1983 AOD 4x2 Transmission, anything I need to know?

[Rembrant]

if it has low mileage and the pan is not leaking and looks to be original ,i would say leave it alone and flush it after it has run after a good warm up. both input and output seals are a no brainer and they are already disturbed at this point. what controller are you intending to use?

Good to know, thanks.

I plan to use this controller below. They also sell a TPS kit that attaches to the side of the carb so there's no physical linkage between the throttle and transmission like there was traditionally. My brother in law is using this same controller, also on a 4R70W that he has installed behind a Toyota engine (in an 1930 For lol).

https://www.usshift.com/usq4.shtml

It is kind of an expensive way to go...these controllers are not cheap, but the 4R70W is a nice transmission with lots of aftermarket support. Most people prefer to go with an older transmission for simplicity sake, but then you have a linkage or cable to deal with. That in itself is not a big deal, but if you read anything about the AOD, you'll come across a lot of stories about getting that cable set just right.

Having overdrive is a requirement for me, and in running a small block, that pretty much left me with the AOD-E, E4OD, or the 4R70W. The E4OD is too big, so that leaves the AOD-E and 4R70W. The more I read about the 4R70W, the more it seemed like the best choice...although not overly easy to find with the small block bellhousing since they only existed for a couple years.

So I started out looking at an '83 AOD that I probably could have purchased for a couple hundred, and now I have a 4R70W that needs a controller and when it's all done will likely cost me a grand lol. Oh well, at least I'll have what I want.

[Rembrant]

X2 and Merry Christmas!

When we swap in a used unit at work we do the seals if needed and gasket if it’s not reusable. I believe the late AODEs should have a reusable one, might say on the pan. I wouldn’t bother flushing the trans. A used trans cooler? Flush that or replace with new. Replace the filter. I’d also bust the old filter open and see what’s inside (cover it with a rag and hit it with a hammer, it will be messy). That pan can look great but the filter can tell a different story. Look for metal shavings and chunks of clutch material. I don’t think you’ll find any but it’ll give you some peace of mind. A little is okay, a lot is not. Hope it goes well!

That's great, thanks for the reply. I'll be using a new trans cooler (built into a new rad I'm buying), as well as new lines.

By the way, is there any reason why I couldn't run hoses from the trans to the cooler, or do they need to be hard lines?

I guess there's not much I can do in the way of 'priming' a "new" transmission. Do I just fill up the pan, and start it up?

[mat in tn]

X2 and Merry Christmas!

When we swap in a used unit at work we do the seals if needed and gasket if it’s not reusable. I believe the late AODEs should have a reusable one, might say on the pan. I wouldn’t bother flushing the trans. A used trans cooler? Flush that or replace with new. Replace the filter. I’d also bust the old filter open and see what’s inside (cover it with a rag and hit it with a hammer, it will be messy). That pan can look great but the filter can tell a different story. Look for metal shavings and chunks of clutch material. I don’t think you’ll find any but it’ll give you some peace of mind. A little is okay, a lot is not. Hope it goes well!

That's great, thanks for the reply. I'll be using a new trans cooler (built into a new rad I'm buying), as well as new lines.

By the way, is there any reason why I couldn't run hoses from the trans to the cooler, or do they need to be hard lines?

I guess there's not much I can do in the way of 'priming' a "new" transmission. Do I just fill up the pan, and start it up?

i did the same thing in one of my trucks. used a low mileage aode/w, essentially a 4r70w. im using the hgm compushift. its right at a grand but comes complete with no needed add ons . ala cart can add up to the same price and even if it did save ten percent i weigh the difference against whether it's what i want or not. always looking at the finished product first. i love having overdrive and the aod is the deepest at .67 . one great benefit to the aode/w ist that first gear is 2.84:1 as the aod is 2.4:1

[Rembrant]

i did the same thing in one of my trucks. used a low mileage aode/w, essentially a 4r70w. im using the hgm compushift. its right at a grand but comes complete with no needed add ons . ala cart can add up to the same price and even if it did save ten percent i weigh the difference against whether it's what i want or not. always looking at the finished product first. i love having overdrive and the aod is the deepest at .67 . one great benefit to the aode/w ist that first gear is 2.84:1 as the aod is 2.4:1

I guess that's where it gets murky for me...lol. Isn't the AODE-W and the 4R70W one in the same thing? I guess it gets more into what is the name (instead of the internals). I've read on forums where guys say that the 4R70W never existed with a SBF bolt pattern. If it has a SBF bolt pattern some guys swear they are an AODE-W. I bought this trans online, and it was listed as an AODE-W / 4R70W...lol.

I know the W means they have the lower 1st and 2nd gears, which was done for the modular motors (4.6, etc) which had less low end power.

In any case, I'm excited to get it bolted up and tested. I figured the lower first gears would be nice even with the 5.0, and then the OD will be nice with the 3.55 diff. My '84 F150 had OD (M5OD) and 3.08 diff, and while it was great on the highway, it was geared too tall for regular driving.

Does the AODE-W and 4R70W have a lock-up torque converter?

I'll have to go read up on that hgm compushift. Thanks for the info.

 

[mat in tn]

i did the same thing in one of my trucks. used a low mileage aode/w, essentially a 4r70w. im using the hgm compushift. its right at a grand but comes complete with no needed add ons . ala cart can add up to the same price and even if it did save ten percent i weigh the difference against whether it's what i want or not. always looking at the finished product first. i love having overdrive and the aod is the deepest at .67 . one great benefit to the aode/w ist that first gear is 2.84:1 as the aod is 2.4:1

I guess that's where it gets murky for me...lol. Isn't the AODE-W and the 4R70W one in the same thing? I guess it gets more into what is the name (instead of the internals). I've read on forums where guys say that the 4R70W never existed with a SBF bolt pattern. If it has a SBF bolt pattern some guys swear they are an AODE-W. I bought this trans online, and it was listed as an AODE-W / 4R70W...lol.

