Is the AOD to weak

lil oregon guy · 05-11-2001, 12:46 AM

I am running a 88lx with an AOD and my transmission took a dump on me. I had it rebuilt and the trans shop that did it was telling me what a weak transmission the AOD is and that there was no way to beef it up. So I am asking is the AOD that weak, how does it handle with increased horsepower and information on tranny strengthening.

DaveR_GT · 05-11-2001, 12:58 AM

They can be beefed up. Here is a site with lots of info.
http://www.baumannengineering.com/aodcat.htm

------------------
'92 GT conv.
TFS heads, GT40, Powerdyne 9#, AOD, 3.73...

Jeff Chambers · 05-11-2001, 07:40 AM

They can be greatly strengthened. Lentech is putting AODs behind eight second Outlaw cars with more than 1100HP and even make a Pro5.0 version that can handle more than 1400HP. I'm running their Pure Street Terminator Lockup AOD behind my N/A 306 that's probably making between 425 & 450HP at the crank. Its all in the power flow and how the internals are strengthened. Its more costly than an AAMCO rebuild, but its worth it.

------------------
Jeff Chambers
Trophy Stock #3
11.611 Seconds / 116.7 MPH
Chambers Racing Team

Capri306 · 05-11-2001, 02:28 PM

I agree with Jeff and Dave. They can be built to withstand tremendous torque & power, just as any automatic can be. The reason that a LOT of tranny shops don't think they can handle the power has a lot to do with that damn TV cable grommet going bad. When that grommet goes bad, it literally fries the AOD to death. I rebuilt the one in my '87 Notch by myself with some considerable upgrades. You can do it yourself or just go with a Lentech. I've heard they're the best on the market so far. If mine blows, that's the one I'll be getting.

You must absolutely visit the Baumann Engineering site that Dave gave you the URL for. I learned a TON of info right there, especially the effects of TV pressure when I tore mine down (don't you just loooove the smell of burned clutch packs???). Read up, have fun, but spend your $$$ wisely. Good luck.

------------------
Capri306, Moderator, The Mustang Works Online
1979 Mercury Capri, 5.0L -- C4 -- 2.73
1987 Mustang LX Notch

05-11-2001, 06:47 PM

Last season, Bill Richardson & Tim Forbes ran in SSO class with Lentceh AOD's. They both have mid 8 second cars. Neither of them had to do any repairs to their trannies throughout the race season!

------------------
91 coupe
3.73's,long tubes,2 1/2" exh,ported stock t-body,ProM-77mm
cobra intake,edelbrock heads,B303,1.72 rr's
36lb inj's,tremec, & a Paxton NOVI 2000!!!
11.020 @128.95 on BFG Drag Radials (275/60/15)

rel3rd · 05-13-2001, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lil oregon guy:
[b]I had it rebuilt and the trans shop that did it was telling me what a weak transmission the AOD is and that there was no way to beef it up.B]

I would stay far, far away from a tranny shop that obviously doesn't have a clue...

My "WEAK" AOD car in action

------------------
1986 Mustang LX
LenTech'ed & Vortech'ed
10.72/129/1.55 60ft.
You must be FAST...
cuz you wuz FLYIN'...
when I PASSED YOU!

[This message has been edited by rel3rd (edited 05-13-2001).]

05-13-2001, 11:01 PM

I have a built AOD in my "new 89" that ran a 6.1 at 114 mph in the 8th mile,=9.50's in the 1/4.Built by M.V. Performance in commerce Ga. I chose them because at a race last Sep't I met a guy who drove 100 miles, ran 1/4 mile times all day in the low 9's high 8's, and drove home. His car has the stock shifter...so does mine now!

------------------

Fostang · 05-14-2001, 05:44 PM

How much for an exceptional AOD?

------------------
67'fastback-Edelbrock carb,intake,cam,valve springs.Rhode lifters, CompCam 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,v-matic hurst shifter,edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump,ignitor coil,solid motor mounts,magna racing suspension,poly urathane bushings,under rider traction bars, comp. eng. s

TheSloAod · 05-14-2001, 06:10 PM

i paid 1,700 for mine including installation

------------------
My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

NOS_Notch · 05-14-2001, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rel3rd:
I would stay far, far away from a tranny shop that obviously doesn't have a clue...

My "WEAK" AOD car in action

I would stay far, far away from someones opinion who doesn't have a clue.

