big controversy AOD OR MANUAL

[zeusmoto]

alright guys i am trying to get to the bottom of this i know there are a ton of threads but opinions change and i am trying to get the latest and greatest from the mustang enthusiasts i am having trouble deciding whether to stick with the aod, and beef it up or should i convert it to a tremec or t-5 or something i dont know.
MY THREE QUESTIONS ARE-
1 WHAT CAN I DO TO BEEF UP MY AOD(it shifts at about 2000 rpm)
2 SHOULD I CHANGE IT TO MANUAL
3 WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH TRANNY?

 

[25thmustang]

Well I have a very one sided opinion, MANUAL. I had an AOD with a converter on my car then switched to the T5 and will never go back. I think for your average Mustang enthusiest it is pointless tor un an auto. Most autos that will run heads up with a stick have large converters, harsh shift kits or manual valve bodies, and cost a lot more to make run the number. Plus gas mileage will suffer, and fun of driving drops which is just my opinion.

I will be running a stick in my car, well into the 10s when money allows. I say go stick.

 

[giddyup306]

It's all a matter of opinion. Here are some pros and cons though

AOD

loose more hp through the drivetrain but get more consistant/faster shifts. autos are great for bracket racing. especially if you do something like NMRA or FFW.

Manual will make more power to the wheels. But no matter how fast you can shift or how good you are an auto will shift faster. plus IMHO I think they are a hell of a lot more fun to drive on the steet and srtip! Also MOST people who do NMRA and are running high nines or slower have manual trans! My car should be deep into the nines and it's TKO all the way!

Hope it helps

Mike

 

[Mustang5L5]

Either tranmission is a good choice.

BUt, personally i prefer a Manual transmission just because i myself like to shift. I know if i put some money into an AOD i could have one really strong running car but ya know what? I still won't be happy until i'm shifting those gears myself.

I would rather run 14.5's with a 5-spd than 13.5's with an AOD. To me shifting is all the fun.

 

[331 cobra]

I don't know how fast an AOD can shift, but I shift my T5 pretty damn fast. I would guess .05 to .1 second first to second.

 

[v8only]

If you enjoy shifting gears, manual is the ONLY way to go.

I just finished an aod to t5 swap with my brother last weekend. Worth every cent. Sure it was a pain in the ass, but the rewards are amazing.

Average quarter miles drop almost a full second over a stock aod. Does that help make up your mind??

 

[giddyup306]

If you enjoy shifting gears, manual is the ONLY way to go.

Unless you go with a full manual valve body. But it's still not the same.

 

[Boss 351]

I prefer manual also... I am putting in an AOD for now because I will do the T5 swap later once the 351 is done.

 

[zeusmoto]

thanks guys but i just talked to the local tranny shop who has been doing trannys for like 40 or 50 years and they own an 8 second quarter jet car and it is an auto he said he could beef up my aod really nicely in the neighborhood of around 2000 which could drop my 1/4 time down by maybe a full second so what mods can i do to beef it up anyways? sorry to make all you manual fans out there waste your time trying to convert me(just kidding) but i was wondering what they would do to make it fly and make the tranny shift faster?

 

[khaotic89GT]

you should get the 5 speed swap it should about the same price and I know you'll get drop 1 sec or more. When my car was bone stock(i'd only had it for 2 days) I raced my friends auto same year and everything. he had full cat back off road h and headers and I still killed him like he was standing still. I got him by more then 4 cars. I know thats more then 1 sec.

 

[GATOR98GT]

Auto's are more consistant but they use up more of that valuable power. Manuals are fun and if you like to drive a manual you never get tired of it. I always feel like somethings missing when I drive an automatic, but thats just my opinion

 

[25thmustang]

The auto you get back will have a large coverter, and a manual valve body I assume. These things will hurt driveablility, but if you want to put up with it go for it. I personally cant get enough of banging my own gears!

 

[giddyup306]

thanks guys but i just talked to the local tranny shop who has been doing trannys for like 40 or 50 years and they own an 8 second quarter jet car and it is an auto he said he could beef up my aod really nicely in the neighborhood of around 2000 which could drop my 1/4 time down by maybe a full second so what mods can i do to beef it up anyways? sorry to make all you manual fans out there waste your time trying to convert me(just kidding) but i was wondering what they would do to make it fly and make the tranny shift faster?

