Now another pic of how i removed the Front pump on my '90 AOD. Which BTW... I already have it completely apart now on the table just like I had the 87 ..I knew what all to do, so It was a LOT quicker. Start to finish (mounting transmission on engine stand, draining and cleanup of the garage floor included) it took me 3 hours to completely disassemble the 90 AOD.  This is an early 90 AOD, as it still has the cast drums not the stamped steel, but I am ok with that.

Here is the pic of the pump coming out.




 

crickets.... crickets ... LOL :D

"You-taw'kin-to ME?!?"..........
I still have "issues" figger'in out how a  release bearing-clutch- pressure plate-Z bar-and flywheel all works together!!! 
If it doesn't cost a lot more....I would swing for the hi-po drum and 2" bands.
If it strains the budget........pass.
6sal6

Rudi wrote:

I went with all of Baumanns recommendations. The Super Coupe servo and 2” band included.

do they make AOD rebuild kits as well?

for a 4r70w the 2" is stock .. could you give me alink to their products page?

Alrighty-o !!

So time for an update . To figure out what it would cost my to go to a 2” OD band, I called couple places and collected the information

1) 2” OD band is available only in steel stamped drums .
Which means my reverse drum will have to be upgraded to stamped steel, which means the clutches and steels will also be changed inside as the tooth shape and count inside is much different , available from a transmission shop for ~$189 complete with clutches , steels , and compatible with mechanical diode (instead of sprague style one way bearing)
2) mechanical diode setup is not included I think, which is another 80 bucks or so
3) sun gear shell which is made shorter to accommodate for the bigger drum, OD band .  The thing is you can only use a sub gear shell from 4R70W or AODE 90-95 , which is a particular tooth count. They changed the gear tooth count after that , which is not compatible with the hearing inside this tranny (I’ll update the correct gear number soon)
4) 2” OD band itself which is like ~40 bucks or so.

So that’s a lot of parts to buy if you aren’t sourcing them from inside a transmission (another cheap builder core)
So approximately I counted about ~$275 or $300 in parts if I want the OD upgrade .

IMO now, I will not be doing this . Not worth the cost. As I am not going with a high HP setup . The only think 1.5” band doesn’t like is shifting to OD @full throttle . If I am looking for high mph on a track , I will need that upgrade

Or if occasionally having fun with I put in a gear manually to where it won’t go into OD and punch hard . But that’s it . I am ok with it .

Now onto the build . Pricing what all I need right now.

Will do a A+ servo upgrade . And stuff as many clutches as possible in the direct drum.

Also a shift kit as it is being recommended everywhere to improve 1-2 and 3-4 shift performance (stage 1 of the superior AOD shift kit)

I am worried about the valve body on this tranny as , per two sources , a good OD band , and servo only leaves the valve body to be the culprit for not shifting into OD. Hmmmmmm... once I start rebuilding that , I will see what I can find :/ . But hey challenges are a part of this

Roll pin :: that’s an issue still. Mine isn’t out still, and for a Lokar shifter to go in, it needs to come out. That is now going to be a hardest part of my build lol outside of the valve body

Alright
So, I am postponing working on the transmission for a bit. The 90 transmission like I said is apart. The parts are all boxed up. Talking to Gpatrick here, he offered me the internals of his 4R70W he has. If we cannot work out how to get those parts to me somehow, I will now be hunting for a 4R70W core then, to see if I can rob the internals from it, making the AOD all stamped steel, even better lubed, and wider gear ratio (better 1st and second gear ratios) .

WITHOUT having to use the electronics. The electronics are a pain as its a 600 dollar addition ATLEAST .. so I am going to get a AOD rebuild kit meant for stamped steel AOD, with a transgo Shift Kit, to make the AOD a better shifter, and a more reliable tranmission. I know the ONE thing I will have to still deal with is the TV cable. I am willing to do that, becasue that 600 dollars for the  electronics , could go into putting the conversion kit on the car so I dont have to fabricate shifters, and linkages, and trans mounts , tranny lines etc.

I postponed this also because, my 2 year old girl asks me everyday ( she is quite obsesed with cars and planes, dont know where she gets that from :D :D) , can she ride in the mustang.. and that melts my heart. And to cease that phase for the while it lasts, I will be starting on the rear seat belt project now as a priority.
 

