Check the Tool Loan ..on Mercedesshop...
It maybe Better than Guessing the Distance

 

Send me a note off list and I'll send you photos and measurements.

Len
len@sokoloff.com

 

Thanks Len. I received your email w/ attachments but it does not show a full-length of the dipstick. I will do some experiments on my car to figure out the distance. Following is my plan and I need the opinions from this Forum:
1. Assuming the existing fluid level in my car's tranny is correct and I will use it for the measurement baseline.
2. Make sure engine is hot and the best way to do this experiment is after driving the car for at least 15 miles.
3. While engine is running, press the brake and shift the gear back and forth a few times.
4. Engage the hand brake, shift the gear to neutral (while engine's running), use a bycicle brake line (or something similar to the oil dipstick for the engine) to measure the hot mark of the ATF level.
5. Repeat this experiment three time on the different days to get an accurate reading.
6. Cold marks? Per my view, they are not needed since I only check my ATF level while the engine is hot. In case you want to measure the cold marks, make sure the engine is cold and perform step 3, 4, and 5.

That's all folks!

 

The dipstick is four feet long. That's a little onger than needed, but since it is used for different transmissions, the longer length might be needed elsewhere. I don't think driving the car 15 miles is enough to call the ATF hot. I would at least double that or more. Also, I think the fluid gets checked with the shift lever in Park.

Len

 

I assume there are several marks at the end of the dipstick to indicate how deep we have to insert it into the AT filler for each AT model. Without having the indication marks at the end of stick (near the handle), we are toast. Well, with or without the original Mercedes AT dipstick, we have to run the experiment as I described earlier from this thread to figure out how deep we have insert the stick for each transmission model. Now I realize why Mercedes does not want us to mess around with the ATF check.

I thought the engine must be running and the gear is set to neutral to check the ATF.

 

You stick the dipstick in until it bottoms out.

Len

 

The measurement is also discussed in this excellent DIY over at mercedesshop: http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/Trans7226Fluid
He includes a great picture of the thing sticking out of the filler tube.

What we are casually referring to as a "dipstick" is not, rather it is simply a tool used to measure fluid levels. And as Sokoloff notes, the measurement markings on it are in fact based on it being bottomed out in the filler tube.

For those of you who've read this far, I posted up another idea about fluid level measurement in the other current thread on this topic, I'd be curious for your input. The link is: http://forums.benzworld.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1240790

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

 

Dipstick Cheap

Went to hardware and bought 4 feet of 3/32 cable, 60 cents. Worked perfect but tranny is still a mess.

 

Went to hardware and bought 4 feet of 3/32 cable, 60 cents. Worked perfect but tranny is still a mess.

I found that poly tubing could be an alternative, tested to boiling temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, would not scratch the car's paint. It's flexible to go around any curve.
Home Depot sells 25ft for $3 (Polyethylene, 1/4"x0.170"x25ft), I needed 5 feet.
...
When one tube end reaches the bottom, use a thumb to seal the open end. The tight air will hold the fluid in. Pull the tube with the other hand, measure the level against a ruler. Permanent marker does not work on poly tube. If you want to mark the metrics, use a small blade to engrave it according to a picture in loubapache's stickies:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/w210-e-class/219590d1233867252-e420-limp-mode-image1.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/ogdm3n.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/2h2obpy.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/j97z2b.jpg
Don't forget to drop the fluid in the tube back in the car or add half a teaspoon.

 

Take the guess work out and pm OHLORD. I think he is still selling them.

 

I agree. I used 3/32 cable and Polyethylene tubing this past weekend. Both were hard to read accurately. Got the real dipstick today and it is tons better. Well worth the $40+. The real dipstick is very easy to read and accurate. Quit guessing and pony up for a real dipstick.

 

Trans dipstick

Can you tell me where you got the dipstick?

 

Can you tell me where you got the dipstick?

1. Dealers
2. ebay
3. misc online vendors
4. pm member ohlord
5. make one: it's a tool, not a dipstick you leave in the transmission.

Read the FAQ in the DIY as well as perusing the rest of the stickies.

 

Does the 1/4" OD tube fit in the dipstick tube? I am planning to take some oil using the tube and blocking the open end of the tube with my thumb. 0.5L is what i am trying to take out. No! I don't want to suck it out with my mouth.

 

Yes. But why not just get a much longer piece of tubing and suck a lot of it up into it before you seal it off? It won't be anywhere near your mouth and then you may only have to do that a couple of times. If all you do is drop a 1/4" tube into the pool of fluid and seal/lift, you'll get perhaps a half-ounce out. Since you need to extract (by your guess) 17 times that, it could take a while. Not to mention all of the extra drips that will result from removing it from the tube.

Even easier, perhaps, would be removing one of the cooler lines and just letting it drain (engine off) into a container that you have pre-marked for .5L.

 

1/4" sounds too large but are you asking about your 2005 E320 CDI (W211) because those might be different than the W210 gassers discussed here?

 

Hi

Does anyone know the distance between transmission bottom as reached by the dipstick and the neck of the transmission filler opening? (opening where you insert the dipstick).

Is it about 89cm?

I have a Mercedes dipstick with 15mm flexible plastic end, and it's not clear at what point the bottom is reached and the dipstick starts to bent.

Also is there a problem if transmission fluid level is a bit too high? My measurement on very hot tranny shows about 80mm (vs 65mm recommended), assuming the dipstick has not bent

thanks