I know the W means they have the lower 1st and 2nd gears, which was done for the modular motors (4.6, etc) which had less low end power.

In any case, I'm excited to get it bolted up and tested. I figured the lower first gears would be nice even with the 5.0, and then the OD will be nice with the 3.55 diff. My '84 F150 had OD (M5OD) and 3.08 diff, and while it was great on the highway, it was geared too tall for regular driving.

Does the AODE-W and 4R70W have a lock-up torque converter?

I'll have to go read up on that hgm compushift. Thanks for the info.

yes the aode/w has a clutch type locking converter.

as to hgm , i cannot say enough about how well their plug and play harness was made and how well it was to install. they use a proprietary tps which mounts alongside the carb or efi carb replacement and works great. smart phone adjusting and monitoring was new to me but very simple. i also opted for the od cancel and dual mode shift tuning but not required. customer service was spot on and enough so that i had to send them a very complimentary email to say thank you. something rare these days. when found, acknowledge it!

[Rembrant]

i did the same thing in one of my trucks. used a low mileage aode/w, essentially a 4r70w. im using the hgm compushift. its right at a grand but comes complete with no needed add ons . ala cart can add up to the same price and even if it did save ten percent i weigh the difference against whether it's what i want or not. always looking at the finished product first. i love having overdrive and the aod is the deepest at .67 . one great benefit to the aode/w ist that first gear is 2.84:1 as the aod is 2.4:1

I guess that's where it gets murky for me...lol. Isn't the AODE-W and the 4R70W one in the same thing? I guess it gets more into what is the name (instead of the internals). I've read on forums where guys say that the 4R70W never existed with a SBF bolt pattern. If it has a SBF bolt pattern some guys swear they are an AODE-W. I bought this trans online, and it was listed as an AODE-W / 4R70W...lol.

I know the W means they have the lower 1st and 2nd gears, which was done for the modular motors (4.6, etc) which had less low end power.

In any case, I'm excited to get it bolted up and tested. I figured the lower first gears would be nice even with the 5.0, and then the OD will be nice with the 3.55 diff. My '84 F150 had OD (M5OD) and 3.08 diff, and while it was great on the highway, it was geared too tall for regular driving.

Does the AODE-W and 4R70W have a lock-up torque converter?

I'll have to go read up on that hgm compushift. Thanks for the info.

Gents,

I went to test fit my new flexplate on my "new" 4R70W trans, and it won't go on to the torque converter studs. The circle of the studs is a hair bigger than the circle of holes in the flex plate. I haven't touched an automatic in 25 years so forgive me for the dumb questions, but can I just open these holes up a hair to get it to slide on? There's a stub on the torque converter that looks like it fits in the end of the 5.0L crank to center it? (What I'm asking is, I assume the torque converter studs are not what centers everything here?)

[mat in tn]

Gents,

I went to test fit my new flexplate on my "new" 4R70W trans, and it won't go on to the torque converter studs. The circle of the studs is a hair bigger than the circle of holes in the flex plate. I haven't touched an automatic in 25 years so forgive me for the dumb questions, but can I just open these holes up a hair to get it to slide on? There's a stub on the torque converter that looks like it fits in the end of the 5.0L crank to center it? (What I'm asking is, I assume the torque converter studs are not what centers everything here?)

this is a great example of getting learn something new and handle a new situation. not a problem i have found before. you are correct that alignment is handled by the nodule which insets into the crankshaft. not unlike a pilot bushing/bearing except that it stays at crank speed and does not need tolerance to rotate at different speeds therefore it is a tight fit. opening them up is a simple task. whether you use a round file and count the same strokes or use a slightly larger drill bit to just enlarge the hole but do everything with as much balance as possible. using a drill will give more tolerance so get the nuts torqued well but that method seems to "center" better

[Rembrant]

this is a great example of getting learn something new and handle a new situation. not a problem i have found before. you are correct that alignment is handled by the nodule which insets into the crankshaft. not unlike a pilot bushing/bearing except that it stays at crank speed and does not need tolerance to rotate at different speeds therefore it is a tight fit. opening them up is a simple task. whether you use a round file and count the same strokes or use a slightly larger drill bit to just enlarge the hole but do everything with as much balance as possible. using a drill will give more tolerance so get the nuts torqued well but that method seems to "center" better

Cool. Done.

I checked the existing holes and they were 7/16", which is about right for 3/8" studs. I ran a 29/64" drill bit through each hole, and now the flex plate fits on snugly with no slop. I might even have to open the holes up a tiny bit more to allow the little stub to self-align during installation. Thanks for the info.

[mat in tn]

Cool. Done.

I checked the existing holes and they were 7/16", which is about right for 3/8" studs. I ran a 29/64" drill bit through each hole, and now the flex plate fits on snugly with no slop. I might even have to open the holes up a tiny bit more to allow the little stub to self-align during installation. Thanks for the info.

that is simple enough. personally i would go up a little more as i would want it to fit with a "relaxed" fit and no stress bias. of course not to the point of being sloppy

[FuzzFace2]

that is simple enough. personally i would go up a little more as i would want it to fit with a "relaxed" fit and no stress bias. of course not to the point of being sloppy

Make sure you mount the motor plate on the motor before the flex plate.

I would also try the converter on the flex plate after the plate was mount to the motor, that is if the converter dose not have fluid in it.

This way you will know the converter will slip into the crank and the studs in to the flex plate with out issues.

Dave ----