1986 transmission questions.

[DrHax]

Hello. My 1986 Vic's motor has 203207 miles and has a noticeable rod knock.

So I am stuck with the ultimatum. Replace the motor or the car. My ford hotrod guru upon the verdict and helping me out figure out if the engine is SOL has offered me to sell his old engine for 800.

His old 351W which he will put back on the iron heads which will be cranking out a measly400hp...

Now I do not trust the other motor options.. But I do want a daily driver. The engine he has is quite reliable and he knows his stuff.

His and my concern is will the transmission A) last long enough.

B) physically handle this much power.

I've done some loose research (three google searches) People claim the AOD can handle up to 300 hp without issues.

However 300<400...

So what transmission options do I have. Because I do not want to waste my time and money swapping out the motor only to have the high mileage transmission grenade on my way to work.

Thoughts here guys?

[sly]

300 without updates. 400 with the OEM HD parts (450 with a basic 89+ trans and OEM HD bits). Higher with race parts. They can handle north of 700 with the right bits.
http://www.silverfoxtrans.com/silver....com/Home.html

[gadget73]

What he said. The stock AOD ain't so hot, but they can be made to not suck.

[DrHax]

1400$

Bloody 'Ell!
I am broke that's why the 800 dollar nice motor is tempting.

What is an affordable option? Because even finding a lower mile AOD costs like 400-600 where I am at.theres somebody selling a demon AOD for 1000.. But it's a hard pill to swallow. Considering I lack the funds.

[sly]

The affordable option is to buy another good salvage lopo and swap out and drive until you can save up for something better. Or swap in an HO motor (not the tubular intake ones) and D9S (or other speed density HO automatic) ECM and continue saving up. Or do a little more, put an explorer engine in with new valve springs and MAF conversion on an A9P/A9M/A9T or similar ECM and save up for a trans.

or go with the 351, put a block under the pedal so you can only press the go pedal half way down so you don't destroy your trans and save up for a better trans.

[87gtVIC]

Just put it in and drive normally. If it goes then cross that bridge when it comes around to you.

Since this is your daily I would recommend just finding a used HO from a yard. Will be the simplest to make work and be less exhausting for your trans to play with.

All you will need to do is add a SD computer, do the appropriate wiring changes at the ecm (easy!) and bore out your stock EGR spacer and have your one year only throttle body lever swapped onto an HO throttle body. Honestly you can just swap over your existing upper intake, egr spacer and throttle body and have things work too.