TRADE THE STANG FOR A CIVIC OR A SOLARA

stng87 · 03-20-2001, 06:12 PM

I KEEP HEARING THAT ALL THESE SOLARAS AND CIVICS ARE SO FAST BEATING COBRAS AND ALL, MAYBE I SHOULD GET ONE. IT SEEMS THEIR TRANNYS LAST. (BUT WHAT WOULDN'T WHEN HANDLING 100 OR LESS HORSEPOWER I GUESS)

THIS HAS ME A LITTLE PISSED TO SAY THE LEAST. i HAD MY AOD REBUILT 2 MONTHS AGO BY AAMCO AND ALREADY ITS GONE AGAIN. IT HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY SO THATS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT I DONT WANT TO GET IT REBUILT EVERY 2 MONTHS. I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE THEY SCREWED UP REBUILDING IT, BUT THE GUY I TALKED TO SAID IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE RIGHT, JUST THAT IT WAS RUN HARD. NOW I WONT DENY THAT I GET ON IT FROM TIMT TO TIME, BUT ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 WITH 1=HOW GRANDMA DRIVES HER BUICK.
10=HOW RICERS DRIVE THEIR IMPORTS.
I WOULD HAVE TO RATE MYSELF AS A 3 0R A 4 PROBABLY A 3 SO WHAT GIVES ARE THESE AOD'S REALLY THIS BAD?? AND EVEN IF I DROVE MY CAR LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELLL, IT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 2 MONTHS WITH ANY TRANNY FORD BUILT RIGHT? THANKS FOR LETTING ME BITCHH.

GP6T · 03-20-2001, 06:19 PM

I tend to think that AAMCO is the problem not your AOD. You need to get a "Quality" rebuild not one from a bunch of minute luber's that now work on trannys.

Rev · 03-20-2001, 06:23 PM

Stng87, is that engine stock or have you got a little extra? If your on the bottle or have a high torque engine or high stall converer, then the AOD ain't gonna last long from Aamco. I have to do my C-4 every few years but just figure that's the price I pay for what I've got and the way I use it. Hard use hurts things, but I agree, 2 months isn't very long.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

stng87 · 03-20-2001, 06:36 PM

REV:
WELL THE ENGINE'S GOTTA BE SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN 300 HP AND IM ADDING THE NOS THIS MONTH HOPEFULLY. YOU'D THINK THAT THEY'D BUILD IT STRONGS RATHER THAN KEEP FIXING IT ON WARRANTY. I MEAN IT'LL GO IN ANOTHER 2 MONTHS IF NOT AND THEY'SS HAVE IT AGAIN.
BY THE WAY I BET THAT 66 IS NICE. I LOVE THEM.

stng87 · 03-20-2001, 06:38 PM

4.10'S TOO

Fox Body · 03-20-2001, 06:50 PM

stng87,
Won't you void the warranty if you add nitrous? That AOD is gonna fall apart if you add nitrous.

BTW, STOP YELLING!!

-------------------------------
'79 Mustang Coup
4" Cowl
Weld wheels (15x6;15x8)
Stock 5.8L
C4 w/ shift kit
1.5" MAC full length headers
Holley 750 CFM
Edelbrock intake
2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters
8.8" Rear end w/ 3.55 gears (Now that's more like it!!)

Front: 225/60/15 Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II
14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup soon)

"Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

Rev · 03-20-2001, 06:52 PM

Stng87, please don't take this wrong, but I've heard that the AOD is inherantly kinda weak. I bet with that extra oomph, N20 not withstanding, your gonna need a "built AOD" tranny to take the load. I bet they won't keep redoing it forever at Aamco.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

stng87 · 03-20-2001, 06:56 PM

no @#$@ its weak! Thats why im trying to get it built to take it. Haha

withamc · 03-20-2001, 07:04 PM

My experience with AAMCO (69 Camaro) and my buddy at work (87 Bronco) is that their work will stand up to your grandma's driving and not much more. I've got a 1 ton 4X4 crew cab dually that I have a slide in camper on and tow my Jeep on a trailer with and when I had that tranny rebuilt I took it to a local guy who builds race trannys who (1) did it cheaper than AAMCO and (2) did it better than AAMCO. My buddy's Bronco mysteriously blew up the transfer case a week after the tranny got built. ("Oh, it COULDN'T have been our work, sir")

Rev · 03-20-2001, 07:13 PM

Kevin, can you delete that post from "Cobrasuck" and maybe his registration as well? It pisses me off that he even used my name. Thanks.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

03-20-2001, 07:54 PM

AOD's are inherently weak, but a few choice parts can make them contenders. Get a rebuild with quality clutches get a good valve body, a good torque converter, a one piece input shaft, and there are a few other considerations.

