Accumulator Spring

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limegreen70

limegreen70

Pokorny Enterprise's
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Pardon my ignorance but I am in the middle of changing the Shift selector seal on my car, boy that is a pain to do while it's in the car. But while I took the valve body out, my friend said to just ditch the accumulator spring for Firmer shifts. Is this a sound idea? I wanted some more opinions b4 I did something like this. The last thing I want to do is create more problems for myself but I'm all for small improvements as well.
 
I wouldn't. When you make that mod, there's also a blocker rod you install to keep the accumulator in place. Everything I have read and heard people talk about gives a kinda split opinion on doing it. I'm sure some others will be along to give some more knowledge. @CudaFactHackJob is real good on transmissions. I tagged him so maybe he'll chime in.
 
Removing that spring was the shade tree shift kit years ago. We can buy a proper engineered shift kit today.
 
limegreen70 said:
Pardon my ignorance but I am in the middle of changing the Shift selector seal on my car, boy that is a pain to do while it's in the car. But while I took the valve body out, my friend said to just ditch the accumulator spring for Firmer shifts. Is this a sound idea? I wanted some more opinions b4 I did something like this. The last thing I want to do is create more problems for myself but I'm all for small improvements as well.
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Most shift kits say to remove the spring, then put a blocker rod under the piston. No big deal.
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
If it is part of the shift kit level the OP wants, yes. I would not do it "just because".
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Just curious, if it would be too much for an aged trans. Not that the op's trans is aged but making those types of changes would require a healthy trans.
 
I've done the mod a few times with and without a shift kit and have never noticed a difference. I do know there are billet accumulators and stouter springs now. @VOETOM might have some advice as well.
 
A56 said:
Just curious, if it would be too much for an aged trans. Not that the op's trans is aged but making those types of changes would require a healthy trans.
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Most shift kits I've used say up front that the trans needs to be in good condition before making any mods. All the accumulator does is to soften the band apply, so it is not a mod like raising the line pressure which could impact the longevity of a marginal trans.
 
limegreen70 said:
Pardon my ignorance but I am in the middle of changing the Shift selector seal on my car, boy that is a pain to do while it's in the car. But while I took the valve body out, my friend said to just ditch the accumulator spring for Firmer shifts. Is this a sound idea? I wanted some more opinions b4 I did something like this. The last thing I want to do is create more problems for myself but I'm all for small improvements as well.
Click to expand...

Removing the accumulator spring firms the forward clutch engagement from neutral to drive. When you remove the spring and use a blocker rod you also firm the kick down band servo engagement, 1-2 shift.

The spring cushions the servo movement in the downward direction which is in the hydraulic circuit for the forward clutch. Most transmissions do not have a spring on the upper side of the piston and this movement is hydraulically cushions the kick down servo engagement. Some specific applications have a spring on each side of the accumulator piston.

Bottom line, remove spring and block piston will firm forward clutch engagement and the 1-2 shift.
 
I might be all wrong on this one, but on every TF I do, I throw away the small spring; the one that sometimes goes into the case first, and then I reinstall the big spring, and I insert a 1/2" to 5/8" piece of 1/2" id water pipe into the big spring, so that it gives a small amount of cushion then stops. I drill out the separator plate holes like TransGo says. I don't cut away the wall in the vb, or throw away the ball that goes next to it, because I've found that sometimes that causes a no kickdown situation. That was on a push button one.
 
Hemi and 440-6 cars had a spring in between the case and the accumulator from the factory for a little firmer shift. I do that on all my tranny’s. Lots of ppl just leave the spring out. Whatever u do, do not shim the acc up into the case. Kim
 
I appreciate all the replys but I think I'm just going to put the spring back in. I just wanted to see what the advantages were. Does it go back in as easy as it came out?
 
I tried that once and the tranny was binding up on the shifts. Didn’t like it at all. I took out the blocker and the tranny worked as it should. I’ll never do that again. I had blocked it all the way into the case. This was on a stock type rebuild. Kim
 
I always thought the accumulator was blocked from the transmission side. In other words blocked DOWN. Not up into the case. That's the way the one is made John Cope offers.
 
Right, that's what I was always told, but I've been using a 1/2" to 5/8" blocker tube within the spring; forcing the piston to stay up almost all the way into the case; only allowing it to move slightly against spring pressure; and I'm getting no complaints.
 
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