T5 to AOD swap

[Scrapla]

Alright im getting a 347 installed soon and wanna dump my stock t5 for a AOD tranny. My car is a daily and im just getting tired of the 5spd, I plan on doin some local junkyard searching and just wanted to know a list of everything I will need to make this conversion work also can I take a tranny from a f150,bronco, or mark viii. And what sorta tools will I need that I can lug around a parts yard, my freind will be helping me.

[BigCountryGT]

I'll trade you the AOD and everything that you need out of my 90 GT for the t-5 and clutch pedal assembly in your car.

[Scrapla]

Well I need the AOD and a while to build it up and do the swap over a weekend or 2 so I can still make it to work cause this is my daily so that might be a little difficult, thats why I just wanted to go find one dirt cheap and take as long as I want to build it up but thanks for the offer.

[ponyexpress289]

what the hell are you thinkin man..... keep the t5 , no matter what! AOD's suck....Iknow i have one .....!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crazypete]

I beg to differ on the AOD! With a good set of 3.73's and near stock horsepower and a transgo kit , I can easily bark the tires. I LOVE it. I served my 6 years under the 5 speeds and I just kept tearing up trannies and replacing clutches so when the last one went, I got the AOD. By some fluke of physics, I get 1 mpg better than the 5 speed on the highway. I just put her in gear and go.

Make sure you get the right tranny. Some of the selector levers point up. You want an AOD with a shift selector that hangs down. This will hook up to the stock shift selector. Make DAMN sure that you remove the pilot bearing before trying to install the tranny. Really make sure you set up the TV cable properly. I also recommend a shift kit. MMMMM, nice solid shifts like slam slam slam. It really helps to jack up the idle speed so when you let off the brake, the car is already moving. Have fun with your AOD.

P.S. I can still give the imports a run for their money with my automatic. And this is with a stock converter!

[ponyexpress289]

well.....

[Scrapla]

Ive always had a 5spd in my cars and im just gettin tired of shifting I wanna just give it gas and go and ive seen alotta quick auto's, also what exactly do stall converters do?

[BigCountryGT]

AODs are expensive to build, also you need a valve body so stop it from short shifting second (That is what I hate about mine). Finally you will need a stall, Mine is a dog out of the hole even with 4:10s (stall= what rpm the converter locks up at).The stick guys can launch at a higher rpm, thus leave faster.

Basically for the money, you could bullet proof your t5.

If you do the swap, and want to get rid of any parts let me know.

[84GT350-1]

Do a C-4..............Piece of cake swap, just no overdrive...

[Scrapla]

How will that no overdrive be on a daily driver on the highway almost everyday with 3:37's and a 347engine, also what years and cars did the c4 come in

[84GT350-1]

You can find a C4 in some of the older mid sized cars with a 302 or 351. You could live with that gear, a 3.08 would be nice. Any of the after market suppliers can set you up with a C4 from mild to race. I have two C4's but that does you no good in Fla.

[BigCountryGT]

How will that no overdrive be on a daily driver on the highway almost everyday with 3:37's

The c-4 will kill you in gas. I have 4:10's and I have tried driving around while not in OD. It is cool in town but once you get on an open road it doesn't take long for it to get wound up pretty tight. The interstate would be a killer especially long trips. If I went with a c-4 I would definitely go with a 3:08 or a 2:73. Now if I wasn't going to drive it everyday the c-4 with a steeper gear would be fine. I suggest finding someone who has an auto and has done a gear swap, get them to give you a ride and judge for yourself.

[crazypete]

If you choose to go with an auto with an OD, you can get much more agressive rear gears. I think it pays off in the end in terms of both performance and milage. Even my 3.73's dont feel agressive enough, that OD is such a conservative ratio. I would recommend 4.10's and an OD. Out of OD, though, you'll get the full benefit of your aggressive gears. Go for the AOD. Those things are mad cheap. Get a worn out one for $150 and a rebuild kit for like another $100 with kevlar bands and a transgo kit (much cheaper than a full valvebody and easy to install). There's lots of nasty locking rings inside the tranny but if I could get it apart and back together on the first try with nothing but pliers, a few sockets and a flathead screwdriver, I think you'll be fine!

[Scrapla]

Well sometime next week im going hunting for trannys, I think Im gonna looks for a AOD and then later just get some 4:10's, i'll let you guys know how it goes thanks for the suggestions I know what to look for now.

[BigCountryGT]

and a transgo kit (much cheaper than a full valvebody and easy to install).

I have read about the trango kit. Does it really work?
That short shift really bothers me. I know you can shuffle it, but............

[crazypete]

Well, I never drove an AOD without the transgo cause I slapped it all together before installation but it shifts HARD. It's like rrrrrRRRRRR CLUNK! rrrrrrrRRRRRR WHAM!. It's _great_! You can put a special regulator in and it will hold to much higher rpms than the stock regulator in case you have a higher powerband. Installing it was as easy as dropping the valvebody, drilling a few holes with the attachments provided, changing some springs and slapping it back in. Definatley worth it. I got my kit from ebay for $75. I also got a TC but I think I got ripped off and ended up with a stocker (works great though, so I'm not that bummed about it).

[Maroon91LX]

Who cares about the imports.. How about taking down the Bowties, thats what it is all about..AODs are lame.

[Jeff Chambers]

..AODs are lame

Come see me boy.....I'll show you a lame AOD! The AOD was the best move I ever made with my car and it's paid off, without a question. You obviously haven't driven a good AOD if you're still touting the 15 year old addage "AODs are lame".

[BigCountryGT]

Well, guys, enlighten me I have a 90 GT with an AOD, I have 4:10s outback. My tranny has a shift kit and it shifts hard. I is great for driving but it kills me at the track out of the hole (Know I need a stall) but also on the 1st to 2nd shift It shifts hard enough to bark the tires but it shift into second to early and the car bogs down. I have thought about changing my shift kit out for a transgo if that will fix the problem if not I know I will need a new valve body I just got finished putting upper and lower control arms on and am working toward the tranny, but right now I am focusing on a paint job. Anything short term I could try. What about these "Lynntech" transmissions I have been hearing about? what do they run price wise? I know for about 1300. I can build a bulletproof T-5. I would like to keep the aod but It seems very expensive by the time you figure in the shift kit, valvebody, clutches, input shaft, stall, etc.

[crazypete]

Buy the pieces and assemble it yourself! It's no trickier than enginework. Hell, I did it on my workbench with no specialty tools. Only problem is that these trannies are HEAVY.
The lentech valvebody is like 450-500 bucks and is supposedly the hands down best. My transgo aod hp kit keeps it in second plenty long enough but it tends to hop between 2 and 3rd too much for my taste and it wont shift out of OD based on load/pedal position but will shift out of OD when I slow down below 45mph. I think I might have done something wrong. Even then, with some good tourque braking, I can do doughnuts if I'm not careful.