What I would do is contact Lentech or Performance Automatic, they make good transmissions. They are helpful people and will assist you with whatever you do. Oh yeah make sure that you add an external cooler that actually gets air (like if you have an LX and the air doesn't work take out the condenser and place a trans cooler there).

Hope this helps a little. BTW, I heard AAMCO sucks from many people over at www.Ford-Diesel.com , they have complaints about them too.

------------------
88GT stock shortblock, GT-40 iron heads, Edlebrock Performer intake, 24# inj, Pro-M 75mm Bullet MAM, 3.73, hurst short throw, F-303, electric fan, alum rad, FMS HD clutch, R134a ac conversion, 70mm TB , and some other stuff I probably forgot, 13.02@106 with a 1.87 60ft

Kevin Price · 03-20-2001, 09:24 PM

O.K. guys, let's try and refrain from any mention of Solaras and Civics in reference to the recent problems that we have been having.

Just mentioning instigates flames whether it is intended or not.

Thanks guys.

------------------
SVO siamesed 351 stroked to 417ci,Yates heads, solid roller,Trans King glide and a little blue bottle
of giggle gas. My Car

03-20-2001, 10:47 PM

My overdrive band burn up in 94 so I had it rebuilt by the local ford dealership($800). A few years later I had the blower put on was running 13.8s with the stock rebuild, 2400 stall and shift kit. The aod is weak, but not that weak. Sounds to me like someone did some shoddy work.

Lizard King · 03-20-2001, 11:14 PM

Maybe you're right Kevin, ... hehehe.

Fostang · 03-20-2001, 11:18 PM

My C-4 doesn't chirp em the way it use to and has a little lag when shifting while driving hard. Under normal driving 2nd gear engages hard and 3rd soft with a little lag. It use to chirp em extremely when I would drive it hard. Do you guys think it needs a rebuild?

------------------
67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

46stang · 03-21-2001, 12:57 AM

aamco sucks the big one. my dad had a 66 plymouth fury, all stock. it took them 4 times before it actually lasted. 2 of the 4 times we didn't even make it home before it was slipping on the 2-3 shift. we only lived about 7 miles from them. this trans was as basic as it gets,(no overdrive) and they screwed it up. i have a few more horror stories about aamco, but i won't go there. you would be better off getting it rebuilt by a real trans tech. such as some mentioned above. but then again thats how those basta*ds win, you get tired of taking it back every two months and go some where else:/

------------------
96 stang,ported 99 heads, 99 intake, 99 cams,Steeda power pullies, 373's, 70mm t/b, gutted maf, bassani x-pipe w/cats, ultraflow catback,iat mod, home depot ram air, k@n. fms spings, tri-ax shifter.

302 LX Eric · 03-21-2001, 09:08 AM

From what I've heard, if your going to add nitrous to the car and you are already at the 300HP mark N/A, then save time and troubles by purchasing a well built C4 from one of the many reputable race shops around the country. A good shop should discuss your combo, future plans, etc. Then, they can build your C4 to work with what you have and set it up with the proper stall, etc.

Good luck with the tranny!

E

------------------
1991 5.0 LX Coupe - 38,000 miles

13.17 @ 106.14 mph w/ 2.138 60'

stng87 · 03-21-2001, 01:36 PM

thanks for all the suggestions guys, you are all very helpful.

cept' cobrassuck :spank:

Rev · 03-21-2001, 09:35 PM

Fostang, that's the way my C-4 started acting right before I had it rebuilt. Then the soft 2-3 shift became major slipping at WOT with the engine reving up between 2 and 3. Turned out the 3 rd gear clutches were fried. I had a guy rebuild mine fo $200 with me doing removal and installation. My guess is your 3 rd gear clutches are going.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

LincoConti87 · 03-23-2001, 02:12 AM

I don't think I like a ford auto tranny yet. I have an aod in my Lincoln and had I think C5 or somethin in my old cougar which was a pos 3 spd. Anyhow AAMCO is like having your engine rebuilt at walmart. Mom took her caddy over to AAMCO once and we new it had problems(obviously) so they charge us 50 bucks just to tell us that its messed up. Mom was mad and then we find out that they took out the tranny dipstick and then magically displaced it when we went back for it. We got our refund.

