Are there any improvements that can be made to an air cooled Ford-o-matic besides replacing it with something else? I'm replacing the 239 Yblock in my wagon with a 292 and it came with what's supposed to be a good Fordomatic. Based on the great condition of the engine I have no reason to suspect the tranny is anything but good. Before I put it in is there any thing I can/ should do besides change the fluid and gasket? Not going to rebuild it, if it's bad I'll put the stock trans back in or upgrade. I have a rebuilt AOD on the shelf but the adapter would be well over a grand Canadian by the time I got one shipped here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
if it comes to that, i have an old clipping from R&C detailing replacing it with a cast-iron cruise-o-matic.
My $0.02: (Assuming this is a street / cruiser car) If the Ford-O works good, leave it alone and run it. If you want to throw money at something, the AOD is a much better performing trans (if set up correctly) and will make it a nicer car to drive in the long run.
I have been running a air cooled Cruise o Matic for years, I did add cooler lines to a cooler equipt radiator. No problem
They are heavy and leak....but pretty much bullet proof. I'd love to replace mine but it gives me no cause. It has 3.22 gears and if it had any higher ratio I'd be looking to change it. The 292 has a lot of torque right from idle and handles the 2nd gear start easily. A bigger cam would screw that up a little. Late in 56 they all were water cooled so I can't answer about the guy above and his Cruiso. It has been said a Crusio valve body will work in a Fordo to have all 3 gears....
The early Ford automatic has one advantage over it's newer brothers; you can push-start the car. Get the car up to about 35 mph, drop it into gear and away you go.
On my A/C trans there are fittings on the right side. It is in my 59 P350. and has this TC IN IT Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looks like added cooling lines. The front is a pressure test spot and the rear is not stock at least on mine added for a drain back to the pan. I would be leery of taking off a pressure spot because it would lower it because thru the radiator cooler has little to no back pressure but if it works, good. Above the line is the 1st-reverse adjuster. Looks ez to check with your installation. 2-3 is in the pan. I may have that backwards been a long time since I checked mine..