Well here we go again...sloAOD is gonna bite my head off in a minute.
They are absolutely NOT strong.
Unless your content spending 2K-3K every other year and never go quicker than 14's....keep it.
I went through 3 in 5 years.
One of them had the FMS "wide ratio kit"
2200 TCI converter, Transgo shift kit, synthetic fluid, and some other stuff....in all, it was about a $2700 rebuild. "bulletproof" to mid 11's claims ford...it lasted 8 months in a GT going 14.40's.
Those trannies that are in 8 second cars cost about 6 grand...if that sounds like a good deal, then by all means..go for it.
But you will not see most automatic cars w/ an AOD....they use c-4's
If you keep it...along with all the other stubborn AOD user's(and i was one too...)
You will soon regret it.
Learn your lesson before you waste a ton of money. I wish i did.

------------------
4.10's,long tubes & 75 shot...Goes 12.50's
Check it out at http://www.burnouts.stangnet.com

11's coming soon!!!!
Heads,intake and cam are all here

TheSloAod · 05-14-2001, 10:42 PM

grrr (bites nos-nothch's head off)
its crazy that your aod only lasted 8 months and cost that much. i've heard of $750 rebuilds doing that. did you run the aod at constant high speeds? your actually making me worry about my tranny. its been in 3 yrs without a problem. i'm sure my new engine will cause it to die but i'll rebuild it. o well its only $$$$

------------------
My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

Jeff Chambers · 05-15-2001, 07:43 AM

[soabox on]

If you want to learn the truth about AODs, the don't listen to NOS, call Lentech. The AOD was/is weak because of its power flow as the Ford engineers have designed it. But it doesn't HAVE to be that way. Lentech has redesigned the power flow so that it avoids the naturally weak areas of the AOD, such as routing 3rd through the inner shaft. I'm telling ya, if you spend a little time on the phone with Len you'll be convinced that they make a far superior product. I'm running the Pure Street Terminator Lockup behind a 306 N/A motor that's probably making 450+ at the crank. That's a mild combination compared to Lentech's standards. They've warranted it for a year (no questions asked) knowing full well that it'd be an all-out race transmission. It snaps second gear like a stick car. Right off the trailer, I ran a full two-tenths quicker than last year and nearly two-MPH faster. Since then, I've run a best of 11.61 at nearly 117mph and just watch what happens this weekend in Montgomery.

ITS THE BEST SINGLE INVESTMENT I'VE MADE IN MY MUSTANG. If you're spending $2700 on AAMCO rebuilds, they're not going to get you anywhere. That's all they are is rebuilds. Go for a re-engineered AOD and put an end to your problems.

[soapbox off]

------------------
Jeff Chambers
Trophy Stock #3
11.611 Seconds / 116.7 MPH
Chambers Racing Team

NOS_Notch · 05-15-2001, 08:55 PM

I drove low miles and mostly e-way. Never too fast....around 70 e-way.
I only went to the track 2-3 times a year, made 5-10 passes each trip.
I was the original owner. I didn't race it all all until about 50k-60k(when it got payed off)
At about 5 years..i lost OD.
The complete rebuild was going to be $1800
So i got the motorsport "low gear set"
(another bad thing about the AOD..2.40 1st gear compared to 3.35 T5)
and TCI convereter.
I stopped doing the 1-D-1 shuffle(you should too, you will smoke it waaaaay quick)
And also only drove in town in D..no OD(weakest link in the AOD is The OD)
It lasted 8 months. Started slipping OD again.
I sued the trans shop....i knew it was nothing they did..but they originally told me 1 year warranty..when i picked it up they said" your probably gonna beat on it so we changed it to 6 months" thinking it was "bulletproof" i didn't care (the first one lasted 5 years right???)
So they settled out of court....agreeing to completely rebuild a bone-yard AOD w/ new converter and shift kit.
After about a year and a half, that one started whining( people made me pop the hood...thought i had a charger in there)
The whole time..the car is only worth 14.40's???
At this point my buddy is going 12.60's for waaay less than what i have invested in trannies.
I didn't even rebuild it...I traded it for a 3 thousand dollar snowmobile.
I hated that car....it was about 7 years old w/ 105k on it and i had to get rid of it for 3 grand!!!! couldn't sell it the way it was and definitely wasn't going to rebuild again.
I think for the 3-4 grand you can spend on truly bulletproof (and still weak geared)AOD you can have a real auto trans to race with...a c-4 or power glide....hell, i thought about doing the art carr 700r4 swap.
I'm not just bustin balls...And there are people who love them....But not me.

