Pinto Car Club of America

I'm interested in possibly mating an AOD trans to a 2.8L.  What are my options?  Best/easiest?

i had a buddy bolt a AOD from an '88 ranger with a 2.9l to his grandpas '98 ranger with a 3.0l so maybe that should help you out, it may bolt right in with "minor" modifications (I.E. a whack or two here and there, or cut out and install some new sheet metal.) but hope that helps you.

The "AOD" trans your talking about is an A4LD trans.  One from any 2.8 (late 84-85 ranger/bronco II and 86 Aerostar) or any 2.9 ranger/bronco II will fit, but it will hate you for doing it.  The later A4lds were partialy computer controlled and ALL a4ld's have an electric lock-up converter.

But...be forwarned, The a4ld is based off the the not-so stellar to begin with c3 3 speed auto thats behind your 2.8 now.  Beleive it or not, ford somehow made the thing worse when they added a 4th gear to it.  A4ld's are junk and your money would be better spent rebuilding your c3 or replacing it.   To give you an idea of how bad they are,  There are plenty of rangers/bronco II's/Explorers in junkyards with something around 150,000 miles on them because the trans has crapped out.   They either eat the friction material off the clutches or blow the front seal.   The front seal isn't a simple fix because some nutjob at ford decided the bellhousing and trans case should be align-bored as an assembly, so if you remove the bellhousing it can throw the centerline off and a replacement bellhousing has to be either shimmed or re-bored and have a spacer pressed into it. 

I personaly had an a4ld puke its guts out on the interstate at 160,000 miles in a 90 bronco II.   Front seal blew.  Was quoted a rediculous price for a rebuild everywhere I called.

Stay away from it.

-Harry

that would explain the shitty shifting after the swap. i was stumped by it.  ???