A
Anonymous
Guest
are there any 4 speed auto boxes that will fit into a xf?
Yes. As Mike Whitney says, hope you got your ears on an have eaten your WeetBix!
There are three options.
1. AOD Ford import,
2. Local or import THM 700 or THM 200 4R, or
3. Pre 1996 V8 BTR LE 95 auto with the 19 mm pump and detachable dip stick.
People have differing views on the options, but here goes mine. Do a check of Al's posts on this to get some balance on the subject. Although very simple, the complicated part is which bit goes with what, and what additional costs you have to spend on the exhast, kickdown, flexplate, starter, t-bar, drive shaft, torque converter and adaptor plate. Sometimes its better to stick with a more expensive conversion which has cheaper ancillaries , other times its better to stick a very cheap transmission which has fairly cheap periferals parts. Trust only people who have done it, not people who talk crap about something they know nothing about.
The easiest is the American Automatic Over Drive AOD trans used behind 3.8 &4.2 90 degree V6's, and 5.0 and 5.8 V8's in the States. It's nicknamed the DOA as its often Dead On Arrival because the Americans never understood how a gearbox that wasn't a C4 or C6 could possibly not enjoy being driven like a forklift!
The THM 4-stage is the other equal option, but one in which no existing kit exists/ You'll have to partition Mr Hatfield at Castlemaine Rod Shop to build an adaptor to suit the Aussie 250 block to the Holden Commodore THM 700 transmission. Rod will have to build a special mount for the starter. If you use the Chev V8 bell pattern, the starter sits on the left side which is best for extractor clearance. The V6 item places the starter on the right, just where you don't want it to be on a Cortina, less of an issue on a Falcon. THM's are priced at a premium, so don't blame me if its quite a 'dip in the hip' to finance.
The V8-spec BTR is an oddball because everyone thinks the stock OHC 6 should swap in easy. It doesn't because the OHC has the starter engagement point right where the cam sits in the Falcon OHV sixes. OuHCh! The only option is to use the V8 spec adaptor I've listed on the sticky in the Driveline section. Then use the local 5.0 V8 transmission, controller, and flexplate and starter. The starter is on the left, real good for mounting a killer exhast or turbo. Big problem is the controller. I think Dominello or someone is doing seperate kits to run the electronic controller, but its normally linked to the EFI computer by two wires, and is often spliced into the Smartlock module. Not an issue if you use the EEC computer EFI from a later XR6 ute on an old hotted up Alloy Head ohv six. Otherwise, could be there a month of Sundays....
I'm not going to fill up a few pages on THM's or BTR autos. The AOD is my personal favorite, so here goes all the gossip.
Background on the AOD: Produced since 1979 to 1993, it had a poor reputation for durability as the two element torque converter and thottle valve kickdown were never serviced. In fact, it is a bullet proof piece if you use the right kickdown linkage and don't go over the 385 Nm mark with torque out put. A worked non turbo 4.1 will live a long time behind it. It is an FMX sized transmission, but is twice the weigth of a C4 at 165 pounds, and 10 pounds lighter than an FMX.
If its rebuilt with a stock FMX torque converter and upgraded input shaft, or rebuilt with the aftermarket twin element input shaft, it can cope with up to 400 hp. With the right Art Carr clutch pack from Steve Beauchart at BMS transmissions in Sydney, it can cope with all a 20 pound boost turbo 4.1 can deliver.
Call BMS Products
Contact: Steve Butchart
Tel
+61 2) 9913 2469
Fax+61 2) 9913 9738
Mobile: 0414 654 327
Email: sales@bmsproducts.com.au
Advantages:
1.It's cheap as dirt to get because its not well thought of.
2. People who can deal with a BorgWarner kickdown cable won't have any problem with the AOD throttle valve.
3. There are US 250 and 300 I6 164 flexplates which bolt up, and I've done three adaptor plates to mate this transmission to the Aussie 250 six.
4. The stock V8 spec starter motors fit, and a CRS Toyota Crown based starter fits with room to spare.
5. The overdrive is H-U-G-E. You can run a set of Pintara 4.11 or Skyline 3.9/3.7 gears, and still cruise like you car has a 2.77 to 2.48:1 diff.
6. The stock lock-up clutch makes up for its bulk and weight by making it very efficient on the open road.
Disadvantages:
1. The starter sits down below the bellhousing flange at 4 o-clock, not a 2 o'clock like in the six. It means your extractors or stock header tube will have to be bent to pass by. The starter nests close to the place where the pipe sits. In something like a TE Cortina, after spending 250 bucks on a set of custom headers, some people get antsy about having to spend another 100 bucks bending the lead-in to the collector pipe to fit it in past the steering rack and tracking rods.
2. There are a bunch of bad reports from some guys who aren't able to make the combo work. I'm of the opinion its bad workmanship on a combo people aren't familiar with. A 289 EFI Mustang in a recent Street Machine article was said to have consumed a few grand to discover the AOD made it an undrivable disaster. The reason is that in low-torque installations, the kickdown and torque converter must provide the right stall. A stock stall of about 1650 rpm on a cammed up small V8 will have an actual stall of under 1200 rpm, enough to kill the driveablity. On cars like this, you need to seek advice on if the stock converter will work with you cam. If not, you need to shed the lock-up clutch, and get a high-stall 351 FMX/C4 converter with a bolt pattern for the 164 tooth flexplate.
3. It takes bigger tube oil cooler fittings.
4. Some diff ratios and torque converter combinatios don't suit certain diff ratios. Some guys say a cammed V8 with a 3.7:1 or 4.11:1 diff is going to load up the lock-up clutch something fierce in top gear.
