How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

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How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

May 17, 2007, 11:13:48 AM

I've seen it done on tv (it's time compressed ofcourse). My impression is I can do it if I just go slow and keep track of where everythign goes. That I know I can do, I rebuilt the engine afterall and I didn't know what I was doing. But are there a bunch of freaky tools to buy? I should just buy a Haynes manual I suppose. The plan is to get a junked AOD and rebuild it at my leisure using a TCI kit so it can take the extra power I'm planning to put through it. This seems like the better route for me since complete transmissions cost more than the car. Who's done it?

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #1 – May 17, 2007, 02:21:19 PM

Rebuilding an automatic is not rocket science, but it is considerably more complicated than rebuilding an engine. There are about eleven billion very small parts.

The single most important thing is to make sure that your workplace is absolutely spotless. The smallest bit of dirt can plug a passage or cause a valve to stick. Also, when disassembling, it's not only important to remember where a part came from, but how it went in there. Many parts inside a tranny will go back in place either way but must be put in place a specific way (there are chamfers, or grooves, or keyways, or oil passage drill holes on many parts that must be assembled correctly).

You might also need special tools - I've never disassembled a Ford tranny but I know that for GM trannies you do.

Don't even consider starting the job unless you have a book with very good diagrams showing how everything goes together. A book with explanations about how everything works would be better still - it's easier to remember where parts go if you know why they're there

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #2 – May 17, 2007, 02:34:03 PM

or a tech video

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #3 – May 17, 2007, 02:42:29 PM

This place sells instructional DVDs on how to rebuild the AOD:

http://www.badshoeproductions.com/products.html#aod

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #4 – May 17, 2007, 02:56:33 PM

I recommend buying the Haynes manual and the Ellery manual. I also have the Helm manual, which is very thorough.

Ignore the negative reviews for the Haynes manual, those folks are idiots. The book tells you what transmissions are covered. If
you buy the book and expect an A4LD teardown, you are retarded.
You can see my thoughts on the Ellery manual in the link.

I'd also buy a video if you have any doubts. Yeah, it may cost $70 for the manuals and videos, but it is worth it. You'll be g blood after you bolt up the tranny, notice something isn't right, and have to rebuild it again because you didn't assemble some widget just right.

I can't remember offhand which specialized tools you need to rebuild it. I think it is a few seal installers. The cheaper option (short term) is to have a shop assemble those seals.

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #5 – May 19, 2007, 03:59:07 PM

Also use a digital camera and take lots of pics as you're taking it apart. That will also help when it comes to putting it back together. I do that with just about every thing I do to the car.

Those Badshoe videos look good (Ifixyawata posted the link). I was gonna buy the AOD video but havent yet.

How hard is it to rebuild a AOD?

Reply #6 – May 19, 2007, 09:03:49 PM

all good points. information is the key to rebuilding an AOD. take your time, and have plenty of reference items around. you dont really need much of anything in special tools, but there are a few that make things easier.