I'm hoping someone here can give me some information/advice for my Ford. I recently bought a 1990 f150 xlt lariat 4x4 5.0L automatic (AOD i beleive) the first week I had this truck my transmission crapped out. The automatic transmission decided it would no longer go into any forward gear though it does go into reverse (almost didnt get home, but it did go into drive after reving the engine to 4000rpm, though it wouldnt go at all in the morning). I'm assuming the tranny is shot and needs replacing. If I have to replace my transmission I would rather put in a manual then an automatic. Does anyone know of a good 5 speed manual transmission that would just bolt in? I realize nothing ever just "bolts in" and we are pretty good with mods (we fit a 350 in a toyota, but we dont want to have to do any more then neccessary to this Ford) As my cousin and I were going over options we didnt know what manual transmissions will bolt up, whether I would need a different transfer case aswell, and how hard it would be to sort out the wiring (think it should be easy but im ignorant of Fords). So if someon knows of a chart or something that shows what transfer cases bolt up to what transmissions and what bellhousings would be needed and the lengths and all that neat stuff I would REALLY appreciate it.

 

I think you would be better off finding a complete donor truck.

 

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Not necessarily. It might be the linkage underneath has worked loose so when you shift into drive, the transmission isn't listening. Could also be the fluid is shot, or the modulator has gone bad, or the filter is clogged. When you finally got it into drive and headed home, did the transmission shift fine and operate "normally" ? If so, it's not as bad as you think.

On the other hand, if you want to go the 5-sp route, you have two easy choices... the Mazda out of F150's and some F250's, and the ZF out of F250HD's and all F350's, F450's, etc. Both transmissions are OEM for these trucks, meaning that whatever vehicle you leech the transmission from, you can take the driveshaft, flywheel, u-joints, trans crossmember, shifter and of course the transmission itself. Then for the most part, bolt it into your truck.

You can put something else in there, but then you'll have more "fangling" to do in order to make it fit properly.

YOu would need a transfer case, so find yourself a Mazda or ZF transmission out of a 4x4, and take the front half-shaft too and you're good to go.

The Mazda and ZF bell housings are part of the case casting, so you can't swap them. You have to find a transmission with the bell housing you need. The 300/302/351W share the same bell housing, so find the transmission from one of those trucks and you're good to go. Make sure you don't use the 351W flywheel on your 302 - you will rattle your engine apart. Get the right flywheel.

 

Thanks for the info frederic. The tranny did indeed operate normally on my trip home. I've crawled underneath the truck and played with the linkage down there, I can get the tranny into drive i beleive (and move the shifter on the column aswell). While playing with the linkage with a cold engine I could make the engine rev up ( but no clunk from the tranny so its not actually going into gear) when putting it into a forward gear, but once warmed up it dont do nothing. My cousin and I figured it wouldnt be the filter clogged as it will go into reverse just fine and moves fine in reverse. I'll have to remove the pan to find out for sure (dont really feel like touching the stupid thing though, still too peeved at it) As for the modulator, where is it? Its pretty dirty and mucky under there and as I said I dont really feel like groping it, though i didnt see it when i was glancing under there.

 

If the transmission is an AOD there is no modulator.

 

As Stuart1 said, the AOD does not have a vacuum modulator, but instead it has a throttle valve cable. The TV cable is attached near where the throttle cable is attached on the engine. There is a small "plastic" or vinyl grommet that holds the TV cable in place. This grommet commonly fails and the TV cable becomes disconnected. This can cause the exact problems you described. If you find this to be the case, after you replace the grommet, be sure to follow the correct procedure for setting the adjustment when you reinstall the TV cable. Correct adjustment is critical. Repost if you need more info. Good luck with it.

 

I found the Tv cable, but unfortuneatly mine is fine. The grommet is still intact and the cable works as it looks it should. I tried changing the filter on the transmission to no avail. This truck is very annoying. When I shift from park to reverse I get a *clunk* as it goes into gear and my truck will move. If i shift from reverse to neutral I get a small *clunk* as it goes out of gear. But for OD D and 1 I get no *clunk*. To get home that one day I revved the engine to about 4k and i got a *clunk* and it worked flawlessly after that. Now however I can't even get my Truck to *clunk* into a forward gear. Who ever heard of a Ford that wouldn't even put out a *clunk* for ya anyway?

 

I hate to say it, but if the TV cable is ok, given your symptoms, the tranny is going to have to be removed and opened up to repair it. Since most of the labor is removal and install, it is better to go ahead and do a total rebuild while you have it out.

 

could it possibly be the Transfercase? i'm having the EXACT same problem right now and could use some help finding out what it is ? I am replacing my transfercase soon I beleive that could be the problem in my truck as it never worked to begin with.

 

Friend, dont ever rev the engine to 4000 and drop it in gear. You WILL do much damage, if you haven't done it already. The universal joints and drive train cant take the force.

 

Read up on AOD. You can get lower gears and really smoke 'em with those 4000 rpm neutral starts!

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/AOD.htm

 

What does a modulator look like and where would it be on a E40D tranny?

 

It does not have one.

 

On any job. you should always check the easiest, and cheapest things first.
As we say in America, "inoccent until proven quilty" in other words, before you start saying that it is a problem with the trans, check everything associated with it.
This would include; oil level, any linkages that are connected to it, any kind of hoses, any vacumn hoses on the engine (not sure about FORD, but on other cars those help to let the trans know when to shift). So take a look at anything that is even in some way connected or touching the trans.
As for it being the transfer case, I would not think so, because from my understanding the transfer case just takes whatever the trans gives it is sends it to 2 driveshafts, so if you get R then the transfer case is not the problem.
IF you do decide to go to a manual, like frederic said, the m5od and the zf are the 2 main 5spds used the the F series trucks. And so long as the donor truck had a 300, 302, or 351 engine then it would work.
As for wich trans to use, the m5od is found mostly in the f150, and the gears are 3.9, 2.25, 1.5, 1, .8. I am getting ready to put the zf in my truck, and it's gears are 5.72, 2.94, 1.61, 1, .76. I would recomend the zf depending on your axles, and driving conditions. The only reason why I almost did not put it in my truck, was because I doughted if 2nd gear starts would be good with my 3.00 diff. But I can start in second pretty easily with my current trans, and it is 1.84, so starting with a 2.25 should be ok. I would really recomend the zf tranny, because it is a strong trans, and the OD gear is even higher than the M5od so that will save some money if you do highway driving.