I'm NOT happy!!!!!! :(

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luxstang

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2010
Messages
6,624
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101
Location
Luxembourg / Europe
My Car
1972 Mustang Convertible
Finally spring has come and the temperatures reached T-shirt compatible levels. I've been driving my Mustang for about two weeks in a row and decided that it was finally time to replace that lame 3,00.1 rear with a 3,8:1, so I ordered one with a True Trac. That costs me 1500 Euros.

Ordered it and paid for it and waiting for delivery.

So far so good.

Now three days ago my newly installed AOD starts shifting funny, giving some severe slippage. Driving up a hill in overdrive will cause the revs to go up and down and the trans will engage with a shudder and let go again.

No burned smell on the fluid yet but it won't be long I guess.

Great!! Tomorrow I will need to trailer the car to the closest ATSG certified transmission shop which is in the Netherlands and 170 km away from me and I'm probably looking at a 2200 Euro rebuild!!!!!

So that's 3700€ in two weeks. BAM!!!

And that's only a year after I paid 1200 Euro for a seemingly freshly rebuilt AOD!! It lasted exactly one year and 13000 km!

Right now sleep doesn't come easy and I feel like setting the car on fire and watch it burn.

You have a 43 year old transmission in your car that works fine and then you spend a lot of money on an "upgrade" and you're screwed.

I guess they knew what they were talking about when they said "If it works, don't fix it. "

:(

 
Mike,

You have my complete sympathy here.The two big money items in our cars are of course the motor and tranny. I'm in the same boat as you so to speak in regards to not having the ability and resources to carry out repairs myself to both, if anything major wrong should happen to them.

What's happened to you is not good at all, and as you say, will mean big money now to rectify your problems. I'm very sorry this has happened to you, and i dread the day if i was to be confronted with similar problems to my motor or tranny as well. What makes it worse of course, is the fact that guys like us, live in far away countries from America, and therefore the costs associated with these kind of repairs are more.

That said, i guess you have no other option, but to bite the bullet, get the Mustang fixed, and move on. That's not an easy pill to swallow though i know, but knowing what the car means to you, that's what you will have to do i guess.

I must confess, i have thought of getting into diff upgrades, but so far, my instincts have told me to let sleeping dogs lie. You certainly have a right to your anger though. Hang in there champion!

Greg.:)

 
Oh Mike,

too bad - I am so sorry to hear that!

As Greg said, one of the two main bad things that could happen on our cars...

But after 13.000 miles?!? That would not happen on an original one I guess. What was the advantage of that AOD - your overdrive? Ok, thats cool for that daily abuse you do and your speeds... ;) For your needs you want another one I guess and not an oldschool one.

BUT: it IS your baby and babies cost a lot, don't forget that. Thats life - and our little luxury must have been paid too. So don't give up your little baby you have so much fun with it for years now. It needs you - and you need it!

I built up my baby at the moment and that is also not for free - although I do it on my own. And I have a Dodge Ram with a 5,9 L Magnum as a daily driver - he needs some love from time to time too... They are old cars and they need affection. Big sums will never come handy. It is not a cheap passion but a damn cool :D

Chin up - and burn that little f***er out ;)

Tim

 
Thanks guys.

The worst thing is those "what if" moments.

Like what if I'd done a manual conversion in the first place. At the time it seemed too expensive. Now this is getting way more expensive and will still be second choice.

And of course it happens just when the dollar is at its highest value in years compared the euro, so it gets extra expensive and clearly kills alternatives. Buy a manual now? Fuggettaboutit!

I also thought of putting the FMX back in as I still have it but that will also cost labor plus I'd need new cooling lines and I had to shorten the driveshaft, so that will no longer work.

New driveshaft? Hmmm, where? See, that's why it sucks having this hobby outside the U S.

 
Mike,

This is why you don't do the aod & instead do the 4r70w or if rebuilding a aod use the 4r70w internals..If I was in your shoes do not rebuild the aod usig the aod internals instead use the 4r70w internals http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/transmission/index.shtml

http://becontrols.com/techguide_3.htm

Also are you running a external transmission cooler with filter ? did you flush the tranny lines & flush the tranny cooler built into the radiator ? If not you must do that when installing a tranny if not contamination from the old fluid left in the radiator WILL ruin a new trans just a matter of time...

You need a external cooler & this filter http://puredieselpower.com/chevy-gm-products/external-in-line-transmission-filter-kit.html when running a aod or 4r70w

 
Mike i feel your pain and understand the rage moment that follows. Flames crushing the whole bit and then the crappy what if stuff. Grit your teeth and break out the wallet the pain will be over soon. Seriously sucks for a guy that drives his mustang as much as you do

 
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Hey Scott,

Thanks I will see what the transmission shop guy says about that.

Yes on the flushing of the radiator and lines. No external cooler though.

