AOD Performance

Republished from http://www.duggerracing.com

"My car is so slow because it's an AOD"
- I hear it all the time. Heck, I used to think it myself. Nowadays the AOD is not the boat anchor excuse it once was. With the proper parts and upgrades available, there is no excuse to not make your AOD run just as good as, if not better than a comparably equipped five speed.

You can go from mild to wild with AOD modifications. Regardless of what you do, remember that heat is the worst enemy of all automatic transmissions. You want to keep your tranny nice and cool to ensure a long and happy life. For this, add a quality aftermarket transmission cooler. I prefer to not bypass the stock one in the radiator, rather use it inline with the aftermarket. Get the largest one that will fit your application.

Remember that the higher line going into the radiator is the inlet from tranny and the lower is outlet back to the tranny. Splice into the factory return line after the cooler, you can use the openings in the lower radiator support to route the hoses through. The most common mounting point is in front of the AC condenser using supplied lock ties.

Shift kits are also a popular modification. In addition to providing quick, tire barking shifts, less heat is generated. The stock calibration can provide effortless, almost seamless shifting but at the same time that lag time between gears isn't good for the transmission heat-wise. There are two ways to do this:

• 1) Shift recalibration kit
  • These include springs, gaskets and possibly check balls to recalibrate your existing valve body. Instructions are included and necessary. Installer can tailor his or her shifting preferences by using different parts within the kit. These kits require valve body removal, disassembly and reinstallation.
• 2) Valve body
  • The vendor or manufacturer will supply a fully recalibrated valve body for the application. Installation time is less than a shift kit because it is usually a simple removal and reinstall. Some valve bodies require wiring for special features like Overdrive lockout, transbrake, etc and may require running wires through the tranny case or the pan itself. Check with the manufacturer for any special installation requirements.

Regardless of which route you take, remember that both require lower transmission disassembly. Read the instructions manual and have a sufficient supply of both tools and patience.