Last edited by Gaba (6/13/2018 2:29 PM)

VERY wise choices guyz!!
6sal6

while not much is done to the transmission yet . it sits as is.. but there has been forward movement in the project.

GPatrick offered me the internals of a 4R70W to go in my transmission. After much research , and thanksfully his family driving down here to my neck of the woods, I was able to get all the 4R70W internals to me

which means. My AOD will be now a wide ratio AOD with a 2.84 first gear (instead of a 2.40) and a  1.63 second gear (instead of a 1.47) . It will have a 2" OD band, and a much better lubricated / cooled ring gear, and all stamped steel drums. Also it will have a much more reliable mechanical diode setup instead of the roller sprague one way bearings. That is mechanically ALL you can upgrade on the AOD (as far as a drums and gear ratios are concerned)

There is apparently a way to also use the 4R70W's pump in the AOD (which if its easy enough, I will do that)
TO use the forward drum from 4R70W which is a stamped steel drum, I will have to get the one peice solid shaft pressed out of the drum, and get the hollow AOD input shaft pressed in. which probably may cost me 20-40 bucks or so at a tranny shop.

As far as other upgrades : I will be getting a Sonnax sprial clip for making sure the direct shaft does not at any point push too far in to the transmission damaging the direct drum AND blocking lube holes for sun gear. Cheap upgrade and worth the money

For the valve body I have decided to go wit hthe TRANSGO shift kit. Its a detailed valve body modification kit with small new passages needing to be drilled, better throttle pressure esp for the OD shift, and much better 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. It seems like the comprehensive kit to go with.

Apart from the the transmission will get the most amount of clutch and steel counts in each drum possible with a rebuild kit, new seals and gaskets. The bushings all around the transmission are in VERY good shape.
 

Well TKO ... I read and read and read, transgo does NOT support a wide ratio AOD.. They say that on their site.. the people's videos on youtube are complaining about it.. with a wide ratio AOD, the 1st tends to hang too long, and 2-3 shift happens too soon.

Called Sonnax, Baumann, Transgo.. talked to other people.. and all came down to two choices

Send valve body into SilverFox performance (Dan)  , and he will do a valve body job on it, retune it and send back $300+shipping (which he says supports wide ratio AOD)
OR
Buy a brand new valvebody from Lentech built specifically to my torque converter (OE) and the wide gear ratio. $345 + shipping

If I ignore all that has been said on the forums and even if I just go buy the Transgo kit its 150+labor for me to do it myself. Which its not too hard to do.. but 200 more gets me a new valvebody that doesnt need more boost valves ,and endplugs and such.. and made for the gearing I am gong with.

Looking at this, I really think I need to just buy the Lentech street valve body and call it a day.

Asked about Constant pressure valve body , and tech at lentech said with the cast rings in the pump and OE torque converter, he does not recommend a constant pressure valve body.. (which would have eliminated the criticality of the TV cable) . I wont have manual control like doing that 1->D->1 thing to hold first and second. But I am Ok with that. If a valve body shifts perfectly on its own I dont need to meddle with it.

Anywhew.. .thats my update for now. open to suggestions. :D

Last edited by Gaba (7/12/2018 10:46 AM)

yeah but the 4R70W setup still needs a shifter modification, and all the mounting stuff to do with the trans cross member, etc etc, PLUS the bauman shift controller (600 bucks) .. that is a big jump from where I am at wwith no welder and no fabrication skills to make my own things like y'all have LOL

That is what i am having an issue getting past.

here is myquestion: can I buy premade trans crossmember and shifters for 4R? if so, may be I need to re run all the numbers together and see the actual difference

I am open to options but economical options :D ... LOL doubt i'll find a 4R for 50 bucks core like I havefor AOD  lol

Last edited by Gaba (7/12/2018 11:28 AM)

The cross member and shift linkage are available from Joe Persad.
I've never tried to find a used controller .... would think they are out there though.

Gaba wrote:

Ok!! Bob’s kit with tools arrived Friday!

I’ll get it on the engine stand soon, and start working on it

I've searched high and low for info on that engine stand adapter kit that attaches the tranny to the stand. What gives? Was that part of the tool kit from BB? I gots to know!