96 SOHC ATX problem after flush/band adjustment

[96Sporter]

Hey everyone, first time on the board; lots of good stuff here. I'm seeking some advice on my GF's 96 Sport SOHC, as my auto experience is mostly import.

The miles are about 160K, mostly freeway. I noticed some slight kicking at upshifts and decided to do another ATF flush. I did one a year ago without doing the band adjustments, so I decided to go by the book on this one. Everything seemed pretty straightforward (I used the How-to on this site as a guide).

I did the kickdown band adjustment first, 810 degrees back from torque, then did the low/reverse band, filled up the tranny properly and tried to test drive. Everything seemed normal until I got out of first gear: during acceleration it felt like the ATX downshifted hard and then totally bogged down, like I was holding the E-brake nice an steady. Came to a stop, more gas just upped the revs, no grinding/noise from ATX. Put it into Park, then 2, and got movement. I immediatly went back to my stall, and in the morning I adjusted the kickdown band to 0 degrees backed off from torque. (I have been told the adjustment on the kickdown can vary depending on your ATX age/condition). Tried to drive it and got not only the same bog down problem, but I lost Reverse, and the car would not roll in Neutral! Worried at this point, I then double checked the low/reverse band again (I know, what a waste of all that MOPAR 3!!), filled it again, more carefully this time. Now, what I thought was interesting was that this time as I was filling the tranny, I could hear the ATX kicking into D and R as I sat there shifting. Once I tried to drive for a third time though, I had the same bog down problem, and I once again lost reverse/neutral roll after that bog-down. I should have tried to see if it rolled in reverse before I took off, but I didn't.


Today I left the car alone, I am afraid of frying my already hurt ATX. I know it worked just fine before I started messing w/ the bands. At this point I am suspecting that the kickdown band is my main issue; my next try will be perhaps 180 degrees back from torque on the adjustment screw. I have also read on another website (I neglected to bookmark it) that inside the valve body there to the right, is a lever that can become stuck with age. This site had instructions on how to jiggle the covering parts off to get at this sucker and carefully free it/lube it. First question: what is a safe chemical for this? Someone on this forum mentioned you could contaminate the ATX by doing this. Second question: Could my initial incorrect ATX band adjustments have caused this lever to jam up when I test drove the car the very first time? Aside from the reverse issue, the bog down/stop was virtually the same in all three drives, right as the car accelerated, after I let off on the gas at all it would start to go. To be safe I put it in 2 for each return trip, may not matter, but I seemed to be able to crawl along in it.

WHEW. Thanks for bearing with me, I would really appreciate any advice on this one. I am scrambling to get this car running as my other one got smacked down an icy hill by my neighbor, and lays at rest underneath (yes under) the front end of a Ford Explorer. We had a run of foul weather up here in the NW. icon_surprised.gif Anyways thanks and take care.
(not like it has much bearing, but I do know these following are also problems w/ this vehicle:
-Hot leak (Weeping OPSUnit)
-what I think is rear main seepage
-aftermarket radiator
-cruise disabled
-AC compressor froze, some nut threw a generic belt that fit from P.S pump to driven pulley totally bypassed the seized compressor. Hearing some knocking/slapping from pulleys, kind of comes and goes. I have not puelled the pulleys off, bought new belts.
-Second timing belt, but I think the intervals are shorter than Honda, it might be due up again, need to inspect it. I believe the head gasket is still ok at this point, my oil consumption went down after I did the spark plug tube seals, and the coolant is not contaminated.