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Overdriven Excitement - Mega Monster AOD Transmission InstallationWith The Help Of Monster Transmission And Performance, Installing An Overdrive Transmission In Your Classic Ford Has Never Been Easier Or More Affordable From the February, 2011 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Justin Cesler Photography by Justin Cesler, Steve Baur
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With our '70 up in the air,... With our '70 up in the air, it was pretty apparent that it could use all the help we could give it. The stock C4 transmission was hardly able to move our Mustang a foot, meaning we literally had to push it into Monster Transmission's shop. Whether you're a seasoned Mustang modifier or are just now enjoying the ownership of your first classic Mustang, you are probably familiar with one of the golden rules of tinkering: For every positive action, there is usually an opposite and equally negative reaction. Take for instance that new camshaft you have been eyeing. While it certainly will give you more horsepower, torque, and parking lot credibility, it won't do so without costing you a certain amount of driveability or gas mileage. Or, how about a new ring-and-pinion? While a set of 4.10 gears will make getting off the traffic light a blast, the downside is the inevitable loss of gas mileage and the wear and tear of sustaining higher rpm while cruising. Of course, for every rule, there is an exception. In our particular case, we're talking about automatic transmissions, an essential piece of your driveline that can normally be upgraded without suffering any decrease in performance or enjoyment. In fact, with many new cars coming with six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes, it's hard to argue with the theory behind adding gears to any retro ride. Depending on your exhaust... Depending on your exhaust setup, you may find it helpful to remove one or both exhaust manifolds prior to pulling the stock transmission. In our case, we removed the passenger-side long-tube header, which gave us much better access to the transmission. Case in point, our '70 Mustang coupe. Powered by a 302 and a C4 three-speed automatic transmission, the '70 is a real driver, although it has recently sat dormant due to a destroyed transmission. When we went searching for rebuild options, we immediately thought of ditching the C4 for an AOD unit, which could be built just as strong, while also giving us an overdrive gear, allowing for a more modern cruising experience, an increase in gas mileage, the ability to stay in our engine's powerband longer with each shift, and the option to upgrade our rearend gear later, without making our Mustang undriveable on the street. Now, we must be honest, there is one downside to converting your C4 to an AOD and that's the amount of time and money you have to spend scouring the Internet to find the right parts. Enter Monster Transmission and Performance of Brooksville, Florida, a company dedicated to providing some of the best transmission rebuilds on the market. After seeing a need for simple, turnkey overdrive transmission conversions, the crew at Monster sat down and compiled a virtual nut-and-bolt list of everything needed to complete this swap. With one call to the folks at Monster Transmission, we were set up with everything we needed for the swap, including a 450hp-capable AOD transmission, a new torque converter, a flexplate, a block plate, and all of the required linkages. Inside the Mega Monster AOD, there are a plethora of upgrades, including Alto Red Eagle clutches with Kolene steel friction plates, a one-piece input shaft, and a vehicle-specific shift recalibration kit, which Monster tailored to our exact needs. Of course, the extra horsepower capabilities of the Mega Monster were a bonus and the upgraded shift feel will make for excellent part throttle and wide-open shifts, but the real magic here is in the overdrive. With a 0.67 Fourth gear ratio, Monster claims customers will see a 30- to 40-percent increase in gas mileage over a C4, which, depending on how much you drive your classic, will basically pay for the transmission in no time. Now, we know you're interested in seeing how this conversion is done, so follow along with us as we equip our '70 Mustang coupe with a Mega Monster AOD. We promise it will be worth the upgrade!  With the header out of the...  With the header out of the way, Monster Transmission's Mark Knapp and Demetri Hazivasillis began the removal of our C4 by first disconnecting the transmission cooler lines, followed by the speedometer cable, the stock shift linkage, the kick-down linkage, and the driveshaft.  After removing the starter...  After removing the starter and stock converter dust shield, Demetri unbolted the four torque-converter-to-flexplate bolts. Mark removed the factory transmission crossmember from the chassis, allowing them to slowly lower the transmission jack and remove our slipping C4.  