Are you saying the AOD is known to be unreliable?

 
The AOD transmission is ok in its stock application, but when in a performance application it can show a few shortcomings. There are several upgrades that can be performed to improve its performance and longevity. Unfortunately I'm unsure if your transmission shop is capable of any modifications outside of a textbook rebuild.

http://www.baumannengineering.com/aodsupgr.htm

 
Luxstang,

I have been successful running a slightly modified AOD in my Model A for over 10 years and 35K. Modifications are clutch pack,valve body, etc upgrades.

I would bet that the TV pressures were not correct and it burned out the trans, which is very common in an AOD & make sure the kickdown cable set up is correct. The Baumann website is loaded with usefull info on this subject. I do, by the way, abuse this car on a regular basis !!!

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes.

Thanks, Jay

 
Basic AOD's are known to be sensitive to TV pressure issues as ClevelandCoupe notes (I'm sure you know this). If you are undergoing a rebuild, strongly consider the modified AOD valve body that automatically sets the correct pressure. When using this, the cable adjustment will then only change the shift points and not affect pressure.

BTW, you are really going to like the Tru-Trac.

 
Man that sucks Mike,

And AOD is not my fav transmission...Great that it has a overdrive, but in stock forum " with no upgrades" it is known for having issues...I had to help my buddy replace 2 of them few years ago ..We talking about the same trans Ford puts in Ford Rangers and Taurus.. They where known trouble makers right off the bat. We had to take one out of a Ranger and a Taurus..He was keeping the ranger and upgraded and rebuilt the trans himself..The taurus he did not care about as much, he got a reman AOD for it, but was a work car and he treated it decent...and it started giving him hell and slipping after only 10,000 k...He sold the Taurus cause of the trouble it gave him in the trans. The Ranger that he rebuilt and got the upgrades for, seems to keep on chuggin. But i don't got much faith in a stock AOD. but i hear they can be awesome with upgrades.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Any competent rebuilder can install the necessary performance parts. Baumann does a good job of describing and listing the parts needed.

Buying off-the-shelf rebuilts is a crapshoot, you don't know what the original application was nor how much of the internals were replaced. AODs started in the 80s when V8s were lucky to produce 150 horsepower, and this is all that early AODs were built to handle.

Depending on what your transmission guy finds, you may have to replace the torque converter, also. If the transmission needs rebuilding I would replace it, even if there isn't a lot of junk in the pan.

 
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I recommend you rebuild the aod with 4r70w internals.

Mike,

This is why you don't do the aod & instead do the 4r70w or if rebuilding a aod use the 4r70w internals..If I was in your shoes do not rebuild the aod usig the aod internals instead use the 4r70w internals http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/transmission/index.shtml

http://becontrols.com/techguide_3.htm

Also are you running a external transmission cooler with filter ? did you flush the tranny lines & flush the tranny cooler built into the radiator ? If not you must do that when installing a tranny if not contamination from the old fluid left in the radiator WILL ruin a new trans just a matter of time...

You need a external cooler & this filter http://puredieselpower.com/chevy-gm-products/external-in-line-transmission-filter-kit.html when running a aod or 4r70w

The AOD transmission is ok in its stock application, but when in a performance application it can show a few shortcomings. There are several upgrades that can be performed to improve its performance and longevity. Unfortunately I'm unsure if your transmission shop is capable of any modifications outside of a textbook rebuild.

http://www.baumannengineering.com/aodsupgr.htm
^^^What these guys said is spot on.

Luxstang,

I have been successful running a slightly modified AOD in my Model A for over 10 years and 35K. Modifications are clutch pack,valve body, etc upgrades.

I would bet that the TV pressures were not correct and it burned out the trans, which is very common in an AOD & make sure the kickdown cable set up is correct. The Baumann website is loaded with usefull info on this subject. I do, by the way, abuse this car on a regular basis !!!

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes.

Thanks, Jay
Jay, Please add your Model A to the other cars forum or to your garage. This sound cool! I'd love to hear more about it.

 
Lux.... sorry to hear about this issue..... but I know the problem. We found video footage of somebody hotrodding your car a few months ago. The guy was tearing up the track with your car .... having a blast at the peril of your beautiful car. If we could find the culprit we would hand him over and let you get your revenge on him...... :D :D :D

maybe a small laugh will help relieve some anger? :D

 
Thanks for your kind words.

The trouble with rebuilding it with stronger parts is their availability and their price in Europe.

I'll probably look at 3000€ or at least get very close to that amount. That's what I spent last year on the trans and labor costs for installing it.

I'm just sick of that.

Remember that I also have a 1500€ pumpkin in the works. I may have to cancel that.

Worst thing is my engine is very moderate, it pulled just under 200hp on the dyno.

I know that it's better do it right but this will probably become a money pit and I can't use that right now.

 
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