I've heard of AODs with a good shift kit being good for 300HP or so - as long as you don't use overdrive often. From what I've been reading (as I'm looking into buying an 86 T-bird with an AOD), is that the main problem is the overdrive portion destroying it self, and clogging up the rest of the transmission with junk.

 

well since i have had the tires i have maybe 5mins total in OD since i have to be going like 85 to get there lol

i might put in a shift kit before i go to the track since desktop dyno says i have 300hp with stock heads and mine are ported and the manifold is port matched too.

could i do anything else without pulling it? last time i pulled it it was such a pain in the *** the damn thing even decided to fall on me transfer case and all

 

I would definitely do the shift kit, they are fairly cheap for AODs as well, around $50-60

 

Shift kit all the way .. Did a B&M transpac on 4R70W made a huge diferance.. But did the street strip... I think the only way to change the way a AOD shifts is to go to a manual valve body ?? Its like a 4hr & 6 pack job...

 

Torque is what a transmission is rated on, and TQ load depends upon the weight of the vehicle, gearing, and tire size, that's why it's always recommended to upgrade gears when increasing tire size... regardless what tranny you have.

The AOD is as capable as any other tranny with the appropriate upgrades, this place.. Ford-AOD.com the ultimate AOD Transmission Perfromance Website has one that will handle 750hp, but like many other things from this era the factory version was just strong enough to survive(most of the time) behind the rather weak 5.0 and smaller V6's found in most Ford cars and light trucks. If you want high performance and reliability this tranny will need as much attention as the rest of the powertrain.

 

yeah i'm figuring on spraying it on the 27th and seeing how it holds up and if i notice any slipping or anything at all i'm going to pull it before i ruin it and take it to my buddy's tranny shop and have him put in some good stuff

 

If your interested in a fully custom build up, I've heard that LenTech AODs are some of the beset around

 

The best part about the Lentech AOD is the electric OD lockout. The biggest problem with the AOD is the stupid shift patterns it has and the torque convertor locking up fully in drive. It just falls on it's face after the short 2nd gear. Mine now shifts like a C6 with the OD at the flip of the switch and it's rated to 800HP. First to second gear snaps you back in the seat and the rest of the gears are smooth and solid. They cost a good buck, but if you want OD and not have to mess with electonics, it's the only way to go. Plus, you can have the wide ratio gear set from the 4R70W installed.