I am wondering the cost to performance value of the aod vs. t5 swap from the factory 3 speed. i am not a teenager looking to trash my car but i do like the occasional smoking of the tires. the main reason for the swap is being able to run lower gears ( probably a 3.73 )and maintain highway driveability. I have access to an AOD that is low milage for 250.00

opinions welcome.

 

I got the 93 WC t5 with the extra hard gears and the .63:1 overdrive.

I payed 300 for it...Its in pretty good shape...Install was easy but it did take some fine tuning to work most of the bugs out of it.

I am running 3:80 gears and I turn 3,000 RPM at 90mph and about 2,300 at 65 also has good kick off the line thanks to the 3:80s

Dont know much about the AODs but I dont think it can top the t5s when it comes to getting fuel mileage + performance + low rpm high speed cruise

-Gun

 

The fun factor needs to be looked at too.
I went from C6 to manual 5-speed and the car is sooo much more fun to drive now.
I was thinking about selling the Mustang before I put in the 5-speed, now no way man!
It's a whole different car!
I went with a higher ratio 1st gear (3.27) than the c6 had. So now it has much more off-line torque now too, without having to change the rear gears. And I cruz at 2100rpm at 70mph

If you're JUST looking at price and ease of install, you can't beat the AOD, especially for $250. But then you have to change the rear gear too.
Another option is to keep your C4 and rear gear and get an over/under drive unit from Gear Vendors. You'll have more low torque in first and an overdrive all in one package (about $2000).

 

Nobody has asked the most basic question yet

Is it a 3-speed manual or a 3-speed auto?


Norm

 

its a 3 speed auto... sorry.

 

Totally go manual. Auto's are relatively boring (My opinion only.)

 

Kinda pain to go from auto to manual. I have and AOD with 4.11's and i turn 2400 rpms at 70mph. Toughest thing with the AOD is getting the TV cable set right. Check with silverfox over at clickclickracing.com That guy knows AODs like no one else

 

im with moon on this one, IMO manuals are 1: more fun and 2: i feel like im in control of the car 100X more than a auto

 

My brakes (drum x 4) suck ***, I feel that I have way more control over the car with a manual. I use the manual to brake with out having to press on the gas, plus I can brake the car with having to press on the brakes making those a$$holes that tailgate me wake up a bit. You can also coast into a parking lot, press down the clutch and rev the motor a little bit acting like it's going to stall or something and just give it gas so everyone looks over and checks out your car. It's also nice to rev at lights and watch the left side of the hood go up....ask your friends honda if he can do that!

 

Do you know the history of that AOD? Best to at least check/smell the fluid.

Low mileage is a meaningless description if the car was driven with the TV cable way out of adjustment, broken, or accidentally left disconnected. An AOD can die inside a hundred miles under such circumstances. Some guy I sold an AOD in perfectly good working condition to didn't think the TV cable was as necessary as a specific brand of headers - and found out the hard way that he was mistaken.


Norm