The 5 speed in my 250 needs rebuilt and I was pondering installing an auto overdrive. A little research shows that one of the only auto od trannies out there that I can use a carbed engine with is the AOD. Problem is it seems like they were only installed in passenger cars and half tons. I can't seem to find the max tow rating for it but I'd hate install one just to burn up on a hill with a truck on the hitch.

Would a AOD stand up against a approximately 10,000 pound gcwr? Any other auto overdrive trannies that can be made to work with a carb? Ford or Chevy it doesn't matter to me.

 

What engine do you have ? an AOD won't fit just any old engine. The one i have will fit a 302 / 351w. They have adapters out there to fit some other engines . Then there are other overdrives but like i ask , what engine ?

 

An E4OD is far stronger than an AOD. It will work behind ANY engine, assuming you can get it to bolt up. That might take an adapter, depending on what engine you have. It will also take a stand alone transmission controller. They are available from PCS or Baumann Engineering.

 

I have a 400. How hard would it be to run a standalone trans controller? How expensive? I assume I'd need some sort of throttle and brake sensor at least. I know a chevy 700-r4 trans can be made to run with a carb. I also guess I'd have to mount a shifter on the floor. Which is fine. What I really need to know is if an AOD can be strong enough to tow a little.

 

Not an expert but when I looked at it the AOD was light for a 3/4 ton. Not likely to live a long life, especially at 10k lb. Is your truck 2 wd? Makes it easier to swap if so.

If you do switch, I bet you will get lots of takers for your 5 speed core and associated parts.

 

The truck is 2x4. I'm just kinda sick of shifting and since my nv4500 is needing a rebuild, plus I need a new clutch AND I believe my flywheel may need repurposed, I figured I might find a good auto od.

I don't tow to often. The truck will be the heaviest thing I own for awhile. Mainly hay and the occasional trailer full of quads or another truck. But I obviously don't want run the ragged edge of what should work and what shouldn't.
It would probably be cheaper to just buy a whole truck and pull all my parts off it right?
Im wanting to do a cab swap onto a 4x4/diesel/auto frame in a couple years when I get the time and money for it. That's a definite and is going to to happen. So I don't want to spend a bunch of money and time just to get this auto thing going when I could rebuild my trans and clutch now for under $500.

 

With a 400 i would just put in a good C/6 , good dependable transmission. I put the AOD in thinking i would save a lot of gas , no it never saved much at all . It did drop the RPMs down when i drive long enough in to get in to overdrive . But most of my driving is on county roads where you stop about every mile at an intersection. I don't believe the AOD will hold up in a larger truck ,mine is a f-100 short box . If you still want an overdrive then you should check in on the better built tranys as was suggested by some others.

 

The 3 Ford C-6 transmission bell housing patterns.



The C-6 is a strong transmission. It just doesn't have an overdrive.


The AOD is strictly a hydraulically-controlled transmission, based off of throttle position. Whether or not it would hold up to your application/use is hard to say. If you're not pulling heavy loads very often, it would probably hold up. --they were used in the Ford trucks and not just the cars. General AOD production ran from 1980 through 1993. '88-'93 models are better than '80-'87 versions.

The AODE was developed from the AOD. The AODE was electronically shifted. It had the same gear ratios as the AOD.

The 4R70W was developed from the AODE. The 4R70W has a much lower 1st gear ratio (2.84:1 vs. AOD/AODE 2.40:1). It's a wide ratio transmission and is also electronically shifted and would require a stand-alone shift controller. Probably not cheap on the front end to install but it's a very good transmission. The 4R70W is far superior to the AOD/AODE transmissions.

Best versions for a 4R70W swap would be from '98-'04 Ford vehicles (trucks or cars). They came in two different bell housing patterns. One for a 'Windsor' block pattern (will have 2 starter bolt holes in the converter housing) and one with a 4.6L/5.4L block pattern (will have 3 starter bolt holes in the converter housing). There were also two different length tail housings, one shorter, one about an inch longer.

--lots of information about this transmission and performance/strength upgrades for them on the internet.

My '98 3.8L Mustang 4R70W that will be going in my '69 F100 behind an EFI 5.0L engine or an EFI 351W --haven't completely made up my mind which engine yet. I have a Baumann Optishift stand-alone controller for this transmission.

 

Well guys think for the info. It looks like I'm gonna stay with rebuilding my 5 speed. I've never not wanted to drive the truck or looked at the manual like a disadvantage. But an auto would have made things a little easier. The time, work, and money tracking down parts just don't make sense for what I'm trying to do.

As far as an od raising gas mileage, in my commute to work I get into overdrive for literally 3 minutes before having to turn onto a 45 mph and it's 4th all the way from there. Going into town I take the back roads and don't get into 5th. But the thought of swapping out my od trans with a non od model just seems stupid to me. Implanning on regearing from 3.54's to 4.1's soon anyway. Would definitely want od if I did.