Lenteck trans combo has any 1 tried this

R

Randy N Connie

Registered User
I am thinking about tring a leteck trans.
1. terminator AOD w/brake valvebody.This deletes the TV cable.
And is manual shift.

2. a 10" lockup convertor. Would this convertor run cooler than
a non-lockup convertor?I want a low stall close to stock.If possible.

Has Any body used this type vavle body for street use in there SC?

I just plan to drag race once or twice a year.

THANKS RANDY
 
Randy is the idea to eliminate the tv cable? If not it seems pretty extreme to go to a full manual valve body with a brake. My trans works great with the lentech valveboby and the overdrive switch. Lentech 2200 stall torque converter makes it real streetable. Tim
 
Tim: yes I would like to get rid of the TV cable.
I have never had problems with it.But I see this
as a design flaw.I don't mind shifting the car myself.
I still need a way to get rid of or change the OD.
This is another design flaw.

Because of this AOD OD I think the supercoupe is
worthless peice of junk.What I really need is
a true 4 speed auto.I like how my SC runs,but the
AOD makes it worthless with my style of driveing.

I really would like to put some horse power to my
SC but I have not figured out how to get a trans to hold
up over 1 to 2000 miles.With no horse.I feel that
I am babyin the trans when I drive it.I don't think
the AOD would hold up in my lawn mower.

I was just looking at what can be done with the AOD.
but I do not think that a LENTECK would fair any better.
The AOD is just a designed peice of trash with the OD
in it.I need another gear in its place that is lower and a
4" band to drive it.

It looks to me I may need to trash all the Supercoupe crap,
motor,trans.And go with a V-8 with a normal transmission.
With a screw blower.I have had a few thunderbirds over the
years and I would rank the SC the worst bird ever built by
ford.If not the worst car built by Ford.Because of this AOD.
I have had harley davidsons with enough torque to burn up
a AOD in less than 50 feet.

My clutchs are ok with this failer,they do not slip.This time
the trans will not disengage when I pull up to a stop sign.
Its just like dirrect drive now.

RANDY
 
Randy, I had my trans rebuilt at Northwest Transmission in town here. The guy that did it is an old man with years of experiance. He used bigger drums in my trans. And a special overdrive solinoid. With this setuo you can use more clutches. I guess you could say its built like a heavy duty cop car trans. I would go with c-4 or c-6 if iy was my option to do it over again.
 
Well I am on my third trans in about 5000 to 6000 miles.
I am just afraid to even think about rebuilding stock or
even with extra clutch plates.I think a lentech would
probably fall apart to.I really don't have a clutch problem
with my AOD.

This time the trans is like direct drive.It stays in gear when
I pull up to a stop sign.

Randy
 
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I think this would be best and cheaper in the long run going
with a stick shift.

I just don't beleive a AOD can be built by any one to hold up
over a few miles or hours of use.

But then I don't know what is all involved in swaping to a 5 speed.
After reading post on this board it sounds like the SC 5 speed is
junk to.

Randy
 
From what I understand about the AOD, Randy's plan is almost there. It just needs a non-lockup converter and one piece input shaft to round out the plan.

The Lentech VB does two things. One is to give full manual control and a lock out on OD but even more important is the change in power flow in Third (Direct). One of the bigger problem points with high HP AOD's is that the Direct input shaft just can't handle big power, and was never intended to do so. When the thing was designed everybody thought V8's would be gone by 1982, so there was no need for lots of power handling capability. Ford crutched the thing along rather than spend money on a fresh design but that's another rant.

Anyway, the Lentech VB changes the power flow in Direct by applying another clutch so that that small input shaft does not carry the entire load, although it would still apply if a lockup converter was used. I consider this as important, if not more so, than the ability to control shifting because if you depend on that small shaft you will have problems with the shaft braking, stripping out of the converter or Direct Drum. Further, if you go with a non-lockup converter and one-piece shaft you can eliminate that source of irritation entirely.

Oh and I agree totally, an AOD with lock up converter and factory style shift pattern just sucks any joy you could get out of a car. OTOH, a well modified AOD with a non-lock up converter is a joy to behold, just like any drag C4.
 
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Unless you plan on WOT in fourth gear a Lentech valvebody with elctronic OD delete valvbody sounds like the best way to go. That would give you a 1 2 (drive) N R P pattern. You then would have a electric switch to enable 4th once in drive. If the trans can't shift into 4th how can it burn out? With the Lentech you can manually shift through 1 and 2, but still retain full automatic shifts in drive. There are a lot of guys running AODs with big power. Yes 4th isn't going to hold up for too long trying to hold at WOT, but you have to realize that it's an overdrive ratio of .67. That means it's an economy gear and should only be used on the highway at 3/4 throttle or less. I don't think there are any 3 speed with OD autos out there that were made to do any more. The AOD has a bad rep, but I'm not sure the GM 4R700 and 4L60 are that much better. I know of several F-Body guys that sound just like you.

