722.4 Valve Body, new and ready to install. Fits the 722.4. Ships fast from the USA.
If your W201 190E, W124 260E or 300E, or early W202 C-Class bangs into second gear, flares between second and third when it is cold, or slurs the 3-4 shift, the problem usually lives in the 722.4 valve body. This is the Superior K722A valve body kit for the 722.4: a new set of recalibration parts that goes into your existing valve body during an overhaul, rather than a complete bolt-on valve body assembly. That is the reason for the price - you are correcting the hydraulic calibration Mercedes shipped, not replacing the aluminum casting.
The 722.4 is the lighter-duty member of the 4G-Tronic family that also includes the 722.3 and the five-speed 722.5. It is a hydraulically controlled four-speed with no torque converter lockup and no shift computer. Shift points come from the governor and the control pressure cable tied to the throttle, while shift firmness comes from line pressure set by the vacuum modulator. The valve body takes those signals and routes oil to the K1 and K2 clutches and the B1 and B2 bands, and the K1 and K2 accumulators cushion the 2-3 and 3-4 apply. When springs fatigue and bores wear, the timing between one element releasing and the next applying drifts, and you feel it as a bang or a flare.
A 722.4 that will not upshift at all is a different problem. That points to a stuck kickdown valve, a kickdown switch sending constant power, clogged screens in the secondary valve body, or a governor fault, and a calibration kit will not cure it. Slip in first, second and third together usually means a worn B2 band.
Start with the cheap adjustments. Check the fluid level hot, then put a pressure gauge on the test port and confirm modulator pressure before you blame the valve body - a modulator set too soft makes the 2-3 flare, and one set too firm makes the 1-2 harsh. Check that the control pressure cable is adjusted to spec. If pressure is correct and the shifts are still harsh or flaring, the valve body calibration is the next step. If your car is 1996 or later with the electronic five-speed, you have a 722.6 instead; our 722.6 valve body symptoms guide covers that unit.
Superior's K722A family covers early and late 722.3, 722.4 and 722.5 transmissions built from 1980 to 1995. Reference sources list the 722.4 in the W201 190-series from 1982 to 1993, the W124 from 1986 to 1996, late W123 cars, and the W202 from 1993 to 1996. Superior builds the kit in a gas version and a diesel version because the calibration differs, so tell us whether your car is gas or diesel. The 2.6-liter cars also used their own 722.4 variant, so read the transmission code on the case tag and send us your year and VIN if you are unsure. See every Mercedes unit we stock on our Mercedes 722 transmission parts page.
The kit goes in with the valve body off the car and on the bench. Work one section at a time, keep the check balls in their pockets, and follow the kit's instruction sheet for which spring or valve change selects normal, firm or extra-firm 2-3 and 3-4 shifts - pick the setting before you button it up. Clean the separator plate and the screens in the secondary valve body while you are in there. Refill with a Dexron II or Dexron III type ATF, set the level at about 80 degrees C, and reset modulator pressure after the road test because the kit changes how the car responds to it. Running a five-speed 722.5 as well? The same kit is listed as our 722.5 valve body kit. If the clutches are already burnt, a recalibration only buys time; inspect the drums and use a replacement such as our 722.5 clutch drum on that unit. For owners stepping up to a later car, our 722.6 common problems guide explains how the electronic unit fails differently.
| Fits | 722.4 |
| Part type | Valve Body |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | Superior |
| Reference | K722A |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
It is the Superior K722A valve body kit - recalibration springs, valves and parts that install into your existing 722.4 valve body. You reuse your own casting, which is why it costs far less than a complete assembly.
Yes. Superior makes the K722A in a gas version and a diesel version with different calibration. Tell us the engine, year and VIN with your order and we will confirm you get the right one.
Usually not. No upshift points to a stuck kickdown valve, a kickdown switch with constant power, clogged secondary valve body screens or a governor problem. The kit is for harsh 1-2 shifts and flaring 2-3 and 3-4 shifts.
The 4G-Tronic units take a Dexron II or Dexron III type ATF. Check the level with the transmission at operating temperature, around 80 degrees C - the gap between min and max is only about 0.3 liter.
Yes. Re-check modulator pressure at the test port with a gauge and confirm the control pressure cable adjustment, because the new calibration changes shift feel and the modulator is the fine-tune for firmness.
