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8: With the AOD properly supported, crossmember and mount removal come next.
9: The original steel driveshaft is disconnected
from the rear axle’s companion flange, which calls
for a 12mm, 12-point socket or box-end wrench.
Soak bolts with WD-40. If that doesn’t work to get
them loose, try a little heat concentrated around
each bolt. Keep in mind that too much heat will
damage your pinion seal.
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10: Remove the starter bolts and torque-converter
dust cover. The transmission bellhousing to engineblock bolts require an 11/16-inch socket. Other
pesky issues include speedometer cable, manual
shift linkage, and throttle valve cable. And by the
way, you’re going to need longer bolts for the
TKO’s thicker bellhousing.
11: Have you disconnec ted the battery’s negative cable to prevent a short circuit? Starter disconnection and removal come next. Motorcraft
starters have a single solenoid-to-starter lead.
Nippondenso starters have a battery-to-starter
lead and an ignition trigger lead.
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12: Disconnect the torque converter from the
flexplate. There are four locknuts. Note the
torque converter drain plug is carefully nestled
in the flexplate passage. It’s easy to get this
drain plug incorrectly positioned during an AOD
install, which will warp your flexplate. Store
this information away for safekeeping.
13: Transmission cooler lines are disconnected
using a 1/2-inch open-end wrench. Carefully
remove these lines, seal them, and keep them
with your AOD transmission.
14: The automatic Overdrive transmission is
carefully lowered via a transmission jack.
These can be rented.
15: Drill out the shifter cable mount’s rivet.
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16: The cable bracket at the shifter is removed
as shown.