and upgraded to accept 600 h.p. (crank). I was told by the tranny man that the AOD's were limited to around 700 h.p. (in a heavy car) so I chose to stay around 600 h.p. (engine conservatively estimated ~ 400+ then add a 200 shot of Nitrous). The stall convertor (3800 rpm) was a B&M 9". I also ran the nitrous off the line and through the traps. At the risk of sounding like I'm braggin, it ran 7.2X consistantly with 1.57 60' times. I did this over 100 times (estimating). NEVER did the AOD even HINT that it was even breathing hard. I dropped the pan last week and I swear it looked like it hadn't been run - ever. No particles of clutches, metal fibers or any signes of wear was seen. Now, having said all that, the tranny beef-up did cost about $1600 and the convertor another $700. A pretty heafty amount compared to a 5-speed. IMHO, the $2300 was a great buy. I paid that much to keep from breaking every other weekend. I can't count how many times my buddies with Tremecs, and other 5-speeds broke because of clutches, rear gears (dumping the clutch at 5,000 rpms consistantly WILL eventually break something provided the horsepower is there). That's why I didn't use a trans-brake either - too hard on the drive-train. Remember this was a Street/Strip car that performed flawlessly every time at the track AND on the street. I may have been in a minority, I don't know. Everyone else (in the Mustang Club with a fair amount of h.p.) I was running with, ran the 5-speeds and THEY were the ones who oogled and drooled over my AOD and it's rigidity. But, to my surprise and disbelief, none would "Pay Now" - they chose to "Pay Later.. and later....and later.... They also 'liked to shifting'. I've been there and done that 20 years ago. I suppose all the hassle is worth it to them to hear the sound of a 5 speed ????? To each his own.
dont worry about the strength of the AOD. the weak links are the OD band and the small input shaft, which can be fixed using one of the many aftermarket valvebodies. The actual geartrain itself is very similar to a powerglide and FMX, all the planetary gears are in one carrier. Also, the case is much stronger than a c4 due to it's integral valvebody half. You can upgrade the planetaries to the lower gear E4OD's 2.84 first gear, it's a simple drop-in. Also make sure to get the good OD servo (I think it's an "A" servo, not positive though)
When looking for a trans to go with, the best factory units were used in the the E and F series trucks in 92 and 93 as the strongest.
