anyone rebuilt there own AOD? come inside......

[nosmatt]

how did it go?
still together?
how does it perform?
any problem when first installed?



i am installing my home built aod today..... only people i have seen that did their own seemed to have probs......and im gettin nervous.
i do not have a plan "b" if this does not work out........LOL

 

[SilverFoxbody]

Hmmm....
Let you in on a little secret. I am not ASTG certified, nor do i work in a tranny shop, or did I go to school for ANY mechanic work. I am a construction guy now turned white collar purchasing agent for an electronics comapany. I have never rebuilt a VEHICAL motor. Those are the HAVE NOTS.

The HAVEs are, very mechanical ability, ATV/Cylce mech certified, builds my own EVERYTHING, welder, farmer, laborer, wrencher - has tools.

I have rebuilt with absolute success AOD/E/4R's, 4L60E, c6, c4, TH350, T5, Tremmec - those are in all reality the only different transmissions I have accualy touched inside. WIth exception of FWD, The rest of the tranny world does not scare me now.....
Among these trannies that I have done, I have done mods that are OUTSIDE the ATSG recommnded upgrades all the way to tips/tricks/mods to inmprove the function and shift carecteristics of the VB's.

I rebuild stuff on the side for extra cash, and try to remain a "performance" automatic tranny builder who specializes in rear wheel drive autos for street/strip use.

You tell me if it will work or not......
As i always say - EXPEREINCE is NUMBER ONE! That is what i have, no book learning, just the hard facts of life with a wrench and the internet!

 

[crazypete]

Never seen or driven an AOD in my life.

Got one 86 mercury marquis AOD and rebuilt it with shift kit and rebuild kit and kevlar bands and hardened shaft and a+ servo FIRST TRY. Went in, still running strong 2 years now.

Easy ****.

You remove snaprings and unstack. Replace clutches on unstacked drum and restack. Replace snarings. Done. Hardest part is wrestling the 200+ pound beast around and getting it in and out of the car. Rebuild kit is 75 bucks.

 

[nosmatt]

well, it went well!
trans works great......no probs. not even a leak

in fact, my speedo needle only bounces half as much as it used to!!!!!!

and silverfox,
I am a bodyshop manager, i have no formal, or informal mechanical training.......but a ****load of experience, doing it myself......breaking stuff, and fixing stuff........no matter what it is, i am normally no skeered........... but, this car has to go 140 miles per day, with my pregnant wife driving, sometimes very long way from help, and no cell coverage in some areas...........as i said, there was no plan b.........

anyway, glad it worked out, and i encourage anyone that has some mech knowledge, and is not affraid to spend a little time, and buy a few tools to do their own.......... i would have paid a shop 1400-1600 for what i have, and i have less than 500 in it...including converter, fluid, and all odds and ends.


now, will it last?????? thats the question!!!
ahhhhhhhhh!

 

[SilverFoxbody]

glad you did it matt.....i am sure you did it too. I remebmer when I pulled it out after the rebuild - i thought I was a fricking genius!!! Now I leave it up to others to tell me that

....wish i could do bodywork.....

As for the AOD, i always tell people it is about as hard as rebuilding a quadrajet carburator off a pontiac.

Pete...you are correct. R&R is the crappies part and takes almost longer and twice the labor it is to rebuild the guts

 

[gork1rogues]

I rebuilt my AOD in my garage using an ATSG guide. Everything went together easily. Tranny works very well and has no issues what-so-ever. I would never pay anyone else to do it.

 

[inklvr]

Great job to everyone that has rebuilt their own. Mine is torn apart and waiting for rebuild kit. It scary pullin it apart not knowing anything about it. But I guess you'll never learn if you don't just get in there and try. Hopefully I won't have problems also.

 

[nosmatt]

just remember to air check that fokker!

also, replace the steel sealing rings, dont skimp. your going to have em......... if the drum seals are good, i would leave em...PITA to replace.

also, you do not need any compressors, or anything for the servos..... fingers and patience, along with some blue point, or other quality snap ring pliers is it.......

funny, the auto tranny is so scary, but basically requires just a couple flat blade screw drivers, a 10mm, an 8mm, and MAYBE a snap ring plier if you dont feel like spending too long on it.......

 

[crazypete]

8mm, 10 mm and a single flathead screwdriver to pry stuff off. I think I also used a single needlenose plier somewhere but cannot remember where.

Advice: if it aint leaking, dont replace that seal. You have bigger chance of damaging a seal's seat trying to take it out and beat the new one in than leaving the old one in. I didnt replace any seals but the servo seals really and the only leak I have is near the AOD filler tube.