Servo question

[Turbo F-bird]

My 87 Turbo T is supposed to have an Art Carr High Tech valve body kit but didn't shift too firmly when I bought it. I added an Art Carr super servo and it shifted much better, maybe as good as one of the better shifting stock turbo Buicks. Now that I've done a few mods and have a trans pan leak I was going to see exactly what's in there.
I have a TransGo HD2 shift kit to install but the instructions say to drill out the hole in the servo piston and put a plug with a tiny orifice in the hole. I hadn't planned on going back to the original servo but my trans builder said if it were his car he'd do as the kit says and see how it acts. Why couldn't you use the super servo and just add the hole or plug to it? Right now I can't recall if the super servo has a hole in it or not so it may not even be an issue. Anyone been over this road before?

 

[LV GN]

My 87 Turbo T is supposed to have an Art Carr High Tech valve body kit but didn't shift too firmly when I bought it. I added an Art Carr super servo and it shifted much better, maybe as good as one of the better shifting stock turbo Buicks. Now that I've done a few mods and have a trans pan leak I was going to see exactly what's in there.
I have a TransGo HD2 shift kit to install but the instructions say to drill out the hole in the servo piston and put a plug with a tiny orifice in the hole. I hadn't planned on going back to the original servo but my trans builder said if it were his car he'd do as the kit says and see how it acts. Why couldn't you use the super servo and just add the hole or plug to it? Right now I can't recall if the super servo has a hole in it or not so it may not even be an issue. Anyone been over this road before?

you dont need to do anything to the super servo. the only thing to use out of the trans go kit is the alum plug that goes in the plate and drill out hole F to .110 besides the pressure regulator spring, the rest of that kit is useless and not needed.

 

[bison]

you dont need to do anything to the super servo. the only thing to use out of the trans go kit is the alum plug that goes in the plate and drill out hole F to .110 besides the pressure regulator spring, the rest of that kit is useless and not needed.

+1.

 

[Turbo F-bird]

Is there more than one Art Carr shift kit for the 200 4R? Grumpy gave me a set of directions for one but I can't say for sure what's been done to my tranny without looking at the valve body, etc. For instance the Art Carr instructions I have mention drilling and plugging a hole in the accumulator cover which should defeat the 1-2 accumulator right? In my opinion there's no way this tranny has an inoperative 1-2 accumulator because it shifts too softly. So I figured to see what's been done to it, put one brand kit in it completely and start from there. I've been searching a lot of posts so I know you guys know your stuff on the 200 4R but I just wanted to explain my hesitation on mixing and matching parts. So doing only the mods LV GN suggested from the Transgo kit would work fine whether I have an Art Carr kit in there already? I don't even know if it was installed correctly to be honest it was in there when I bought it.

 

[mikestertwo]

For instance the Art Carr instructions I have mention drilling and plugging a hole in the accumulator cover which should defeat the 1-2 accumulator right? .

I think the Art Carr kit had you put an orifice in the 1-2 accumulator port, not a plug.

 

[Turbo F-bird]

You're right I misread it. You drill the hole out and put an orificed plug in the hole. So I guess the accumulator is not supposed to be deactivated.

I did half the Trans Go kit install today and I noticed none of the springs I replaced were the same color as the ones indicated in the Art Carr instructions. Like I said part of the reason to do this was to see if the Art Carr kit is actually in there or if it's screwed up or what's going on.

 

[Turbo F-bird]

Well now that I've gone through the valve body etc I see nothing that indicates a shift kit was in this transmission. The springs I've changed that would've been changed in the Art Carr kit aren't the colors his kit indicates. I see no drilling or orifice plug in the 1-2 accumulator housing. Nothing in the valve body spacer plate looks like it's been drilled anywhere.
The only thing I see that looks non stock is the 3-4 servo has had the spring and piston positions reversed. The valve body gaskets have no name on them (the TransGo ones say "TransGo") so who knows what went on in there. Hopefully it'll shift lovely when I'm done.

 

[LV GN]

Well now that I've gone through the valve body etc I see nothing that indicates a shift kit was in this transmission. The springs I've changed that would've been changed in the Art Carr kit aren't the colors his kit indicates. I see no drilling or orifice plug in the 1-2 accumulator housing. Nothing in the valve body spacer plate looks like it's been drilled anywhere.
The only thing I see that looks non stock is the 3-4 servo has had the spring and piston positions reversed. The valve body gaskets have no name on them (the TransGo ones say "TransGo") so who knows what went on in there. Hopefully it'll shift lovely when I'm done.

what mods and springs did you do? is the valvebody back in the trans?

 

[Turbo F-bird]

I'm just following the TransGo instructions. Let me think a second.... the line bias valve spring gets changed, the accumulator valve spring gets changed, you drill a few holes larger in the separator plate, I think you change the TV valve spring, the 1-2 accumulator spring, pump spring and boost valve and whatever the names of the other valves in there are. They also say to reverse position of the 3-4 accumulator piston and spring but that's already been done in mine. I'm probably going to skip modifying the original servo piston, removing the seal on the inner servo piston and putting a shim on either side of the inner servo piston. I'm hoping the super servo will work as is with the TransGo modifications. If you guys know otherwise tell me. I'm going to go in the garage and put it all back together in a few minutes after the Sox finish batting. Hey! Manny hit his 500th home run!

 

[LV GN]

do not install the tight wound spring on the 1/2 shift valve! what stall converter are you using?

 

[mikestertwo]

The only thing I see that looks non stock is the 3-4 servo has had the spring and piston positions reversed.

I assume you mean the 3-4 accumulator. On the high performance transmissions like the BRF the piston went in the case first then the spring. On a lot of low performance transmissions they put the spring in the case first then the piston.

 

[LV GN]

dont mess with the super servo.. do the alum. plug and you can replace the big TV spring but dont mess with the inner valve and spring.

 

[Turbo F-bird]

I'm using the stock convertor LVGN. Why no tight wound spring? It creates a problem I'm guessing.

Right again Mikester, 3-4 accumulator piston and spring.

 

[LV GN]

I'm using the stock convertor LVGN. Why no tight wound spring? It creates a problem I'm guessing.

Right again Mikester, 3-4 accumulator piston and spring.

i have had 2ng gear start and shift timming problems
the 3/4 accum works both ways. if you install the piston 1st, with a stronger spring, it will shift harder. i dont like a very hard shift into 4th. if you run 3rd gear out, you will have already built enought line pressure and have a firm shift. no need for the extra shock going into 4th on the over run drum. but thats just me!:biggrin:

 

[Turbo F-bird]

OK so don't use the tight wound spring on the accumulator valve but leave the super servo in as is. That sound right?

 

[LV GN]

OK so don't use the tight wound spring on the accumulator valve but leave the super servo in as is. That sound right?

no! on the 1-2 shift valve should be one of the smallest, shortest springs in the kit

 

[Turbo F-bird]

I'm with you on the hard 4th gear engage, there's no need of it for me. I'd like to make the 2-3 shift firmer though. Is that dictated by the servo?

 

[LV GN]

leave the super servo alone. it works great!

 

[LV GN]

I'm with you on the hard 4th gear engage, there's no need of it for me. I'd like to make the 2-3 shift firmer though. Is that dictated by the servo?

yes and the alum. plug and drill hole f to .110

 

[Turbo F-bird]

no! on the 1-2 shift valve should be one of the smallest, shortest springs in the kit

I can go back and check but if I recall correctly the old 1-2 shift valve spring was maybe 1/8" inch shorter and only slightly less stiff as the new one. You'd advise putting it back?