03-20-2001, 06:12 PM	#1
stng87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: southern california Posts: 329	TRADE THE STANG FOR A CIVIC OR A SOLARA I KEEP HEARING THAT ALL THESE SOLARAS AND CIVICS ARE SO FAST BEATING COBRAS AND ALL, MAYBE I SHOULD GET ONE. IT SEEMS THEIR TRANNYS LAST. (BUT WHAT WOULDN'T WHEN HANDLING 100 OR LESS HORSEPOWER I GUESS) THIS HAS ME A LITTLE PISSED TO SAY THE LEAST. i HAD MY AOD REBUILT 2 MONTHS AGO BY AAMCO AND ALREADY ITS GONE AGAIN. IT HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY SO THATS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT I DONT WANT TO GET IT REBUILT EVERY 2 MONTHS. I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE THEY SCREWED UP REBUILDING IT, BUT THE GUY I TALKED TO SAID IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE RIGHT, JUST THAT IT WAS RUN HARD. NOW I WONT DENY THAT I GET ON IT FROM TIMT TO TIME, BUT ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 WITH 1=HOW GRANDMA DRIVES HER BUICK. 10=HOW RICERS DRIVE THEIR IMPORTS. I WOULD HAVE TO RATE MYSELF AS A 3 0R A 4 PROBABLY A 3 SO WHAT GIVES ARE THESE AOD'S REALLY THIS BAD?? AND EVEN IF I DROVE MY CAR LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELLL, IT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 2 MONTHS WITH ANY TRANNY FORD BUILT RIGHT? THANKS FOR LETTING ME BITCHH.

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03-20-2001, 06:19 PM	#2
GP6T Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: ANAHEIM CA USA Posts: 36	I tend to think that AAMCO is the problem not your AOD. You need to get a "Quality" rebuild not one from a bunch of minute luber's that now work on trannys.

03-20-2001, 06:23 PM	#3
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Stng87, is that engine stock or have you got a little extra? If your on the bottle or have a high torque engine or high stall converer, then the AOD ain't gonna last long from Aamco. I have to do my C-4 every few years but just figure that's the price I pay for what I've got and the way I use it. Hard use hurts things, but I agree, 2 months isn't very long. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

03-20-2001, 06:36 PM	#4
stng87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: southern california Posts: 329	REV: WELL THE ENGINE'S GOTTA BE SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN 300 HP AND IM ADDING THE NOS THIS MONTH HOPEFULLY. YOU'D THINK THAT THEY'D BUILD IT STRONGS RATHER THAN KEEP FIXING IT ON WARRANTY. I MEAN IT'LL GO IN ANOTHER 2 MONTHS IF NOT AND THEY'SS HAVE IT AGAIN. BY THE WAY I BET THAT 66 IS NICE. I LOVE THEM.

03-20-2001, 06:38 PM	#5
stng87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: southern california Posts: 329	4.10'S TOO

03-20-2001, 06:50 PM	#6
Fox Body Mustang Maniac Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: GA, U.S.A Posts: 2,266	stng87, Won't you void the warranty if you add nitrous? That AOD is gonna fall apart if you add nitrous. BTW, STOP YELLING!! ------------------------------- '79 Mustang Coup 4" Cowl Weld wheels (15x6;15x8) Stock 5.8L C4 w/ shift kit 1.5" MAC full length headers Holley 750 CFM Edelbrock intake 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters 8.8" Rear end w/ 3.55 gears (Now that's more like it!!) Front: 225/60/15 Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II 14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup soon) "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

03-20-2001, 06:52 PM	#7
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Stng87, please don't take this wrong, but I've heard that the AOD is inherantly kinda weak. I bet with that extra oomph, N20 not withstanding, your gonna need a "built AOD" tranny to take the load. I bet they won't keep redoing it forever at Aamco. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

03-20-2001, 06:56 PM	#8
stng87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: southern california Posts: 329	no @#$@ its weak! Thats why im trying to get it built to take it. Haha

03-20-2001, 07:04 PM	#9
withamc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 396	My experience with AAMCO (69 Camaro) and my buddy at work (87 Bronco) is that their work will stand up to your grandma's driving and not much more. I've got a 1 ton 4X4 crew cab dually that I have a slide in camper on and tow my Jeep on a trailer with and when I had that tranny rebuilt I took it to a local guy who builds race trannys who (1) did it cheaper than AAMCO and (2) did it better than AAMCO. My buddy's Bronco mysteriously blew up the transfer case a week after the tranny got built. ("Oh, it COULDN'T have been our work, sir")

03-20-2001, 07:13 PM	#10
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Kevin, can you delete that post from "Cobrasuck" and maybe his registration as well? It pisses me off that he even used my name. Thanks. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