Out of curiosity, the crew...  Out of curiosity, the crew at Monster decided to tear down our old C4 and find out exactly what was wrong with it. Besides the obviously disgusting transmission fluid, which was barely even filled, we found evidence of extreme wear and tear, along with several burnt up pieces.  With any transmission disassembly,...  With any transmission disassembly, the clutch packs can tell a majority of the story. In our C4, the friction plates, steel plates, and the back plate all showed signs of excessive heat and wear. Obviously, if we were rebuilding our C4, these would all need to be replaced.  Here's our new Mega Monster...  Here's our new Mega Monster HD AOD transmission, laid out so you can see all of the internal upgrades. Rated to handle 450 hp, the Mega Monster includes all new internals, a recalibrated manual/automatic valvebody and valve plate for shift firmness, and a high-performance shift improvement kit.  The Mega Monster AOD also...  The Mega Monster AOD also comes with high-performance Alto clutch packs for the direct, intermediate, and reverse clutches, which include Alto Kolene steel plates and the tried and true Alto Red Eagle friction plates.  In order to install our new...  In order to install our new Mega Monster in place of our C4, we had to change several of the exterior linkage connectors. On the left, you can see the factory gear selector linkage, which we replaced with the correct linkage on the right. Don't worry, everything you need can be ordered from Monster for a quick and easy install.  The AOD transmission also...  The AOD transmission also requires a new block plate and flexplate, both of which come in the conversion kit. Note the quality aluminum two-piece design of the block plate, which allows for easy access to the torque converter.  As you would expect, the block...  As you would expect, the block plate and flexplate bolted right on to the back of our factory 302. For the majority of installs, a 28-ounce imbalance flywheel will be necessary, but you could also order a 50-ounce flexplate if you're running a newer 302 ('81-'01). Make sure you install the correct one; you don't want to have an issue with harmonics!  With the flexplate in place,...  With the flexplate in place, it was time for Mark and Demetri to hoist our Mega Monster in place...  ...but first they had to install...  ...but first they had to install our new torque converter. What you see here is one of Monster Transmission's 1,800-rpm-stall units, which is 12-inches in diameter and built for street cruising and longevity. With an upgraded engine or a focus on drag racing, we would recommend running a higher stall converter, but this will be perfect for getting us up and running.  Depending on your luck, the...  Depending on your luck, the alignment of the stars, and several other factors beyond your control, installing the actual transmission assembly can either go smoothly or it can be a test of patience. Luckily, Demetri and Mark were able to get everything lined up on the first try, and the converter, flexplate, and bellhousing all lined up immediately.  The C4-to-AOD conversion package...  The C4-to-AOD conversion package also comes with a new crossmember, which is offset to allow it to bolt in the factory location on the chassis, while still being able to support the transmission. Not shown here is the transmission mount, which bolts to the tail housing.  Using the transmission jack...  Using the transmission jack to line everything up, Demetri loosely bolted the crossmember to the transmission mount and then slid the entire crossmember into place. Monster is even nice enough to supply new bolts, which we installed before lowering the transmission jack out of the way...  ... but not before bolting...  ... but not before bolting the torque converter to our new flexplate. Actually tightening the nuts to the torque converter is simple, although rotating the flexplate to access the four studs can be tricky. We prefer to use the starter access hole and a large screwdriver or prybar to push the flexplate up and around, spinning the entire assembly.  With the torque converter...  With the torque converter bolted to the flexplate, Mark installed the dust shield and tightened down the block plate-to-transmission bolts. We should probably do something about that oil leak in the near future!  Luckily, the factory starter...  Luckily, the factory starter can be reused with this swap, which will save you some money. It bolts back in place with the factory bolts and uses the factory wiring.  Conveniently, the factory...  Conveniently, the factory C4 shifter, which was built for a three-speed transmission, can be reused in an AOD application. Using the supplied, fully adjustable linkage (bottom), we will be able to control every gear change with our stock shifter and ditch the clumsy stock piece (top) in the process.  