AOD Trans conversion

[ROKuberski]

I should have it back this week, but then I thought I would have it back last week too.

Rich

[ROKuberski]

I see that on June 8th I planned on getting the transmission back in a week.  Well, I got it back today, a very long week indeed.  It tried my patience, but, they did finally get it done.  When they decided to do a whole new rebuild, they had to get another transmission to rebuild.  Part way through the rebuild they found a crack in the case, next case was rejected because of rust inside, the next one was discovered to have some stripped out threads on some of the bolt holes.  FINALLY, they got one that is now completed and in my garage.  BUT, the shift arm is at a different angle from the first transmission.  I thought I could change it, but it's either up or down.  They did not use the shift arm from the first transmission, as I asked, so I would not have to rework my home made shift linkage.  I just watched a video from Monster Transmission and it confirms that I maybe stuck with making a new linkage or getting a different shift arm.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6UX9itv1NM&t=83s

Oh well, what else do I have to do?

Rich

[RICH MUISE]

That's a bummer, Rich. It's fighting you the whole way.

[ROKuberski]

Rich,

I'm having a wonderful time.  I've ordered a shift arm from Lokar and will solve the linkage issues.  I can likely improve my home made shift linkage with their kit (ACA-1807.)

On another note, I found out that they sold the first transmission, the one that would not downshift into first for me.  And, the report is that it's working fine.  Makes me wonder if there is some fundamental flaw in what I've done.  During the trouble shooting phase on the first transmission I did take it to another shop and we did everything that they suggested and it still did not shift properly.

Delivery of my shift arm may get delayed a couple of days with the holiday coming up.  If I get it by Friday, I should have it back in the car for test drives on Saturday.

Have a safe 4th of July,

Rich

[ROKuberski]

Just when you think things are going in the right direction.

Today, I completed the installation of the latest rebuilt transmission.  The one part I was waiting for was the tail shaft housing.  This case was originally a short tail shaft, but they set it up for the long tail shaft, just had to find a long tail shaft housing (11.1" in lieu of 10.1".)  So, I get it and install it.  Make all the final connections and dump in some oil and start the car.  I get it filled up, warmed up and ---- then I notice I have a small leak, like the whole floor under the car is bleeding red.  I shut it down and clean up the mess.  Maybe a gallon of Mercon V on the floor.  It appears that the leak is at the driveshaft.  I grab the front yoke and move it up and down. seems like a 1/4" of movement.  That NOT right.  I pull the tailshaft housing and measure it.  Hard to get an exact measurement with the seal installed, but it appears to have an ID of 1.7 inches, shaft on the front yoke is 1.5", yes, that's going to leak.  The housing is perfect otherwise.  I spoke to the mechanic.  He said the bushing the parts house sent out did not fit (is this a clue?)  So, he send the housing to the parts house and they sent back a bushing that fit.

I am hoping for a better day tomorrow.

The saga continues.

Rich

[gasman826]

4R70 tail housing is larger than the AOD.  The 4R70 tail housing is better but requires a 4R70 yoke.

[ROKuberski]

I figured it had to be something like this.  I've already bought a new longer front yoke and a 1310/1330 U-Joint, but the OD is the same.  The 4R70 yoke has a 28 spline, but the yoke cost $175, plus I would need another U-joint.  I don't want to go down this road.  When I bought the longer yoke ($65,) I avoided mods to the driveshaft (about $$200 to lengthen and balance at Drivetrain Industries here in Denver.)  They can look for the right tail shaft housing.  I would note that they look exactly the same except for the diameter of the shaft - it's a perfect fit to the AOD.

[gasman826]

I have the 4R70 tail housing partially because I had one and also because the smaller AOD tail bushing was problematic.  The solution is the bigger bushing.

[iamflashman]

A radio is one of those things that makes more difference than you think until you install one.  My ranch wagon went from fun to take on errands to feeling like driving a modern car instantly.  Before the radio, it already had EFI, 4 wheel disk, AC, power steering and all that jazz.  But it was not until I put a radio in it that it truly felt modern to drive around.

[ROKuberski]

Next and hopefully final chapter.

I received another rebuilt transmission and installed it.  It would not upshift.  I measured pressures from the TV port under various conditions.  Never got repeatable results.  The guys I've been working with have diligently gone after the problems, but have not been able to give me a working transmission.  Today, I made a deal with them.  I bought the case, torque converter and paid a nominal fee for the parts they already installed.  The transmission is now at a different shop, I hope to have it back on Tuesday.  My fear is that they won't find anything wrong with it, but there HAS to be a flaw in there somewhere.

If this does not work, I'm going to buy a Tesla and trash the body and mount the Fairlane on it.

Rich

[fdlrc]

Rich,

I can't believe what you're having to do! I imagine you can do transmission swaps in your sleep.

[ROKuberski]

Needless to say, this has turned into a real mess.  Fortunately, other that the time to R & R the transmission, it's only tested my patience.  My skills at removing the transmission have improved to the point that today, I got it out is just a little over an hour.  Replacement is more time since I am doing this by myself.  The most time consuming part is realignment of the transmission to the flex plate/adapter plate on the rear of the engine.  I have to force the engine to tilt back about 1" then snug the tranny up to get all the alignment pins and holes in the flex plate lined up.  I've mentioned in the past that I have a steel leg table that I put the transmission on then lower the car down over the transmission.  I have also had my wife bump the valve on the lift to get down that last 1/2".  My table is about 30" high and when you lower the car down over it the lift is less than 2' from the floor.  I have my creeper that I use to move around when doing this.  Once I have the transmission mated to the engine, I can lift the car so I can stand under it.  Way better than using the creeper.  I know every bolt size and where they go by now.

There is not much to do with the car now.  Car shows are cancelled, the Golden Cruise is dead, car related events are done for this year.  Likely the same for the rest of you.

I gassed up my Explorer in early March and did not put gas in it again until mid June.  Seems that the only places I'm spending money is for house projects and the grocery store.

Rich

[ROKuberski]

Well, the transmission that would not upshift had problems.  (I was afraid the tear down would not find a problem and I would then have to get another Fairlane to mate with the good transmission.)  First off, I made a deal with the first rebuilder to get him out of the picture.  I took the no upshift transmission to another shop near my home and they tore it down and found that the governor was damaged and the servo's had bad seals on them.  They also felt that there were parts from another transmission in this unit.  I did not see that as a problem, but they pushed me to get another core to rebuild.  My original rebuilder has agreed to take back the case I have now and to provide another one for rebuilding.  The one they are providing is in SW Colorado, but if they do what they said, they will get it yet this week.  Evidently, these units are getting hard to find.

In all of this mess I have managed to keep a decent relationship with the first rebuilder.  They tried hard and they failed.  It's cost me time (blood, sweat, toil - but no tears) and oil.  Each tear down causes the loss of some oil.  It's not a disaster, but if this was a normal summer, I would be pissed to have lost so much of it to this problem.  I started this process way back in February.  My hope is that the Fairlane will be back on the road next week.

Rich

[RICH MUISE]

Wow, and the saga continues. I'm probably not the only one here who is thinking you have a ton more patience than I would have had. Having a lift has sure made this doable for you though...imagine what it would have been like without one! As many AOD's there are/were on the road, it seems like most transmission shops would have cut their teeth on them....go figure.

[Ford Blue blood]

Those things came in F150s through 93 (I had one), 80s Thunderbird, Cougars, Crown Vics, basically the entire Ford line up. Same case and bell for the 302s and the V-6 and the first series mod motors.  Got to be a gajillion on the road yet!