03-20-2001, 07:54 PM	#11
88GT5.013.02 Guest Posts: n/a	AOD's are inherently weak, but a few choice parts can make them contenders. Get a rebuild with quality clutches get a good valve body, a good torque converter, a one piece input shaft, and there are a few other considerations. What I would do is contact Lentech or Performance Automatic, they make good transmissions. They are helpful people and will assist you with whatever you do. Oh yeah make sure that you add an external cooler that actually gets air (like if you have an LX and the air doesn't work take out the condenser and place a trans cooler there). Hope this helps a little. BTW, I heard AAMCO sucks from many people over at www.Ford-Diesel.com , they have complaints about them too. ------------------ 88GT stock shortblock, GT-40 iron heads, Edlebrock Performer intake, 24# inj, Pro-M 75mm Bullet MAM, 3.73, hurst short throw, F-303, electric fan, alum rad, FMS HD clutch, R134a ac conversion, 70mm TB , and some other stuff I probably forgot, 13.02@106 with a 1.87 60ft

03-20-2001, 09:24 PM	#12
Kevin Price Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Oxford, KS Posts: 935	O.K. guys, let's try and refrain from any mention of Solaras and Civics in reference to the recent problems that we have been having. Just mentioning instigates flames whether it is intended or not. Thanks guys. ------------------ SVO siamesed 351 stroked to 417ci,Yates heads, solid roller,Trans King glide and a little blue bottle of giggle gas. My Car

03-20-2001, 10:47 PM	#13
rbatson Guest Posts: n/a	My overdrive band burn up in 94 so I had it rebuilt by the local ford dealership($800). A few years later I had the blower put on was running 13.8s with the stock rebuild, 2400 stall and shift kit. The aod is weak, but not that weak. Sounds to me like someone did some shoddy work.

03-20-2001, 11:14 PM	#14
Lizard King midnightruns.com Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 584	Maybe you're right Kevin, ... hehehe.

03-20-2001, 11:18 PM	#15
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	My C-4 doesn't chirp em the way it use to and has a little lag when shifting while driving hard. Under normal driving 2nd gear engages hard and 3rd soft with a little lag. It use to chirp em extremely when I would drive it hard. Do you guys think it needs a rebuild? ------------------ 67'fastback- Edelbrock carb, intake, cam, valve springs. Road lifters, Comp Cam rocker arms, windage tray, cerama coated headers, dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4, tci stall converter, perma cool electric fan, aluminum water pump, griffen aluminum radiator, accel 8.8 cable, wide cap distriburator, magnetic pick up, manley valves, v-matic hurst shifter, edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump, ignitor coil, solid motor mounts, magna racing suspension, poly urathane bushings, und

03-21-2001, 12:57 AM	#16
46stang Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: moorpark ca Posts: 340	aamco sucks the big one. my dad had a 66 plymouth fury, all stock. it took them 4 times before it actually lasted. 2 of the 4 times we didn't even make it home before it was slipping on the 2-3 shift. we only lived about 7 miles from them. this trans was as basic as it gets,(no overdrive) and they screwed it up. i have a few more horror stories about aamco, but i won't go there. you would be better off getting it rebuilt by a real trans tech. such as some mentioned above. but then again thats how those basta*ds win, you get tired of taking it back every two months and go some where else:/ ------------------ 96 stang,ported 99 heads, 99 intake, 99 cams,Steeda power pullies, 373's, 70mm t/b, gutted maf, bassani x-pipe w/cats, ultraflow catback,iat mod, home depot ram air, k@n. fms spings, tri-ax shifter.

03-21-2001, 09:08 AM	#17
302 LX Eric or '331 LX Eric' Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 2,142	From what I've heard, if your going to add nitrous to the car and you are already at the 300HP mark N/A, then save time and troubles by purchasing a well built C4 from one of the many reputable race shops around the country. A good shop should discuss your combo, future plans, etc. Then, they can build your C4 to work with what you have and set it up with the proper stall, etc. Good luck with the tranny! E ------------------ 1991 5.0 LX Coupe - 38,000 miles 13.17 @ 106.14 mph w/ 2.138 60'

03-21-2001, 01:36 PM	#18
stng87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: southern california Posts: 329	thanks for all the suggestions guys, you are all very helpful. cept' cobrassuck :spank:

03-21-2001, 09:35 PM	#19
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Fostang, that's the way my C-4 started acting right before I had it rebuilt. Then the soft 2-3 shift became major slipping at WOT with the engine reving up between 2 and 3. Turned out the 3 rd gear clutches were fried. I had a guy rebuild mine fo $200 with me doing removal and installation. My guess is your 3 rd gear clutches are going. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

03-23-2001, 02:12 AM	#20
LincoConti87 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tallahassee,Florida,USA Posts: 188	I don't think I like a ford auto tranny yet. I have an aod in my Lincoln and had I think C5 or somethin in my old cougar which was a pos 3 spd. Anyhow AAMCO is like having your engine rebuilt at walmart. Mom took her caddy over to AAMCO once and we new it had problems(obviously) so they charge us 50 bucks just to tell us that its messed up. Mom was mad and then we find out that they took out the tranny dipstick and then magically displaced it when we went back for it. We got our refund.