84 F150 302 AOD Longbed

[ArdWrknTrk]

A photo of the door jamb sticker would help us tell you what transmission was in the truck from the factory.

Rick's link will help you get the shifting right.
The one thing you don't want to do is have the AOD in two gears at once.
Better to have hard shifts than overlapping shifts.
Adjustment is very sensitive, be careful.

Yes, the bead chain is connected to the speed control module.

Cool, you get to learn so much about Loretta

[Rembrant]

LARIAT 85 wrote

The AOD debuted in 1980 when the Bullnose was first introduced, but it was actually designed in the early-mid 1960s.  It was the very first automatic overdrive transmission offered.

The early trucks (and cars) with a carburetor and AOD used a TV ROD.  It looks very similar to a C4/C6 kickdown rod, but it is very different.  The carburetor is different as well.  Carburetors with an AOD had a special linkage for the TV rod to connect to.

No aftermarket carburetor has the correct linkage for the stock Ford AOD TV rod to connect to. The Ford "kickdown linkage" is not the same and absolutely will not work!  If you switch to an aftermarket carburetor, you can count on also replacing the TV rod with an aftermarket TV cable.  Stock Ford TV cables showed up when EFI was introduced.

This is how you adjust the stock Ford AOD TV rod:

https://images.carid.com/bm/transmission-and-drivetrain/pdf/40263-installation-instructions.pdf

(see page 9 and 10)

Ahh, OK...I was thinking of the 302EFI that I had briefly...it had an AOD with the cable. Thanks for clearing that up Rick. Clearly I know nothing about the auto transmissions in these trucks. I'll stay out of that part of the discussion.

[Crixmix]

So upon research looks like it was the AOD engine the whole time.

Anyone know the lengths of battery cable needed? Looking at LMC and the have a bunch of different lengths and I’m not exactly sure which ones to get.

[ArdWrknTrk]

All the cables???

Battery + to starter relay
Relay to starter
Battery - to block
Block to frame

If Youre going LMC, do you mean factory type cables, like a ground with the tab that bolts to the crossmember?

Do you want the LMC part numbers?????

[Gary Lewis]

Our page has the Ford part numbers, the Motorcraft part numbers, and the lengths for each of the applications: Documentation/Electrical/Battery Cables.

[Crixmix]

I’m just trying to replace the ones in the picture here. Also not sure what’s going on or why the previous owner did this but the wires seem reversed and attached to wrong terminals

[Gary Lewis]

That's strange.  He bought a black positive cable and a red ground cable.  

But, it is hooked up correctly.  It is just the the insulation on the wires is the wrong color.  Those electrons gotta be confused.  

[Crixmix]

Yeah it through me for a loop when I first saw it. Also I am about to replace my valve gaskets because one of the valves is visibly warped. Does anyone have recommendations on new valve covers should I get presses steel or aluminum?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Cast aluminum is stiffer, and won't distort around the bolts like tin ones will.

Though if you have time, a hammer and a solid-square edge, you can tap them back into shape.
Better gaskets -with support where the bolts go- won't let that happen again.

While I'd usually glue the gaskets to the covers with High Tack or Indian Head, when I bought my ribbed aluminum covers I swapped over to silicone rubber gaskets, and they seem to keep weeping to a minimum while not needing much torque.

[Crixmix]

Yeah I was looking  at a bunch of different options. I ordered the Felpro silicon gaskets. And I’m a bit OCD so this truck is gonna keep me busy so I figured rather than hammering to valve covers and sanding and getting them looking fresh (sanding and painting) might as well just get new covers haha. When replacing the covers I see there are blow offs or holes and what not what should I order along with the covers to make sure everything looks fresh and new?

[ArdWrknTrk]

I assume you mean the PCV valve and breather/oil fill?

New grommets are a great idea, but I'm not sure which covers you're looking at, so I can't be sure.

The covers I purchased -used- were from a marine application.
I ended up manually scouring them and then refinishing in PJ1 high temp crinkle coat paint.
I filed and block sanded the ribs so they stood out as an accent.

[Rembrant]

Crixmix wrote

When replacing the covers I see there are blow offs or holes and what not what should I order along with the covers to make sure everything looks fresh and new?

On an '84 302, there would be the hole for the PCV valve at the rear of the right side cover, and the oil fill cap hole at the front of the left side cover. The oil fill cap (probably yellow?) has a hose on it that attaches to the air cleaner assembly. The PCV valve will attach to the carb or base of the carburetor somewhere.

[Crixmix]

New felpro gaskets worked like a charm! On to the next project. Got an edelbrock performer 289 and planning on the 4160 holley carburetor. From the research I’ve done I know I need a special bracket and throttle cable to hook it up to the AOD transmission. Does anyone know the exact part numbers for this?

[ArdWrknTrk]

KD-2AODU

Lokar KD-2AOD-U TV cable kit with bracket.
Or you can get the stainless one, -HT-

[Gary Lewis]

Glad the gaskets worked.

Is the intake new?  If not, look closely to see that there is no erosion of the aluminum around the water passages at the front and rear on both sides.  If people don't run good antifreeze electrolysis happens at the interface between the head and the intake and aluminum is removed, which can cause the gasket to leak.

[Crixmix]

So I’ve run into some problems. I got aftermarket headers that the site said would work with my truck. Where the headers end is right where my transmission lockdown/tv rod is. Does anyone know what headers and exhaust will work with my truck.

[Rembrant]

Hi Chris,

I have BBK shorty headers installed on my 1984 302. They fit and work great, although I had to buy different gaskets and bolts as the ones that came with them were no good.





Header fitment is a bit of an issue with these trucks, especially longtubes....and I'd go even further to say that the issue is compounded with the 302 as it was used in many MANY other applications, including Mustangs which probably have/had 20+ different aftermarket header options. Mustang headers fit the engine just fine, but they point directly at the firewall...some guys make them fit though, so I don't know.

Which headers did you buy?

The proper truck headers (long tube) should drop down below the transmission linkages. If by chance you ended up with the Mustang GT style headers, they will point directly at the firewall and transmission shift linkages, etc.

[Crixmix]

I got the pacesetter 70-2222 long tube headers. My old exhaust was pretty much falling apart so I removed it. So now the truck is inoperable until I get a new header exhaust combo. Womp womp.