Ford AOD adjustments

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Maintenance Restoration and Repair
1

In my 67 Cougar I’m running a 351W with an AOD of unknown origin and mileage with a Lokar shift kit going to an Edelbrock carb.

My first issue is that the transmission doesn’t like to shift out of 1st when the car is cold. Is that most likely dirty fluid/filter? If I let it warm up for five or ten minutes before I pull out, it shifts fine, and I get great power running from a stop or low speed up through the gears.

My second issue is that on the freeway going 65+, it won’t kick down to pass. I’ll be stuck in overdrive slowly creeping up past another car.

Is there a way to adjust the kickdown on AOD without having to readjust my Lokar cable tension or is the cable what activates the kickdown? Could failure to kick down be another symptom of dirty fluid?

2

Hello JETEXAS.
If the history of the AOD is unknow, the first thing I would do is drop the pan and do an inspection for excessive material. If there is a lot of sludge, the clutches may be compromised. It’s also a good time to change the filter and top off with new fluid. AOD are super sensitive to proper TV cable adjustments, (it’s not a kickdown cable). If the TV is improperly adjusted, you can burn up the clutched in 50 miles or less. What are shift points under normal acceleration? I would recommend checking the pressure ports to ensure the TV cable is set up correctly. Making carburetor adjustments can affect the TV cable setting.