I'll be doing this today or tomorrow. Any recommendations to streamline this process?
I've already procured MB A/T fluid, filter and gasket, a bucket, lots of rags, and a replacement lock pin for the A/T fluid cap. Am I missing anything else?
yes you are missing the dipstick to check the fluid level. you need the mercedes dipstick in order to do so. with these trannies, its not "just add 3 or 4 quarts" you start off with 3 or 4 and then monitor the level
Do you know where to drain it from? You first drain the pan, that gets half out. Then you have to drain the torque converter which means rotating the flywheel until the drain plug shows. Measure how much you take out and put the same back in. Our SLK took 7 full quarts. It's a messy job but the MB ATF fluid doesn't smell that bad. Clean out the pan with a degreaser to get all the sludge out. You should use the dipstick, it's a real long one that bottoms out in the oil pan and measures from bottom up. Personnaly, I hate doing fluids, too messy so I turn it over to the pros.
Got the dipstick (forgot to mention it). I managed to pull out ~ 7 liters (about two in the pan and 5 via suction). It was black and tarry, but it got changed. Tranny now acts like it's brand new. The only thing I didn't do was flush it, as I don't have the equipment and if I were to do a pseudo flush using the MB A/T fluid, that's literally flushing money down the toilet. It's cheaper than a new tranny, I know, but I don't think I would have gotten any results from doing it that way.
The only issue I had was I couldn't find the magnet. I even went bobbing for it in the used transmission fluid pail. I put a new one in there.
Great job! Wish you would do mine...! It may be just as well you did not do a flush as I understand that can get some metal particles in places you don't want them.
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'87 300E: sold after 11years @ 230k & still on the road somewhere in rural Tennessee.
'94 C220 with 93k totalled 10/06 by hit & run broadsiding monster truck: not a scratch or bruise for me
Got the dipstick (forgot to mention it). I managed to pull out ~ 7 liters (about two in the pan and 5 via suction). It was black and tarry, but it got changed. Tranny now acts like it's brand new. The only thing I didn't do was flush it, as I don't have the equipment and if I were to do a pseudo flush using the MB A/T fluid, that's literally flushing money down the toilet. It's cheaper than a new tranny, I know, but I don't think I would have gotten any results from doing it that way.
The only issue I had was I couldn't find the magnet. I even went bobbing for it in the used transmission fluid pail. I put a new one in there.
Im Proud of you.
Folks here are so scared of changing their Tranny Fluid.
Freaks me out to read the postings. Your da' man!
I'm going to change mine out in the next couple of months.
Hmmm, didn't know about the Dipstick.
Thanks for the posting. Its definitely a good motivator.
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Charles Orlando, Florida United States of America
There's a photo instruction primer on installuniversity.com
I figured I would have to move the flywheel and use a suction pump when I only got ~2 liters from the pan alone (I think there's supposed to be 8.5 liters). This was not included in the instructions from installuniversity.com. Also, the primer states the pan is held by 8mm bolts, but mine were held in place by six T-30 screws. Lastly, I strongly recommend a lift--I used a simple jack, risking my life, and I don't fit that well under the car. It was a -pain- to hold the new filter and pan in place (the filter doesn't stay in--must be held in by the bottom pan, making it much more difficult) while screwing in the clamps.
Oh, and don't get the filter kit from NAPA. The web site and their computer gives their part number that does not work (the filter is incorrect, the gasket isn't the same shape of the pan). I ended up getting it from my local MB dealer. Total cost:
Fluid, 8 liters (1 left over, will return) = $96 (less $12 for the return of one liter)
Filter, gasket = $32
Dipstick = $x (don't know--previously owned the dipstick)
Lock pin = $0 (they gave me a pin, but I think it's normally $1 to $3 for a stupid plastic pin)
Labor = $0.22 (band-aid for cutting myself)
Hazardous waste disposal = $8
Total cost = $136.22 (or $124.22 after return)
Tax = $10.21 (off lower price, no tax on band-aid or haz waste)
Final = $134.43
That's a very high quote from the dealer. I got it done by an indy for $180 and I know the parts if I did it for all MB stuff (atf, filter, gasket) would be about what you said it is so it wasn't worth doing. My local MB dealer gave me an estimate of $220 for the job. I also hate crawling under the tranny on jack stands, it's an eary feeling knowing that I have no quick way out, nobody will hear my screams and my life rests on 2 $10 jack stands.
I know what you're talking about--owing your life to Wal Mart, who buys the lowest quality crap.
I would think the prices would be more competitive with three MB dealerships in a 40-mile radius, but it's not. Which is why I did it myself. If MB quoted me $220 for the job, I'd have them do it to save me the trouble. And since it was my first time doing it, it probably took three times as long (or more) as I could do it now.
But the reason I did my own oil change for < $100 and changed my own spark plugs for < $50 wasn't so much the cost savings (my last two cars were a Honda Accord and a Toyota Corolla, which would have cost me $15 and $8, respectively, and can do both in about 30 minutes)--I bought the car used and wanted to inspect things for myself before some jack-ass mechanic says I need a new clutch pedal for my C320, or blinker fluid, or winter air for my tires, or the flux capacitor.
Last edited by everycredit : 02-09-2007 at 10:56 AM.
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