Will an AOD for 80-91 cars fit my setup?

[beanplant]

I have a 306 I just bought, and the block is from an 85 Ford. I currently have a C4 tranny. What all would I need to do a swap to the AOD. I really need overdrive, I hopefully will be pushing around 450 HP, and I'll have 4.11 gears out back. I don't wanna be tacin' too much. Thanks!

-Shaun

 

[Edbert]

It will bolt right up. You'll need a flywheel, a block plate and a torque converter for an AOD. THen add a new or modified crossmember, a TV cable and shifter cable and you should be done. You should know that the typical stock AOD will not survive behind 450fwhp for long. You can buy the parts to harden your AOD or even buy the whole unit from B&M or TCI, if you've got the budget Lentech makes the best ones.

BTW...450 from a 306? What are you planning on doing to get that?

 

[beanplant]

450 from a 306? What are you planning on doing to get that?

That's what my other post is for. This is my fist one. But according to AFR's website.... Basically, a 302, with 185 AFRs, a comp cams extreme cam, and a edelbrock intake.... it pushes 455 HP to the flywheel. http://www.airflowresearch.com/ has it all... it's really impressive

Thanks for the info! Where can I get a kit to beef up an AOD? Or should I try to find a used AOD thats already beefed?

-Shaun

 

[3spd on floor]

that is a huge cam for the street. you will need a really loose converter. even still that seems a little high for a 302. its definately not a stock rebuild, note the 10:1 compression and 92 octane fuel.

 

[Edbert]

Thanks for the info! Where can I get a kit to beef up an AOD? Or should I try to find a used AOD thats already beefed?

The weakes part of the AOD, and notorious for breaking on hard launches behind a stock 5.0 is the input shaft. It was a two piece design and hollow. Get a hardened one-piece. Internally there is much to do, and I am not an expert on that so I'll stop here.

My personal recommendation is to buy an entire unit already beefed and rated. My TCI is rated for up to 450fwfp and it cost under $2K. B&M sells one for about the same price/performance. As I said Lentech may be your best bet for that high output and RPM range. My torque converter is not loose enough for your cam's power band at 2800, you're gonna need at least 3400 I would guess.

If you are expecting 450 then don't buy a tranny rated for 450, get one for 500-550. I'm expecting about 410fwfp/425fwhp and am pushing my luck with the 450 rated tranny.

 

[thehueypilot]

I put in a Lentech and its has worked well so far. I have lost count on the total number of hard 500+ HP launches. Their AOD allows you to turn off the OD, which is the weakest link.

 

[LMan]

an AOD with a cam that big is going to make a lousy lower RPM/street ride. I assume you only plan to drag it? If so, why the AOD?

 

[Edbert]

an AOD with a cam that big is going to make a lousy lower RPM/street ride. I assume you only plan to drag it? If so, why the AOD?

I have to agree with that to a large degree. What is the operating RPM range of that cam 3000-8000?

 

[beanplant]

I had no idea that the cam was that big. I don't want a HUGE cam! I want this car to be streetable. But occasionally take it to the drags, and still do some whoopin. What are some good street/strip cams that arent so wild? I'd still like to HOPEFULLY get into 12s, but I'd settle for 13s. This isn't going to be a full out race car... Yet at least...

-Shaun

 

[beanplant]

I had no idea that the cam was that big. I don't want a HUGE cam! I want this car to be streetable, which is why I want the OD with my 4.11 gears I'll be putting in. But occasionally I'll take it to the drags, and still do some whoopin.
What are some good street/strip cams that arent so wild? I'd still like to HOPEFULLY get into 12s, but I'd settle for 13s. This isn't going to be a full out race car... Yet at least...

-Shaun

 

[Edbert]

Any head/cam combo that'll give a normally aspirated 306 ci engine 450 HP is gonna have to be so big that streetability comes into question. Of course everyone has a different opinion on just what is and isn't streetable too...

 

[beanplant]

forget the 450 HP thing.... I'd settle with what I get for the most powerful streetable car. It doesn't need to be 450 HP, or even 400. I just want it to be purty dang quick, cuz I am dumping quite a bit of money into this...

-Shaun

 

[Edbert]

Get some quality aluminum heads, a free flowing 2.5 inch exhaust, long tube headers, a good dual plane intake, a 650-675cfm carb and a cam with lift near 0.5 inch and duration in the 220-235 range and you'll have plenty of pep. It will also be moderately efficient and driveable with accessories and an automatic. You'll definitely be in the 13s and with some tuning and suspension work the 12s are not far off, with slicks you might already be there.

IIRC Edelbrock sells the "Performer RPM" package for an emissions-free 302 that got nearly 400fwhp. Not there but close, and the price is right.

 

[chepsk8]

There's a stock AOD from a 1985 LTD under Chepie. Stock motor, so no big HP woes. I used the Windsor-Fox kit to put it in.

Four years, not one problem.

 

[beanplant]

IIRC Edelbrock sells the "Performer RPM" package for an emissions-free 302 that got nearly 400fwhp. Not there but close, and the price is right.

Where can I find this at?

-Shaun

 

[Max Power]

For the parts you can go anywhere. For the dyno numbers, go to Edelbrocks website.

 

[beanplant]

They don't jsut sell a power "package" consisting of a specific h/c/i?

-Shaun

 

[Edbert]

They don't jsut sell a power "package" consisting of a specific h/c/i?

Sure they do, that is EXACTLY what the packages are (H/C/I).

try these...

PERFORMER 302 (basically an "RV" setup)

PERFORMER RPM 302 (high performance street)

Then, if you wanna really get crazy with the inherrent driveability concerns there's the Victor Jr. package and the Victor package as well.

 

[beanplant]

sweeet. Thanks man. I have one mroe question though. I can't afford the heads yet, If I were going to go with my stock E7 heads, and have them ported, which cam/intake/carb should I go with? Or should I wait on the cam until after I save enough for the heads?
Should I get the 600 or 700 CFM with the stock heads? Which intake should I get? The 7121? or 2121? Thanks for all the help guys!

-Shaun

 

[10secgoal]

I wouldn't waste your money on stock -ported if you want alot of horse power. I would, if you have the patience build your own c-4. I would have loved the overdrive of an AOD, but too expensive for my blood. I spent 410 in parts. That included all new seals, thrust washers, hardened and lightened direct drum, hardened forward drum,both machined for an extra clutch and steel,kolene steels, raybesto blues in the direct and tans in the forward, transgo shift kit(manual valvebody conversions comes with). It shifts hard and fast, does not flare up at all. Even on the bottle. I built it for 600 hp and a transbrake. I don't use one, but he told me that it would handle it. PM me if you want his #. He know his stuff on the old trannies. He also told me how to modify the pump and case for better lube.