TheSloAod · 05-15-2001, 10:19 PM

mine has lasted 3 yrs doing the 1-d-1 shuffle and keeping in overdrive the whole time, your tranny shop must suck

------------------
My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

MTU 50 · 05-15-2001, 11:47 PM

NOS_Notch, you made some good points and if my AOD blew up I would put a 5-speed in, but you are a little off in the ratio department.

Not about the numbers, but about comparing apples to oranges. The T-5's 3.35 ratio may seem better than the AOD's 2.40, however a torque converter in an automatic tranny not only transmits power, but also multiplies the amount of torque, whereas a manual tranny does not, so the gear ratio comparison is a little misleading.

------------------
1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs

05-11-2001, 12:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
lil oregon guy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Cave Junction, Or, USA Posts: 15	Is the AOD to weak I am running a 88lx with an AOD and my transmission took a dump on me. I had it rebuilt and the trans shop that did it was telling me what a weak transmission the AOD is and that there was no way to beef it up. So I am asking is the AOD that weak, how does it handle with increased horsepower and information on tranny strengthening.

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05-11-2001, 12:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
DaveR_GT Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: W. Springfield, PA Posts: 65	They can be beefed up. Here is a site with lots of info. http://www.baumannengineering.com/aodcat.htm ------------------ '92 GT conv. TFS heads, GT40, Powerdyne 9#, AOD, 3.73...

05-11-2001, 07:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	They can be greatly strengthened. Lentech is putting AODs behind eight second Outlaw cars with more than 1100HP and even make a Pro5.0 version that can handle more than 1400HP. I'm running their Pure Street Terminator Lockup AOD behind my N/A 306 that's probably making between 425 & 450HP at the crank. Its all in the power flow and how the internals are strengthened. Its more costly than an AAMCO rebuild, but its worth it. ------------------ Jeff Chambers Trophy Stock #3 11.611 Seconds / 116.7 MPH Chambers Racing Team

05-11-2001, 02:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
Capri306 Moderator Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA Posts: 1,001	I agree with Jeff and Dave. They can be built to withstand tremendous torque & power, just as any automatic can be. The reason that a LOT of tranny shops don't think they can handle the power has a lot to do with that damn TV cable grommet going bad. When that grommet goes bad, it literally fries the AOD to death. I rebuilt the one in my '87 Notch by myself with some considerable upgrades. You can do it yourself or just go with a Lentech. I've heard they're the best on the market so far. If mine blows, that's the one I'll be getting. You must absolutely visit the Baumann Engineering site that Dave gave you the URL for. I learned a TON of info right there, especially the effects of TV pressure when I tore mine down (don't you just loooove the smell of burned clutch packs???). Read up, have fun, but spend your $$$ wisely. Good luck. ------------------ Capri306, Moderator, The Mustang Works Online 1979 Mercury Capri, 5.0L -- C4 -- 2.73 1987 Mustang LX Notch

05-11-2001, 06:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
SisuStang Posts: n/a	Last season, Bill Richardson & Tim Forbes ran in SSO class with Lentceh AOD's. They both have mid 8 second cars. Neither of them had to do any repairs to their trannies throughout the race season! ------------------ 91 coupe 3.73's,long tubes,2 1/2" exh,ported stock t-body,ProM-77mm cobra intake,edelbrock heads,B303,1.72 rr's 36lb inj's,tremec, & a Paxton NOVI 2000!!! 11.020 @128.95 on BFG Drag Radials (275/60/15)

05-13-2001, 11:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
t&lcmustang Posts: n/a	I have a built AOD in my "new 89" that ran a 6.1 at 114 mph in the 8th mile,=9.50's in the 1/4.Built by M.V. Performance in commerce Ga. I chose them because at a race last Sep't I met a guy who drove 100 miles, ran 1/4 mile times all day in the low 9's high 8's, and drove home. His car has the stock shifter...so does mine now! ------------------

05-14-2001, 05:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	How much for an exceptional AOD? ------------------ 67'fastback-Edelbrock carb,intake,cam,valve springs.Rhode lifters, CompCam 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,v-matic hurst shifter,edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump,ignitor coil,solid motor mounts,magna racing suspension,poly urathane bushings,under rider traction bars, comp. eng. s

05-14-2001, 06:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheSloAod Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: baytown, tx usa Posts: 121	i paid 1,700 for mine including installation ------------------ My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

