I’ve got a dead Ford AOD and could use some enlightened help with it. The moaning sound you heard was my flashlight budget flying out the window for awhile :_(
Phil
symptoms?
i dont have esp.
and if its moaning and not you it may be as simple as filter or even low oil level.
Try the simple cheap fixes first…make sure level is topped off, if still moaning, try for a complete flush, still moaning not good
My dodge ram had planetary gear had seized and made that noise….sucked but still shifted but if I let it keep going it wouldn’t have lasted much longer!
A lot of problem’s with auto gear boxes can be caused by an incorrect fluid level - high/low.
Measuring the fluid level can be done when the gearbox is hot or cold and it’ll give varying results with different levels on the dipstick if you have one.
I’m not familiar with all US car’s, see what you’re handbook say’s about the fluid levels and whether they’re measured hot/cold etc.
A lot of problem’s with auto gear boxes can be caused by an incorrect fluid level - high/low.
Measuring the fluid level can be done when the gearbox is hot or cold and it’ll give varying results with different levels on the dipstick
So check your handbook and see what it recommends. 
Ps. I had a pause when writing this and I didn’t see your post Warhawk, but I agree with the fluid level check.
moaning/howl/whine often means a hard part failure.but it can also be the pump cavitating due to sucking air or a restriction.
The trans is toast- it needs a full rebuild for sure. The moaning I referred to was my flashlight budget (and me).
I’ve built a few A/T’s before but none like this one. What I need is tech-talk from someone who knows the insides of this one ie: special tools and techniques to make the job go smoothly, the things that need particular attention or precision, and to back me up if I hit a stumbling block doing the job. Just want to decide if I can do this then get it right the first time around if I do so I don’t have to pull it twice.
Phil
Speak some sense man! 
Clear as mud, where’s the tumble weed?
I have spoken sense- people have responded to others who mis-read my OP. Nowhere did I say the transmission was moaning; show me where I did
The trans is toast- ie burned up inside. Either a clutch pack or a band and probably all of them. Not a servo or pressure issue by the symptoms. Not anything simple like a clogged filter. Not the burned-smelling and charred fluid level being wrong. Burned up which you can smell. Needs a full rebuild, nothing less.
I’ve rebuilt several A/T’s- just not this model so that’s the level of advice I seek here. I do appreciate everyone trying to help and what you noted is good info but not applicable here. This ain’t going to be an easy fix or it would have already happened. I can pay someone $1500+ to do this or I can do the same job for about $300 myself. I’d just like to have someone more knowledgeable than me along for the ride.
Thanks,
Phil
I understand, I read your first post quickly.
I hope you can get it sorted, I don’t know anything about that gearbox I’m afraid.
I’ve got a book on the way and of course I’ll check u-tube, but I’ve found a lot of the DIY vids there to either be lacking in expertise or were done by folks whose budgets allowed all the special tools which make the job easy but might not be absolutely necessary. I have far more than the basic tools and cannot justify spending hundreds for special tools I’ll use only this once if I can avoid that.
I have little expertise and experience with LED flashlights but this field is a different story altogether. I’ve made a good living as a mechanic before. A/T rebuilding is a very lucrative business with about a 25/75 split between parts and labor respectively which is a lot of savings for me. It takes knowledge and some delicacy but beyond the number of parts involved it’s not normally hard to do at all and only fear prevents more folks from doing it themselves. You don’t need to know how it all works to do a rebuild, you just need to know what to check and adjust and how to do that. It’s simpler than writing code for a flashlight driver which several people here do.
Phil
Phil,
This website has many different hobbies.
I go there for the Slot Car section, but have gotten problems solved for other things on other parts of the forum.
Join up, Introduce yourself and ask around, mostly nice people.
Under the Small engines, a lot of these folks are also car mechanics by day, small engine guys at night.
Should get some guidance on the Automotive section.
HTH
Keith
Honestly, I couldn’t agree more. You don’t have much to lose as getting someone else to do it can be expensive.
Whereas doing yourself costs your time and parts if needed, even if specialist tools are suggested you can often make something yourself or work around it. Using a phone with camera if you need to as it’s easy to forget where thing’s go.
As far as I remember....the AOD builds like any other non-electric back in the day. You still need the drum compressor and have to be careful with the O-rings but that is it that I remember.
You say it is toast. What happened? Slipping?
aod is based heavily on the old fmx.dont remember needing any special tools.
but it been 35 years since i rebuilt an fmx .and 20 since i did an aod.
Thanks for the replies and my apologies for my absence. Of late the site upgrade took away my subscription emails and I’d forgotten to check because I decided to not go forward with the rebuild. I happened across an old friend who had a 91 E250 extended van for sale for so cheap I couldn’t say no. VGC+ outside, GC inside, 137K original miles, mechanically sound with a 351W, and bought for well under 1/2 of what it could be sold for tomorrow. After looking at it I realized that my old workhorse was a ratty claptrap in comparison, and not really worth fixing with it’s multiple small issues and 330K plus miles n the chassis with a body equally tired and battered. I’m in the process of fitting the new one out for my work as I use it; the old beast will be parted out and scrapped now- I can get a lot more from it that way.
So it’s adios to “The Growler” who served me well and paid for itself at least a dozen times over in the profits it made for me beyond what any other vehicle could have been expected to do. If the new one does half as well (and I think it will) I’ll be tickled pink. And the book I bought for the rebuild covers it’s tranny too so should that day come round, then I’m going for it.
Much deep appreciation to you all. Sincerely,
Phil