Aod Programming

[JD1964]

I'm helping my son fix up his 93 vert with AOD. I dont know exact details but the motor is hopped up with the typical aftermarket stuff. The trans is said to have a 3000stall.

Anyway, the pan is leaking and we need to change the gasket. While in there we would like to do what ever we can reasonably do to improve the automatic behavior of the AOD. He want's to primarily leave it in the normal OD or D positions and have the trans upshift and kickdown at points which make good use of the rpm range. I was looking at the TransGo AOD HP shift kit. Do any of you have experience with this kit to confirm it will help matters? What else can be done short of removing the trans and complete overhaul? Manual valve body is not an option as he wants the transmission to function well without having to manually shift.

Thanks for you time in helping us.

 

[JD1964]

Or should we go with a Bauman kit?

 

[rbohm]

i suggest instead going to either silver fox or lentech and get one of their reprogrammed valve bodies. they both offer an automatic valve body that changes the shift pattern, and can still be used as a manual body when you hit the track.

 

[JD1964]

The cost of a new valve body might be too much to bare on the current budget. The Bauman shift kit is $60. The valve bodies start at $345 and go up from there.

 

[JD1964]

Discovered one of the bolts that holds the TV cable bracket was broke off in the TB spacer. Thus, the TV cable wouldn't hold proper adjustment. Got that fixed and it's working much better now. Still have to fix pan gasket leak.

Contemplating shift kit install. Currently the trans behaves pretty good at part throttle and the kickdown works good. WOT up shifts are about 5300rpm. It has the X303 cam so we would like to get the auto upshift to about 6k. It may already have a govenor kit in it. Don't know yet. I'm hoping to supplement whatever is there with the Baumann shift kit to get the auto upshift to 6k.

 

[RangerJoe]

I don't know the brand, but I drove an aod car with a cheap shift kit....it sucked. Just slowly cruising the thing changed gears so hard it would give you whiplash.

Joe

 

[MY 85 GT]

I would look into sliverfox....or a Lentech valve body...but i know for sure sliverfox is cheaper then going with Lentech....I dont know what i had in my 87 GT shift kit brand but that shifted very nice crisp positive shifts....then one i have now in my 92 GT i was told it has a shift kit i really dont think it does...to me it shifts ok but not hard enough....

 

[JD1964]

Well, we're trying to undo all the botched up stuff that previous owners did to this car. As soon as that's done, I'll finally get my 92 LX into the garage and begin the supercharger install. Cripe, I bought all that stuff a year ago and it's been sitting on the shelf ever since.

By the way, is there an 8.8 Detroit locker available for these fox body rear ends? If so, I think that's what's in this 93 vert. It was acting a little different than I'm used to with the limited slip rear's when we had it on the jacks and running it through the gears. If it is a Detroit locker, why would someone choose that over a limited slip?

 

[A5literMan]

Well, we're trying to undo all the botched up stuff that previous owners did to this car. As soon as that's done, I'll finally get my 92 LX into the garage and begin the supercharger install. Cripe, I bought all that stuff a year ago and it's been sitting on the shelf ever since.

By the way, is there an 8.8 Detroit locker available for these fox body rear ends? If so, I think that's what's in this 93 vert. It was acting a little different than I'm used to with the limited slip rear's when we had it on the jacks and running it through the gears. If it is a Detroit locker, why would someone choose that over a limited slip?

Probably a spool but yes they make a locker.

 

[mikestang63]

I run one of Dan's VB and couldn't be happier. Save up for it and you will be happy. Much better than throwing a shift kit in that is not calibrated to your exact specs.

 

[JD1964]

Probably a spool but yes they make a locker.

No, not a spool, that's for sure. I noticed perhaps the e brake was not releasing all the way on one side. This would make one wheel spin and not the other. Then I would rotate the other wheel, hear a click and both wheels would lock together.

A spool wouldn't do that. A spool would force both wheels to spin, or not to spin together.

 

[mikestang63]

I had a detroit locker on a car 30+ years ago. Hated it. Every time you make a turn it was CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK. Can't see why you would ever put one on a street car.

 

[JD1964]

I had a detroit locker on a car 30+ years ago. Hated it. Every time you make a turn it was CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK. Can't see why you would ever put one on a street car.

Judging by whats been done to this car, the things that have been removed and the things that have been added, its set up as a straight line drag car. Rumor has it that it once had a huge turbo and dipped into the 9's.

Unlike my 92 which spins wheels like crazy, this 93 vert lifts the nose, plants the rear and hooks up good on launch. There's tubular rear suspension parts, Strange shocks, welded frame connectors, omitted sway bars, etc......

The front is stiff on the down push but lifts easily. The rear is softer and pushes down easily.

 

[JD1964]

Corrected the the TV cable bracket and filled the fluid to proper level. Test drove and noted WOT upshifts to be at 5k for 1-2 and 2-3. 6k for 3-4.

Dropped the pan and valve body and installed the Baumann shift kit. Went with medium for the shift firmness and used spacers to add at least 1000rpm in WOT shift points for 1-2 and 2-3. Also installed an upgraded boost valve made by Sonnax. (the Baumann tech recommended it).

The job turned out good with crisp automatic upshifts at WOT 6200rpm 1-2 and 2-3. Perfect for the X303 cam. OD still coming in at 6k WOT and kick down working good.

I feel a bit lucky actually. Not sure if I posted a pic of the car yet so here it is.

 

[MY 85 GT]

I know that car....i was going to trade him my turbo foxbody....small world....The original owner said it was a turbo car had a roll cage in it too..was a stick at one point also...

 

[JD1964]

I know that car....i was going to trade him my turbo foxbody....small world....The original owner said it was a turbo car had a roll cage in it too..was a stick at one point also...

You are correct. Actually, even though it's now an automatic, the clutch pedal is still there.

My son bought it on his own and settled the deal before I knew anything about it. It's turning out ok I suppose but there were things wrong that I myself would not have tolerated. Meaning that, I wouldn't even try to sell a car without fixing them first. Fairly significant reliability and safety concerns. We're getting it right, little by little.

 

[MY 85 GT]

Nice i liked that car i would have done the tade if he didnt back out....