Must haves:
2" OD band
Mechanical Diode
extra clutches
Lentech valvebody

I don't trust local shops any more, come to think of it I never did, but from now on they wont get any more money.

Jerry
 
The problem I had the last round is the trans locked up after reving the RPMs up to 6500 in second gear the trans locked up.I am not burning clutchs or
bands out .The trans or torque convertor just come apart.

Has any one used lenteck valvebody terminator AOD with/brake.
Be sides getting rid of the TV cable,What else would be good about this
style vavle body.What would the trans brake do for my SC.

Randy
 
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Randy, The torque converter I bought from grabs both the inner and outer shafts. The guy at lentech told me it keeps the shaft from breaking. The torque converter itself is controled by a switch, it wont go into O.D. unless you want it to. The transmission shifts itself if you leave it in drive but you can also shift it like a stick upshift and downshift. I have the softest setting on the valve body so around its shifts firm but wort through you in the back seat. at full throttle it shifts now.
 
I have never had problems with my trannys shifting into OD
when on a dyno or just driving down the road untill i shift
to OD.This is why I don't even know if i need the OD electric
delete switch.I do know that I can burn out the OD if I floor
my SC in OD.I did this the first round.It took about 3 seconds
and went up in smoke.

I don't know much about autotrans.The ones I have had were junk
or parts around them were.The last autotrans I had would twist the
flex plate evey time I rolled the throttle on.It was a 727 dodge ,I
think that was the name.It work ok untill i put my welded up heads
on the motor.So I just junk it out like i may have to do with my SC.
I hate to do that its just about all new.

Randy
 
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Maybe I missed something, but I don't think you can manually shift the stock AOD through every gear. .... In "D" is the 2-3 shift. You don't have control over that.

Anthony
 
aitkenstyle:" I have been fabing up parts for a new motor.
This will have a little more power and rev up to and over 7000
rpm.So I NEED A BETTER TRANNY.The aod and torque convertor
I have will not stand up to this.

I need to get some info on how a lentech 10 lockup convertor and
a valve body with trans brake will acted like on the strip
and road race use.I only plan to drag race once or twice a year.
I would like to have a stall just 200 to 300 rpm higher if this is
possible
Randy
 
Randy,

Another option you may want to consider, is the Lentech Street Terminator Plus with a Strip Terminator VB less the trans brake. I talked with Len (owner Lentech) for over an hour about the transmission for the 347 turbo SC and finially decided that was the best way to go for my needs.

It uses the reverse clutches and the forward clutches to double the torque rating. The valve body has fixed line pressure and does not require the TV cable for anything except shift points. I will still have automatic shifts, manual shifting capability and the electric OD delete. I'm using a 9.5" non locking 2700 stall converter with a one peice input shaft.

This transmission is rated for 1000 HP, and other than shifting hard all the time, it should feel pretty much the same as what the one in my 91 SC does.

I did not opt for the trans brake because I would have to manually shift all the time (up and down) and that would get old real quick. The non locking converter gives up another 5% in HP but it's not nearly as harsh on the shift from 2nd to 3rd as a locking type. Like was mentioned earlier the inner shaft will break and that's usually when it happens.

David
 
Len from Lentech will tell you what his AOD can do. It will do what you need but there are compromises like manual shifting etc. Mine is a street terminator plus non-lockup with full automatic shifting and electric OD lockup. The OD lockup is a little annoying until you get used to it. I've got the stage 2 input shaft which is supposed to hold about 1100hp.

The reverse clutch in third can only be used in a full manual valve body. Len told me he developed the stage 2 input shaft because lots of people didn't want a full manual valve body. This way you get more power holding and retain full automatic shifting.

Lentech is working on the AODE/4R70W that will hold power compariable to the AOD, but with the electronic shift controls. It will undoubtably be more expensive than their current offering of AODs.

If you don't care for overdrive, just put a C4 or C6 in it. Much cheaper.

Art Carr makes and GM adapter fit for the Fords. My buddy has one and runs a Buick 200R4 Grand National tranny behind his twin turbo 351w. The kit is for 5L mustangs so you would have to monkey around a bit to get it to work on the SC. I believe it will also work with a 700R4, but not sure. The Buick tranny can be setup to shift 3-4 WOT and has a electronic lockup through the convertor which can also be engaged at WOT. You have to get a good aftermarket convertor with HD clutches to do that though.
 
I had 748 RWHP going throught my aod with TV cable flawlessly in a 3800 lb car...Ive also blown stock ones up with a basically stock motor...If that TV cable falls off just once you have barely any pressure going to your tranny any you will screw up the clutches..Without knwoing where qa used tranny has been Im sure that has alot to do with the problems youve had.

The problem with having no TV cable is that your running higher line pressure at all times which will leade to quicker wear on the tranny.

If you stay with lockup the only problem I see is potential inner shaft breakage..I have blown several hardened and non hardened ones..Non lockup AOD can handle close to 1000 rwhp...Its basically like a C6 with an OD
 
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