Methods and systems for improving the operation of transmissions for motor vehicles

1. In an hydraulic circuit for an automotive transmission including a pressure regulator valve and a pressure regulator spring for establishing a predetermined maximum line pressure in said hydraulic circuit, said pressure regulator valve being in fluid communication with an onboard computer via a portion of said hydraulic circuitry for monitoring line pressure and preventing maximum line pressure from exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure, the improvement comprising:

replacing said pressure regulator spring with a replacement pressure regulator spring to increase the maximum line pressure above said predetermined maximum line pressure, and

modifying the portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer such that said onboard computer does not sense line pressure in excess of said predetermined maximum line pressure.

2. The hydraulic circuitry as claimed in claim 1 comprising an opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for discharging a portion of fluid flowing towards said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer.

3. The hydraulic circuitry as claimed in claim 1 comprising a reduced cross sectional area in part of said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer.

4. The hydraulic circuitry as claimed in claim 1 comprising an opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for discharging a portion of fluid flowing towards said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer, and a reduced cross sectional area in part of said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer.

5. The hydraulic circuitry as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer is disposed between said reduced cross sectional area in part of said portion of said hydraulic circuit and said onboard computer.

6. The hydraulic circuitry as claimed in claim 1 wherein said portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer comprises a variable pressure sensor.

7. A method of modifying an automotive transmission having a pressure regulator valve and a pressure regulator spring for establishing a predetermined maximum line pressure in said hydraulic circuit, said pressure regulator valve being in fluid communication with an onboard computer via a portion of said hydraulic circuitry for monitoring line pressure and preventing maximum line pressure from exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure, the steps of said method including:

replacing said pressure regulator spring with a replacement presssure regulator spring to increase maximum line pressure above said predetermined maximum line pressure; and

modifying the portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer to prevent said onboard computer from sensing line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure.

8. The method as clamed in claim 7 wherein the step of modifying said portion of said hydraulic circuitry includes the step of providing an opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuitry for discharging a portion of fluid flowing through said portion of hydraulic circuitry for reducing the pressure sensed by said onboard computer.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of modifying said portion of said hydraulic circuitry includes the step of reducing the cross sectional area in part of said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of modifying said portion of said hydraulic circuitry includes the steps of providing an opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuitry for discharging a portion of fluid flowing through said portion of hydraulic circuitry for reducing the pressure sensed by said onboard computer, and reducing the cross sectional area in part of said portion of said hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with said onboard computer for reducing the pressure sensed by the onboard computer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step of modifying said portion of said hydraulic circuitry includes the step of positioning said opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuit between said reduced cross sectional area and said onboard computer.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7 including the step of providing said portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer with a variable pressure sensor in communication with said onboard computer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of modifying said portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer to prevent said onboard computer from sensing line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure includes the step of preventing said onboard computer from sensing line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure only in the forward gear ranges of the automotive transmission.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 including the step of providing a connection between an exhaust opening in said portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer to a reverse pressure port such that fluid is exhausted from said exhaust opening only in the forward ranges of said automotive transmission.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 including the step of providing said connection between said exhaust opening and said reverse pressure port by an external tube.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 including the step of providing an internal passageway for rerouting part of the fluid flow within said portion of said hydraulic circuitry to an exhaust opening provided in a reverse circuit such that fluid is exhausted from said exhaust opening in said reverse circuit only in the forward ranges of said automotive transmission.

17. A method of modifying an automotive transmission having a pressure regulator valve and a pressure regulator spring for establishing a predetermined maximum fine pressure in said hydraulic circuit, said pressure regulator valve being in fluid communication with an onboard computer via a portion of said hydraulic circuitry for monitoring line pressure and preventing maximum line pressure from exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure, the steps of said method including:

replacing said pressure regulator spring with a replacement pressure regulator spring to increase maximum line pressure above said predetermined maximum line pressure;

modifying the portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer to prevent said onboard computer from sensing line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum fine pressure,

modifying the pressure regulator valve to include a ball, a ball seat, and a spring biasing the ball on the ball seat within a bore of the pressure regulator valve to prevent fluid from exhausting from an exhaust port in the bore of the pressure regulator valve, and

releasing the ball from the ball seat to permit fluid to exhaust from said exhaust port when line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure is applied to the pressure regulator valve.

18. A method of modifying an automotive transmission having a pressure regulator valve and a pressure regulator spring for establishing a predetermined maximum line pressure in said hydraulic circuit, said pressure regulator valve being in fluid communication with an onboard computer via a portion of said hydraulic circuitry for monitoring line pressure and preventing maximum line pressure from exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure, the steps of said method including:

replacing said pressure regulator spring with a replacement pressure regulator spring to increase maximum line pressure above said predetermined maximum line pressure;

modifying the portion of said hydraulic circuitry in fluid communication with said onboard computer to prevent said onboard computer from sensing line pressure exceeding said predetermined maximum line pressure,

providing an exhaust opening in a bore of said pressure regulator valve arranged to cooperate with said replacement pressure regulator spring such that when line pressure greater than the predetermined maximum line pressure is applied to the pressure regulator valve, fluid is exhausted from said exhaust opening.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said hydraulic circuit includes a control valve in fluid communication with said pressure regulator valve for controlling the pressure applied to a torque converter clutch, the steps of said method including replacing a spool in the control valve with a larger spool for restricting the flow of fluid from an exhaust port in said control valve for reducing the rate at which pressure is applied to the torque converter clutch.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said hydraulic circuit includes a control valve in fluid communication with said pressure regulator valve for controlling the pressure applied to a torque converter clutch, the steps of said method including replacing a spool in the control valve with a larger spool for restricting the flow of fluid from an exhaust port in said control valve for reducing the rate at which pressure is applied to the torque converter clutch.