[wagstdy]

My 91 GT convertible AOD doesn't shift very hard...even after I installed a B&M shift kit with the firmer street/strip option selected. The previous (original) owner had the tranny rebuilt sometime during its life but right now the car has 122,000 miles. I then went out and bought some of the expensive ($4/qt) B&M Trick Shift tranny fluid and replaced the 3 quarts or so that are in the pan. The Trick Shift didn't do anything and I suspect the ratio of the 3 qts to the 13 or so in the whole tranny diluted the effect (if there is any). The fluid level is correct.

Under very hard acceleration (foot to the floor), the tranny shift from 1 to 2 is barely noticeable. I was hoping to at least chirp the tires but it just mushes through like most stock trannys. Under fairly light acceleration the shift from 1 to 2 is snappier but not like I thought it was going to be. The installation of the shift kit was easy and straight forward. I was methodical and careful so even though this is a biased statement....I doubt it was an installation mistake.

I replaced the stock 2.73s with 3.27s. This was done before discovering this forum. After reading all the posts about gears, I wish I would have bought 3.73s. I suspect the 3.27s and the weight of the car might be part of the problem.

I hate to admit it but the 5.0 is completely stock. (Interesting note: the original owner NEVER gave it a tune-up in 120,000 and it ran great. The plugs had a .095 gap! I did the standard tune-up and it ran exactly the same. Cheers to EFI and computer controls!)

Does anyone have the same complaint with their AOD? Is it just a heavy car with bad rear gears or is it something in the tranny like the bands? Can the bands be adjusted? Has anyone completely flushed their tranny with the B&M Trick Shift fluid and then noticed a difference?

2nd question. Is there a shifter out there that will allow the driver to select 2nd gear without having to monkey around with that annoying 1 to D and then back to 1?

Thanks for a great forum. Lots of good info here.

 

[Twister]

Wag, for some reason, the later AOD's shift softer than the early ones, the easiest way to fix all of your issues is to get a Lentech valve body. The stock valve body does allow for a position between 1 and 2, only an aftermarket will allow this, and the Lentch shifts very hard and very well

 

[Mikes90]

Hmmmm, my 90 will chirp the tires even with the stock 2.73 gears. Stock tranny and it grabs pretty hard. You may have a band problem:sadcry:

 

[Twister]

hey Mike, my mom's 93 has NEVER chirped a tire.....and is a weak shifter

 

[Mikes90]

Well, when I say stock tranny, thats as much info as I have. I bought the car in March and the kid said he never did anything to it in the 5 years he had it so I just asssume it is stock. Then again I aint sure what all is stock. How can I tell if the head have been changed, any simple method?

 

[Twister]

Mike, I am willing to bet that it is stock, mine cherped in stock configuration until I killed it at 260+K.....

 

[Mikes90]

Well I look at my 1/4 mile times and mods and that basically tell me I'm still pretty stock all the way around. But give me time:evillol: :evillol: :evillol:

 

[wagstdy]

Thanks to Twister's advice, I went and found Lentech's web page. Their transmissions look impressive and thought I'd share their web address with the rest of you:

http://www.lentechautomatics.com/home.htm[/url]

Their transmission and/or valve body sounds like the perfect solution to my problem. Thanks.

 

[DJorgie76]

I have a Performance Automatic Street/Strip valve body in my AOD. It doesn't change shift patterms so I still have to do the 1-d-1 shift for second. Before I changed my tires to a better hooking tire I used to spin second and once I even chirped third. Oh, did I mention I have 4:10 gears.

 

[JUSTNLX]

I think Doug touches on what I've been thinking,

Wagstdy,

Are you shifting manually or are you in drive when you nail it? Most AODs will shift from first, second and then third without most people even noticing it hitting second while the trans is in the drive position.

Try shifting from first to drive then back down to first right away when you get second. This will lock second, then shift to drive for third.

 

[wagstdy]

I tried nailing it using both methods of shifting and neither will grab 2nd hard enough to chirp the tires. I suspect it is a combination of stock motor, worn out tranny bands, and heavy car. That Lentech sounds like a great tranny.

I use that 1-D-1 trick but it's just that, a trick and sometimes it gets a gear I don't want. That Lentech sounds like it has a definite 2nd gear position which will hold 2nd gear no matter what the speed of the car is or position of the throttle.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[ford_man123]

It might just be the shift kit. When I HAD an AOD tranny I had a TRANSGO shift kit installed. I had it installed at a transmission/speed shop because it was a very elaborate installation which included drilling out certain points in the valve body. At the same time that was done, I had 3.73 gears installed. This was on a 91 GT that was very close to stock. The TransGo shift kit shifted VERY hard from first to second and would bark the tires at half throttle. The TransGo shift kit also allowed the tranny to be shifted into OD at W.O.T.

My AOD lasted through about one year of abuse (after shift kit and gears) and then one day getting on the highway I lost third and OD.

I would strongly recommend either swapping to a high performance tranny or rebuilding the one you have with a high performance kit which includes stronger bands...

 

[wczepl]

I just bought a 93 GT convertible.
I started having transmission problems recently.
It shifts into third OK
When I try to accelerate in 3rd, the transmission slips and the motor revs. It also wont downshift if I jump on it.
If I slow down and drop it in to 1st, it pulls fine with no slippage.
and will shift into 2nd and 3rd.
Once in third...it slips.
Any ideas as to problem , cure, and co$t?
Bill

 

[status50]

Art Carr makes a nice AOD.It has the 1-2-3 shift pattern with OD on a switch.

Right now Mental Addiction Motorsports is having a sell for Art Carr AOD's..Might wanna check it out.

 

[JUSTNLX]

I agree with the Artcarr AOD

Here is another thread to look at:

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=7839

Here is the Artcarr sites:

This one is the original:
http://www.artcarrtransmission.com/

I believe this one is a knock-off of the original
http://www.artcarr.com/

 

[Rickie C]

Yeah, check out www.mentaladdictionmotorsports.com They are currently having a special on Art Carr AODs. Really good deal if you ask me. Service is great too.

 

[oliver nagel]

I have a almost 93 bone stock lx sedan,Aod with shift kit 2.73 rear end,16 inch pony rims, shifts from 1st to 3rd (skips 2nd),No problems making the tires chirp

 

[19notchback90]

3.27

i have 3.27 in my notch and my car chirps going into sec, pretty hard. do you ever use the factory ratchet shifter? drive 1(1st gear.) push up to drive then back down to drive 1(to lock it in second) drive (for 3rd) and overdrive (for 4th.). its pretty hard at first but youll get the nack of it!
p.s. FORD FOX AOD's suck!!! they always break! lol

t.l
goodluck!

 

[RON VARNELL]

I had a similar problem with my AOD although my engine is modified I did install the b&m shift kit, drove it around the block and did not like the feel of the shift. removed AOD and installed t-5 instead. Hope to finish this weekend so as to drive it around :green