I ran a stock aod behind a 400hp engine, and other than a few mistakes I made, it held up awesome. I had some with shift kits and all it did was raise the od engagement.
They didn't have aftermarket valve bodies when I run them, but the tci one that was posted earlier seems to be a fail proof insurance valvebody, but still requires proper adjustment of the tv cable for proper shifting.

I'm not sure what you mean by "full pressure/full throttle" because even stock, properly adjusted, is full pressure at full throttle pretty much.

 

Well I've got my AOD behind a 351C in my 71 F-100. Using an edelbrock carb and LOKAR cable. I have it set so that full throttle is full pressure. That means as soon as I start giving it gas, the line pressure is coming up. There is no space on the cable.

 

Not saying that your application is incorrect for you, but typically that doesn't work for me in the past because at part throttle it's not enough pressure, and can cause issues.
I set cruising pressure and then adjust it to how I want it to shift. Then it's usually full pressure at about 3/4 throttle because factory it's set at a positive pressure at idle from the factory. I believe it's min 40 psi at test port at idle, but I can't remember.

 

Never fails, fired up the 302 idled for a few seconds then died. My gut says the high pressure pump is weak because if I cycle the key the truck will sputter some more but whats another hundred bucks? Still feeling pretty good I have this thing together again and if the trans works I'll probably cry

 

See I can't do that because all the linkages are solid.

 

I use the lokar kickdown, and fabricate a spring on the end of the cable so when travel runs out in the arm, the spring allows the throttle to continue moving.
My 67 mustang had a modified hard linkage that took lots of time to figure out. I had made an adjustable cam action piece to go in the big hole of the carb, and I probably cut and welded the trans arm 10x trying to get the right geometry so that it didn't bottom out and stop me from getting full throttle.
Lots of ways to do it. As long as the results are good, there isn't a wrong way.
Factory setup like plumcrazy is doing, is very easy to get right. Then I usually tweak it from there.

 

Mine runs just fine as is... Seems like it could use MORE really. I need to put my Transgo valvebody in it.

 

Valvebody will help. More pressure is better in my opinion. It will always shift nice part throttle. Only time one of mine didn't was when I had so much initial pressure it barely would go into overdrive.
You probably are putting out similar hp or more than I was (better heads than me) so I really suggest you keep upgrading and making sure you're adjusted sufficiently. And always manually shift out of overdrive before hammering the throttle down.

 

I really wonder what kind of power I am making. I'm guessing 350 or so. I'll be strapping to a dyno sometime in the next few months.

 

Got the 302 running fairly solid, it will roast the tires in reverse but it won't move forward. How long does it take to fill the clutch packs? Revving seems to help and it will strain forward but not actually move.

 

Is your "kickdown" hooked up and adjusted correctly.
Add more pressure and see if it helps.
Clutch packs are soaked in trans fluid overnight, there isn't really any wait time before it works correctly.

 

I tried taking more out on the TV cable, as I go up a little it helps some but still wont go forward it revs up nice in gear with acting like it wants to go. Pull it out more (3/4") and it wants to bog the motor down like its climbing a rock. What do you guys think

 

I think you have valve body problems

 

Kind of what I figured. do you think I should attempt to clean it or get my hands on a stock one to put in?

 

Did you put a new gasket in the valvebody or reuse the old ones.
You need good gaskets.
Very interesting issue.