Hope this helps.
At the very least, it'll help you ask the right questions if you decide to go 4-stage!
There are three options.
1. AOD Ford import,
2. Local or import THM 700 or THM 200 4R, or
3. Pre 1996 V8 BTR LE 95 auto with the 19 mm pump and detachable dip stick.
People have differing views on the options, but here goes mine. Do a check of Al's posts on this to get some balance on the subject. Although very simple, the complicated part is which bit goes with what, and what additional costs you have to spend on the exhast, kickdown, flexplate, starter, t-bar, drive shaft, torque converter and adaptor plate. Sometimes its better to stick with a more expensive conversion which has cheaper ancillaries , other times its better to stick a very cheap transmission which has fairly cheap periferals parts. Trust only people who have done it, not people who talk crap about something they know nothing about.
The easiest is the American Automatic Over Drive AOD trans used behind 3.8 &4.2 90 degree V6's, and 5.0 and 5.8 V8's in the States. It's nicknamed the DOA as its often Dead On Arrival because the Americans never understood how a gearbox that wasn't a C4 or C6 could possibly not enjoy being driven like a forklift!
The THM 4-stage is the other equal option, but one in which no existing kit exists/ You'll have to partition Mr Hatfield at Castlemaine Rod Shop to build an adaptor to suit the Aussie 250 block to the Holden Commodore THM 700 transmission. Rod will have to build a special mount for the starter. If you use the Chev V8 bell pattern, the starter sits on the left side which is best for extractor clearance. The V6 item places the starter on the right, just where you don't want it to be on a Cortina, less of an issue on a Falcon. THM's are priced at a premium, so don't blame me if its quite a 'dip in the hip' to finance.
The V8-spec BTR is an oddball because everyone thinks the stock OHC 6 should swap in easy. It doesn't because the OHC has the starter engagement point right where the cam sits in the Falcon OHV sixes. OuHCh! The only option is to use the V8 spec adaptor I've listed on the sticky in the Driveline section. Then use the local 5.0 V8 transmission, controller, and flexplate and starter. The starter is on the left, real good for mounting a killer exhast or turbo. Big problem is the controller. I think Dominello or someone is doing seperate kits to run the electronic controller, but its normally linked to the EFI computer by two wires, and is often spliced into the Smartlock module. Not an issue if you use the EEC computer EFI from a later XR6 ute on an old hotted up Alloy Head ohv six. Otherwise, could be there a month of Sundays....
I'm not going to fill up a few pages on THM's or BTR autos. The AOD is my personal favorite, so here goes all the gossip.
Background on the AOD: Produced since 1979 to 1993, it had a poor reputation for durability as the two element torque converter and thottle valve kickdown were never serviced. In fact, it is a bullet proof piece if you use the right kickdown linkage and don't go over the 385 Nm mark with torque out put. A worked non turbo 4.1 will live a long time behind it. It is an FMX sized transmission, but is twice the weigth of a C4 at 165 pounds, and 10 pounds lighter than an FMX.
If its rebuilt with a stock FMX torque converter and upgraded input shaft, or rebuilt with the aftermarket twin element input shaft, it can cope with up to 400 hp. With the right Art Carr clutch pack from Steve Beauchart at BMS transmissions in Sydney, it can cope with all a 20 pound boost turbo 4.1 can deliver.
Call BMS Products
Contact: Steve Butchart
Tel
+61 2) 9913 2469Fax
+61 2) 9913 9738Mobile: 0414 654 327
Email: sales@bmsproducts.com.au
Advantages:
1.It's cheap as dirt to get because its not well thought of.
2. People who can deal with a BorgWarner kickdown cable won't have any problem with the AOD throttle valve.
3. There are US 250 and 300 I6 164 flexplates which bolt up, and I've done three adaptor plates to mate this transmission to the Aussie 250 six.
4. The stock V8 spec starter motors fit, and a CRS Toyota Crown based starter fits with room to spare.
5. The overdrive is H-U-G-E. You can run a set of Pintara 4.11 or Skyline 3.9/3.7 gears, and still cruise like you car has a 2.77 to 2.48:1 diff.
6. The stock lock-up clutch makes up for its bulk and weight by making it very efficient on the open road.
Disadvantages:
1. The starter sits down below the bellhousing flange at 4 o-clock, not a 2 o'clock like in the six. It means your extractors or stock header tube will have to be bent to pass by. The starter nests close to the place where the pipe sits. In something like a TE Cortina, after spending 250 bucks on a set of custom headers, some people get antsy about having to spend another 100 bucks bending the lead-in to the collector pipe to fit it in past the steering rack and tracking rods.
2. There are a bunch of bad reports from some guys who aren't able to make the combo work. I'm of the opinion its bad workmanship on a combo people aren't familiar with. A 289 EFI Mustang in a recent Street Machine article was said to have consumed a few grand to discover the AOD made it an undrivable disaster. The reason is that in low-torque installations, the kickdown and torque converter must provide the right stall. A stock stall of about 1650 rpm on a cammed up small V8 will have an actual stall of under 1200 rpm, enough to kill the driveablity. On cars like this, you need to seek advice on if the stock converter will work with you cam. If not, you need to shed the lock-up clutch, and get a high-stall 351 FMX/C4 converter with a bolt pattern for the 164 tooth flexplate.
3. It takes bigger tube oil cooler fittings.
4. Some diff ratios and torque converter combinatios don't suit certain diff ratios. Some guys say a cammed V8 with a 3.7:1 or 4.11:1 diff is going to load up the lock-up clutch something fierce in top gear.
Hope this helps.
At the very least, it'll help you ask the right questions if you decide to go 4-stage!
