FMX Swap for AOD - Transmission install Pics

Time to bolt up the new AOD in place of the FMX I dropped out. There is no problem retaining the old flex plate and block plate.




The passenger side header is removed to give us enough space to make the swap and the elevation, pitch and yaw has to be just right as the new tranny is eased into place.



Go slowly as you get into the header tubes. It helps to angle a little and then pull straight to make the clearance


There's just barely enough room! It would probably help to be bright enough to take out the old shifter cable and kickdown prior to the install...


Get your tilt just right and slowly snug her up close to the block. Turn the crank if needed to line up the TC studs with the flexplate holes.


The FMX transmission cooler lines are WAY off. Swap them for a set of AOD lines and they will work with just a little bending.


Turn the crank and finger tighten the nuts on the flexplate. Don't use them to pull your tranny closer to your block!


As she snugs up to the block it's time to put in the bellhousing bolts but they won't fit...


[ July 05, 2007, 01:30 PM: Message edited by: Hyrb ]

 

FMX Swap for AOD - Transmission install Cont...

Here's a look at the old bellhousing bolts compared to the new ones. Same size but long enough to reach!


Start bolting her up with the easy to reach bolts on each side. Get the bolts tightened down on each side then come back and torque them to 55 ft lbs
After that drop the rear of the trans down and use a long extension to do the 2 bolts up top. (I forgot to take a pic)


You need a new yoke to mount the drive shaft.


It looks good but see my previous post on the cross member!


This is the old FMX mount flipped around backwards to fit


Think the header clearance is tight enough?


It's better on the passenger side after they are re-installed


This is the shifter cable run around and coming in from the rear of the housing

 

FMX Swap for AOD - Transmission install Cont...


I'm using the cable attached to a bracket attached to two panbolts with 1/2 inch spacers to control the shifts.



Getting there! All bolted up

Two AOD cooler lines off an old cougar. They have a rubber section in the center for a few inches that makes them easy to thread into place


Pull the electric speedo connection out and slide the old one for the chero in. easy fit.


The drive shat slides onto the new yoke and fits fine. No issues.


Bolts right up



TV Cable set up. Using a Sonax adapter with a Lokar cable. This takes some finigling to get right. AND IT MUST BE RIGHT!!!



All in all this swap is time consuming and challenging for a novice like me. For an experienced mechanic its a piece of cake. Much easier than a C-4 swap!

[ July 04, 2007, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: Hyrb ]

 

Dan,

The AOD I used was a 91. 89 and above have the improved cooling and lube design and last longer. I had mine built to handle 450 HP (overkill for my use) and it has all the upgrades with the extra clutches, mechanical diodes, hardened input, bauman shift kit etc. I think you would need that kind of build to handle the torque from a big block.

The 460 is a bolt up with the use of a single adapter plate to line up the bell housing to the 460 block.