1-2 Accumulator spring help needed!

[danlong]

Here's the situation... I'm in the process of installing the Baumann Recalibration kit in my 2000 4R70W. When I removed the snap ring from the 1-2 Accumulator I wasn't holding it in well enough and the entire assembly launched itself out of the transmission housing. That said, I'm not sure which of the 2 springs was on top and which was on the bottom. I have a white spring and a yellow spring, both the same diameter, but the yellow is about .25" longer than the white.

I've searched and searched online and found guides with various color code combinations for various years, but can't find one that covers the 2000 Explorer or has a listing with a white and yellow spring. I don't see any listings of the white spring being used on the bottom, but at the same time a few pictures that I've seen look like the longer of the two springs is on top, which would mean the white would be on the bottom...

I called and talked to Kevin at Baumann but he didn't have any sort of listing and suggested I look it up in a Ford parts catalog. I tried that but they list a brown for the top and a pink for the bottom, so that's no help either. I really want to get this thing buttoned back up, but don't want to do it wrong and have to drop the pan again to change the orientation of the springs if it doesn't shift right, so any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[96ex5.0]

Big one on top small one inside (diameter wise) the smaller thicker one is the one that breaks all the time I ditched it when I did the j-mod.

 

[danlong]

My truck only has 2 springs, both of the same diameter, just slightly different lengths. One on top, one on bottom. Some trucks had an inner and outer but that was mostly on the earlier models from what I've seen.

 

[96ex5.0]

Idk but I left mine out lol

 

[skpyle]

Hello danlong,

When I put the Baumann kit in my 1999 4R70W, the shorter stock spring was on the bottom of the 1-2 accumulator piston, while the longer stock spring was on top. The shorter lower spring had signs of white paint on it, while the longer upper spring had signs of brown paint. Both stock springs were approximately the same diameter.

When I put it back together, I put the white shorter lower spring back on the bottom of the 1-2 accumulator piston, while I put the specified Baumann spring and two spacers on top.

I can post a photo later if you want.

Seth K. Pyle

 

[skpyle]

Here danlong,

From left to right (bottom to top as oriented in the transmission):

Snap ring and 1-2 accumulator cover
Shorter spring with traces of white paint
1-2 accumulator piston, in the orientation it came out of the transmission
Longer spring with traces of brown paint

Below them are the two spacers and spring supplied by Baumann to replace the upper longer brown spring.

Hope this helps!

Seth K. Pyle

 

[danlong]

Thanks for the response and pic Seth. I couldn't wait any longer and had to reassemble it on Sunday. Being that I couldn't find any instances of the white spring being on the bottom in various listings, I went ahead and assumed it was the original top spring. That said, according to the Baumann instructions for Setting "A", I used their supplied spring and 2 spacers in the top of the piston, then put the yellow (longer) spring back on the bottom. I can't say I've noticed any real issue, but the 1-2 shift is slightly firmer than I'd prefer at part throttle. Being that the springs are cheap from Ford, and it sort of looks from your pic that I may be wrong about my placement, I'm thinking that I'll order a new bottom spring, drop the pan and change it out just to be safe.

 

[skpyle]

I understand, and good luck!

Seth K. Pyle

 

[danlong]

Thanks!