05-14-2001, 10:42 PM	#11 (permalink)
TheSloAod Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: baytown, tx usa Posts: 121	grrr (bites nos-nothch's head off) its crazy that your aod only lasted 8 months and cost that much. i've heard of $750 rebuilds doing that. did you run the aod at constant high speeds? your actually making me worry about my tranny. its been in 3 yrs without a problem. i'm sure my new engine will cause it to die but i'll rebuild it. o well its only $$$$ ------------------ My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

05-15-2001, 07:43 AM	#12 (permalink)
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	[soabox on] If you want to learn the truth about AODs, the don't listen to NOS, call Lentech. The AOD was/is weak because of its power flow as the Ford engineers have designed it. But it doesn't HAVE to be that way. Lentech has redesigned the power flow so that it avoids the naturally weak areas of the AOD, such as routing 3rd through the inner shaft. I'm telling ya, if you spend a little time on the phone with Len you'll be convinced that they make a far superior product. I'm running the Pure Street Terminator Lockup behind a 306 N/A motor that's probably making 450+ at the crank. That's a mild combination compared to Lentech's standards. They've warranted it for a year (no questions asked) knowing full well that it'd be an all-out race transmission. It snaps second gear like a stick car. Right off the trailer, I ran a full two-tenths quicker than last year and nearly two-MPH faster. Since then, I've run a best of 11.61 at nearly 117mph and just watch what happens this weekend in Montgomery. ITS THE BEST SINGLE INVESTMENT I'VE MADE IN MY MUSTANG. If you're spending $2700 on AAMCO rebuilds, they're not going to get you anywhere. That's all they are is rebuilds. Go for a re-engineered AOD and put an end to your problems. [soapbox off] ------------------ Jeff Chambers Trophy Stock #3 11.611 Seconds / 116.7 MPH Chambers Racing Team

05-15-2001, 08:55 PM	#13 (permalink)
NOS_Notch Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Fresno,CA. USA Posts: 384	I drove low miles and mostly e-way. Never too fast....around 70 e-way. I only went to the track 2-3 times a year, made 5-10 passes each trip. I was the original owner. I didn't race it all all until about 50k-60k(when it got payed off) At about 5 years..i lost OD. The complete rebuild was going to be $1800 So i got the motorsport "low gear set" (another bad thing about the AOD..2.40 1st gear compared to 3.35 T5) and TCI convereter. I stopped doing the 1-D-1 shuffle(you should too, you will smoke it waaaaay quick) And also only drove in town in D..no OD(weakest link in the AOD is The OD) It lasted 8 months. Started slipping OD again. I sued the trans shop....i knew it was nothing they did..but they originally told me 1 year warranty..when i picked it up they said" your probably gonna beat on it so we changed it to 6 months" thinking it was "bulletproof" i didn't care (the first one lasted 5 years right???) So they settled out of court....agreeing to completely rebuild a bone-yard AOD w/ new converter and shift kit. After about a year and a half, that one started whining( people made me pop the hood...thought i had a charger in there) The whole time..the car is only worth 14.40's??? At this point my buddy is going 12.60's for waaay less than what i have invested in trannies. I didn't even rebuild it...I traded it for a 3 thousand dollar snowmobile. I hated that car....it was about 7 years old w/ 105k on it and i had to get rid of it for 3 grand!!!! couldn't sell it the way it was and definitely wasn't going to rebuild again. I think for the 3-4 grand you can spend on truly bulletproof (and still weak geared)AOD you can have a real auto trans to race with...a c-4 or power glide....hell, i thought about doing the art carr 700r4 swap. I'm not just bustin balls...And there are people who love them....But not me.

Sponsored Links

05-15-2001, 10:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
TheSloAod Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: baytown, tx usa Posts: 121	mine has lasted 3 yrs doing the 1-d-1 shuffle and keeping in overdrive the whole time, your tranny shop must suck ------------------ My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

05-15-2001, 11:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
MTU 50 GOT TORQUE ???? Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Novi, Michigan, USA Posts: 688	NOS_Notch, you made some good points and if my AOD blew up I would put a 5-speed in, but you are a little off in the ratio department. Not about the numbers, but about comparing apples to oranges. The T-5's 3.35 ratio may seem better than the AOD's 2.40, however a torque converter in an automatic tranny not only transmits power, but also multiplies the amount of torque, whereas a manual tranny does not, so the gear ratio comparison is a little misleading. ------------------ 1991 GT, AOD, Moroso Cold Air, 3.73s, Pulleys, 3-chamber(the left one fell off-NO time+No Money=College), FMS c-springs, and KYBs