My 98 DOHC sport with auto tranny won't "kick down" into second when I floor it. Instead, the shifter pops out of drive and into neutral. It does this even with the engine shut off.

I took it to dealer, and they say I need a new valve body. Apparently some valve (Kickdown Valve?) is rusted. Also mentioned something about line pressure at one of the test ports in all gears.

THey want $550 for the part, and 3 hours of labor @$77/ hr. I looked at my shop manual, and it doesn't look that hard to replace. Remove the shifter & throttle cables, drop the pan, filter, then seven screws. I don't think it would take me 3 hours, and I don't have a lift.

Also, I found a used 31th Valve body on eBay for $45 (MOPAR OEM PART #4412408AB). That auction indicated that the part only cost $260 new.


Question 1:
What should a new vavle body cost? Is it reasonable to install a used valve body?

Question 2:
Is it really as easy to replace as it looks? Did I miss anything?

What should a new vavle body cost? THey want $550 for the part, and 3 hours of labor @$77/ hr. My dealer just quoted me $490 for the part, but you can get an aftermarket one for around $180 and can be installed within a couple of hours with basic hand tools. No special tools are required.

Is it reasonable to install a used valve body?As long as the used one is good, I don't see any problems installing it. I haven't heard of valve bodies rusting out or going bad.


Is it really as easy to replace as it looks? Did I miss
anything?It is pretty simple, just time consuming, because of dropping the fan and redoing the gasket and filter. But it is pretty simple!

edit*Also, I found a used 31th Valve body on eBay for $45 (MOPAR OEM PART #4412408AB). That auction indicated that the part only cost $260 new.Also I'd get a quote on shipping first, they are in Canada.

you probably do NOT have to replace the valve body to correct this problem . what happens is battery acid and road salt causes the throttle pressure rod to corrode and seize to the shift rod . I have repaired many by removing the valve body , dissassembling the shift rod using penetrating fluid cleaning up the corrosion and replacing tthe top shifter seal.

you probably do NOT have to replace the valve body to correct this problem . what happens is battery acid and road salt causes the throttle pressure rod to corrode and seize to the shift rod . I have repaired many by removing the valve body , dissassembling the shift rod using penetrating fluid cleaning up the corrosion and replacing the top shifter seal.

Funny you should say that. One of the guys at the checkout counter said that he was able to do much the same thing, but it was a bear to get it freed up. This explains why I can get the shifter to pop from Drive to Neutral by flooring the gas pedal, even with the engine off.

I am guessing that dealer is afraid of damaging the valve body in the process, and the dealer doesn't stock the valve body. Just replacing the Valve body is simpler for them, but 3 hours of shop time?

I found the correct part at MoparPartz.com (#4567993AC) For $385 + ship. Last thing I would want is to pull out the Valve Body, and then break it trying to free it. I would be without a car for several weeks. It isn't warm enough to ride the Motorcycle yet. It might be worth it to have a new valve body on hand, and return it if I don't need it.

I am curious about is the comment that service manager relayed to me from the mechanic. He said one of the test ports always had full line pressure in all gears. The port had something to do with the "Kickdown Valve". Could that happen if the two shafts rusted together?

I also have some slightly late upshifts especailly when cold, and a moderatly hard downshift back to first when coasting to a stop. These syptoms go away if I put the shifter between "D" and "2". Is this consistant with the shafts rusted together?

When the throttle rod sticks or seizes it causes all kinds of shift problems .

When the throttle rod sticks or seizes it causes all kinds of shift problems .I haven't had this happen, but I do hear that it's true.

Thanks Sneaky Bert: you have convinced me that it is worth a shot at dropping the pan and valve body, and taking a whack at freeing up those rods.

I don't think any major damage is happening, so I'll wait for warmer weather here in Philly. I can manually downshift to second while merging onto the suicide onramps we have around here.

I can manually downshift to second while merging onto the suicide onramps we have around here.Manually downshifting is bad for the ATX. It forces the elements to engage at higher differential speeds, increasing their loads, without the benefit of higher pressures, this causes slippage.

Manually downshifting is bad for the ATX. It forces the elements to engage at higher differential speeds, increasing their loads, without the benefit of higher pressures, this causes slippage.

I wasn't joking when I refered to "Suicide On Ramps". I get 25 feet to merge onto a busy freeway on a curve with very poor visability. If the Tranny pops the shifter into neutral when I floor the gas pedal, I could get flattened by a SEMI. Moving the shifter into second, right before I floor the gas pedal can save my life. THis shouldn't hurt the tranny, since I am doing precisily what the tranny would do, if the Throttle rod wasn't rusted to the shifter rod..