The adjustable gear selector...  The adjustable gear selector bolts directly to the stock shifter assembly (top) and then to the Monster AOD transmission (bottom) using the supplied hardware.  It's impossible to install...  It's impossible to install this piece without making some on-car adjustments, which is something we will show you how to do after we finish the rest of the undercar install.  One major difference between...  One major difference between a C4 and an AOD, besides the obvious additional gear, is the use of a throttle valve (TV) cable. While the C4 relied on a kick-down lever to control the transmission during heavy acceleration, the AOD relies on a TV cable, which is adjustable, and controls line pressure and shift timing based on pedal position.  Installing the Lokar TV cable...  Installing the Lokar TV cable on the transmission is simple, as it bolts in the same place as the gear selector, although it faces down instead of up. Using an existing bolt in the transmission pan, Mark mounted the TV cable in place and then routed it up toward our carburetor.  Our '70 Mustang came with...  Our '70 Mustang came with a transmission cooler inside the radiator and we chose to reuse it with our new AOD. If your project doesn't have a factory cooler, or if you are simply looking to upgrade, we recommend installing a standalone cooler.  Transmissions live and die...  Transmissions live and die by heat, so keeping the fluid cool is a major consideration.  Monster Transmissions' conversion...  Monster Transmissions' conversion kit also comes with a new dipstick, which installs easily and allows for simple fluid level checks from a convenient place in the engine bay.  One thing that doesn't ship...  One thing that doesn't ship with the Monster conversion is a new driveshaft, although it's possible to reuse your stock unit, if you are willing to have it shortened by an inch. If you are looking to upgrade, now would be a great time to switch to an aluminum shaft, for a little extra horsepower and weight reduction.  For budget reasons, we decided...  For budget reasons, we decided to modify our stock driveshaft, which Demetri was able to cut and re-weld, shortening it by an inch to make it fit perfectly between our factory rearend and new AOD transmission. With the driveshaft installed, we were almost finished under the car, so we lowered the lift and got to work in the engine bay.  As we mentioned earlier, one...  As we mentioned earlier, one of the most important parts of this conversion is installing the new TV cable. Since we were using a Holley carburetor and an Edelbrock intake manifold, we chose to install this Lokar adjustable bracket and Lokar cable. Remember, setting up your TV cable correctly is essential to proper transmission operation, so take your time and make sure this is right.  As a baseline, you want the...  As a baseline, you want the TV cable to be a little loose but almost snug against the transmission lever. Setting the cable too loose will result in sloppy shifts, a decrease in line pressure and, overtime, excessive wear and tear on the transmission. Having it too tight will make for firm shifts and slightly higher shift rpm, so the balance between adjustments must be perfect.  Happy with our initial adjustments,...  Happy with our initial adjustments, Mark began to fill the Mega Monster with Schaeffer's All-Trans Supreme ATF. This fully synthetic ATF is recommended by Monster for it's superior formulation and long life, which will keep our transmission running well for a long time.  With the installation almost...  With the installation almost complete, Mark jumped in our '70 Mustang and began shifting through the gears, to make sure our linkage was adjusted correctly. At first, we had our adjustable rod too long, which made it difficult to go into Reverse and impossible to go into Park. A simple twist of the rod shortened the linkage and allowed us access to all of the gears.  And with that, we were ready...  And with that, we were ready to get back on the ground. As you can see, the Monster Transmissions AOD conversion came with everything we needed for a quick and easy install. Not only did we not have to go near the junkyard for parts, but we're confident in our new AOD and can't wait to get it out on the road.  Last but not least, Monster...  Last but not least, Monster Transmissions loaded our '70 Mustang onto its in-house Mustang Dyno and drove her through all of the gears, including Reverse, to make sure everything was operating properly. Believe it or not, Monster does this with every transmission it builds, so the customer can be sure it's in tiptop shape before it leaves the factory. For us, we're ready to get out on the open road, shift into Overdrive and start cruising!
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