AOD question
 

What is a good route as far as mods go to get a little more out of my Auto tranny to hang with the 5 speeds? Any help would be appreciated.

I definitley suggest a Trans Go shift kit... If I wasn't copnverting to a 5speed I would already have one. They really wake up those AOD's.

Check them out here

88coupe, how is the instal on those shift kits. Ive been thinking about one for a while, but I'm a little timid of messing with the internals of the slushbox. - John

I had my transgo shift kit installed just a few months ago and I love it. My car barks 2nd when just flouring the gas. I got the complete kit from summit for about $100, and had a reputable shop install it for $195. I would also recommend installing a tranny cooler. They really help the AOD run cool and shift firmly.

One other thing... Installing a shift kit is not going to make you hang with 5spds. Get some 3.73's or even 4.10's and a nice lock-up converter and you'll spank 5spds all over the place.

Go with a Lentech set up! A little high on the $$$ side but well worth it. 2yrs on my AOD (never been rebuilt) and over 225 Nitrous passes and still pulling 1.48 short times!

87 Mustang LX Hatchback
11.022 ET 123.62 MPH 60' 1.480
Typhoon Intake, Accufab 75mm Race TB and spacer,175 hp NOS dry,30lb Injectors, Anderson B-31 Cam,AFM PowerPipe,80MM Pro-M 4.10 gears, Lentech AOD and 10" Non Lock-up converter, SSM bars, 70/30 Koni struts, 50/50 rear shocks, 1 1/2" Lowered Moroso springs.Weld draglites 15x3.5 frt 15x8 rear, 255lph intank w/ NOS booster pump


:D

Hey, im gettin one this winter. Dooo u actually shift it? Or does it improve shift points? How do they actually work? THANKS!

The Valvebody I have is the strip Terminator w/transbrake. It is the older version a semi automatic it can be manual shifted or put it in drive and let it shift it's self. But as far as I know that perticular one is a full maunal shift now. Give Len a call he is really helpful and know's his stuff.
eh!
www.lentechautomatics.com

Forgot to say wear a neck collar! Shifts real hard! And if ya go with a non lock up it does not have any of the 2-3 lag. It couples the 2 input shafts together and the fluid passages are rerouted.

what do you figure youve got into the tranny all together moneywise?

1200.00 for Valvebody and 10" converter. If you buy both piece at the same time you can get a 50.00 discount. But tha price was shipped to the door but the ups will charge ya like 24.00 for customs check. Like I said high $$ but well worth it. Tell Len what you have and use it for and he will tell ya what ya need. He saved me about 500.00. I wanted one thing and he told me I didn't and explained why I didn't. So I went his way.

I've got the Strip Terminator Lock-up and mine doesn't suffer any 2-3 lag at all. As a matter of fact, you can hear my car bark the tires on every shift AND on lock-up. I installed an Autometer Ultimate II tach this year (records both engine and driveshaft rpms) and there's absolutely no lag or flare in any shift with my trans.

The Lentech is the ONLY choice if you're going AOD, IMHO. Its been the best money that we've ever spent on our car. As far as hangin' with the 5-spds, I can't hang with them....but I sure as hell can pass them! Len's got our car featured on their website right now...check it out!

Get better gears. 3.73's minimal for an auto, 4.10's if you want the most out of a gear. I had my 2.73's swapped out for 3.73's and what a difference, I almost wish I went with 4.10's.

Next, either a shift kit or a Lentech valve body. I think when I last checked it out, the valve body was going for about $400 shipped. It allows you to have full manual operation of your tranny, and eliminates the 1-D-1 shuffle. It also has an overdrive delete button so you can engage overdrive when you need it.

Then a stall converter. This will really make the car get up and go off the line. You can get different stall speeds depending on you application. You can also choose between lock up and non-lock up converters, all depends on what your looking for. The stock torque converter is way too tight, and doesn't allow for much performance.

And finally, a trans cooler! Cheap and very important to keeping the tranny cool under load, and especially important when you start putting more the stock power thought the AOD.

Hope this helps some!
-Craig

I know everyone has a different opinion, so here is mine..... :-)


I have a trans go shift kit and it has treated me fine but so did my old B&M shift kit. (Both of which I put in myself) The problem with the transgo is that you have to also modify the case on the trans mission and the B&M you don't. The Transgo will allow the transmission to shift into overdrive while under WOT. It does provid more line pressure but it still is not the best thing to do. You will fry you OD band after a few times of that.

If you want to do the work yourself (which is very easy on a shift kit) and not take the transmission out, go with the B&M.

To really help out the car just get a higer stall converter. That along with gears will let you hang with all of the 5-speeds. The total cost for both of those is right around 350.

Save yourself the hassle and go with a lentech valve body. Do away with the retarded AOD shift pattern. You'll love it.

But you need a cam to run a high stall converter.... And I never heard anything about a transgo shift kit actually hurting the tranny. I actually have heard that it helps it.

You don't need a cam to run a higher torque converter.

It is, however, important to match the stall speed of the converter with the power band of your engine. For stock and mildly to moderately moddified 302's, I'd go with a 2800 rpm converter. If you're like me and your power band hits at three thousand, you need a bit higher (unfortunately, the $$$ isn't available at this point). So in that sense, the converter and the cam are closely matched because the cam has a huge part in determining your power band.

A stock 302's power comes on around 2500 rpm, so 2800 will do nicely. IMHO, a torque converter is the BEST mod you can do to an AOD car.

As for shift kits, I've never dealt with the B&M kits myself, but I've heard too many horror stories to run one. Transgo was ok...but nothing compares to the Lentech valve body. Full manual shifting when you want it, and it shifts HARD at WOT. No 1-D-1 shuffle, and OD at the flip of a switch. Deffinately worth the money. Makes the car MUCH more fun to drive.

You really have to get some gears out back as well. At least 3.73's. 4.10's are ideal unless you spend a majority of time on the highway.

With all those mods, you also need a tranny cooler. Heat is public enemy number 1 of trannies, so get an extra tranny cooler.

--nathan

Any time that you actually go into overdrive while under WOT you are hurting the AOD band (if you are making any kind of HP). The band is not made to do that. Some people go to the wider band but that is still not going to hold up for a long time.

As for the cam, I have not heard that you had to change it for a new converter.