Increase main line pressure, get good frictions, go full manual valve body. Maybe even go direct drive.

 

[giddyup306]

The auto you get back will have a large coverter, and a manual valve body I assume. These things will hurt driveablility, but if you want to put up with it go for it. I personally cant get enough of banging my own gears!

Niether of these will really cause drivability issues. A full manual valve body is easier to shift than a manual. and a high stall won't cause drivability problems.

 

[25thmustang]

Niether of these will really cause drivability issues. A full manual valve body is easier to shift than a manual. and a high stall won't cause drivability problems.

Itr will hurt gas mileage, and for the average Mustang owner a large converter will be a pain. Most Mustang owners arent drag racers and these things that make the cars go faster I see people hate them. Its like that with any mod, its give and take, and personally I wouldnt waste my time with a manual valve body and a big stall for a daily driver, I would much rather have a stick.

 

[giddyup306]

Itr will hurt gas mileage, and for the average Mustang owner a large converter will be a pain. Most Mustang owners arent drag racers and these things that make the cars go faster I see people hate them. Its like that with any mod, its give and take, and personally I wouldnt waste my time with a manual valve body and a big stall for a daily driver, I would much rather have a stick.

I understand where your comming from but I just assumed that he wasn't worried about gas mileage. After all not many are especially those of who modify there foxes's.

 

[TC93]

I did the swap from Tremec to an Art Carr AOD last fall, and I love it. I'm not bashing 5-speeds because I still like to drive them. But a few factors came into play for me to make the swap. One, I was adding a blower and didn't want to miss a shift under boost, and I was getting tired of the clutch in traffic when I drove in town. Plus I never had an auto in any of my stangs and wanted something different.

My AOD has the auto/manual valve body,and can be ran in full auto or manual. And I run it as a manual 99% of the time. Also I have a sorta big converter (3400) and it does kill some mpg, but drive-ability doesn't suffer. I average 14-15mpg's around town. The AOD is eating up more power to run the the 5-speed, but I don't mind. And even though my car was set-up for boost(8.5:1) and 5-speed(3.55) gears it still ran some 12.80's on motor at 3450 race weight and Nitto's. Now will some more gear & compression, I think some mid 12's would of been no problem. IMO the auto in manual mode is as fun to drive as the stick, but that is me. Pretty much when you come to a stop you have got down shift and so on...but, no clutch. I'm not bashing a 5-speed, just giving my experiences with my AOD, compared to when I had a Tremec. swap

But if you don't plan on a power adder, then the 5 speed swap should be considered. It would be cheaper than a good AOD set-up. I did the AOD to 5-speed swap on my brother-in-laws 90LX fews years ago and found a wrecked LX for $700 and got all parts needed for the swap plus extra.

 

[cobra1015]

I'm gonna jump into this thread. I currently have an AOD but my other car was a stick and I miss it alot. I eventually want to stroke and turbo this car (89 GT) and if all goes right get 600 to the wheels. I was told that it is a pain in the ass to shift a car with that much HP and gettin an AOD is the best route. Anyone have a turbo car or a blown car pushing that much HP with a manuel out their that can chime in???

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

::in a Barry White voice:: "It's like making love to a woman....you're either sitting there while all the action is happening, or you're doing the bangin yourself"

In the end, i suppose it's all good, but i'd rather do the bangin..

 

[TheUser]

::in a Barry White voice:: "It's like making love to a woman....you're either sitting there while all the action is happening, or you're doing the bangin yourself"

In the end, i suppose it's all good, but i'd rather do the bangin..

wow that's funny, but also a good way of putting it. I can't see myself having an auto stang...won't even look at one that's an auto. I love driving a stick. Have you driven manuals very much? Some like it, some hate it. It's not that big of a deal in traffic...throw it in neutral and hold the brake...why hold the clutch in and wear out your throwout bearing? Like someone else that posted, I raced an auto fox in my basically stock 90 LX 5.0 and smoked him and he had heads, cam, intake, and gears. In the end, it's personal decision. You might look around for stangs for sale and find a 5 speed and drive one if you haven't before...that should make up your mind in a hurry.