Be very careful with Dexron. The past several years manufactures have been removing the GM Dexron spec off the label. If you can still find one with the Dexron specification buy it or at least purchase good mane brand DexronIII/Mercon fluid. I use Castrol.

 

And thus another oil thread is born...

If this forum is true to form, opinions will soon fly to these pages like mashed potatoes in a food fight, so let me fling mine out there.

1. The best Automatic Transmission Fluid for your Mercedes says Mercedes Automatic Transmission Fluid on the bottle.

2. If you can't afford to buy your ATF from the Mercedes dealer, look for one that meets the relevant specification for it. I can't speak for your '79, but for your 560 SL's model 722.313 4-speed automatic, that is a fluid that meets one or more of the following Mercedes-Benz spec sheets: 236.1, 236.6, 236.7 236.9 236.10, or 236.81. (Source: BB00.40-P-0231-01, Specified gear oils (cars, cross-country vehicles) - survey, Sheet 231.1). Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle Formula lists most of those certification sheets so that's the one I chose to use when I changed my fluid last. But certifications come and go, apparently, and the latest data sheet for this fluid from Exxon-Mobil no longer lists those MB sheet numbers.

3. If that's too confusing or aggravating, I suggest you look for the brand of Dexron II D, Dexron III, or Dexron IV fluid you have the best faith in.

Let the hostilities begin...and may the best spud win.

Good road,

 

Last week I went to the dealer and he said use Dexron.

I have read in a couple of different places that actual Dexron is not quite the same as the 'multi car dexron compatible' fluids. So I guess, at very least don't use 'multi car'

 

Here's likely why you don't see the GM trademark "Dexron" in the product name much any more:

ATF Types Marketed under the DEXRON brand

Previous DEXRON specifications were replaced once DEXRON-VI was introduced, with some notable exceptions (see DEXRON-VI section below). There are no products approved by GM to carry the DEXRON name unless they have a DEXRON-VI approval and associated license. Nonetheless, because there are still a number of applications for which DEXRON-VI is not appropriate and which require an earlier DEXRON specification, many products continue to carry earlier DEXRON specification names.

Source--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEXRON

Dexron VI-spec fluid is not approved in an older Mercedes transmission (see the previously-attached MB spec sheet). So just because a newly-marketed ATF's name doesn't include "Dexron" is no reason to be suspicious of it. It just means GM won't allow it under the current terms of their license.

In my view, the Mercedes spec sheets trump a General Motors trademark licensing agreement. If Mobil certified that their Mobil1 Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle Formula fluid meets that spec sheet's requirement, it's obviously appropriate.

But at the end of the day, it's a matter of personal choice. Choose whatever ATF gives you the best peace-of-mind. And as Dugald so wisely opined on another oil thread, it's a whole lot more important that you change lubricants and filters on-schedule than it is what brand of otherwise appropriate oil you choose.

Good road,

 

After reading and reading and cruising the internet, since it is difficult for me to get to our official MB dealer, I went to my local AutoZone store and read all the labels. Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF is the only one that lists "suitable for Mercedes Benz 236.1, 236.2, 236.5, 236.6, 236.7, and 236.9"; so I bought 8 qts @ $7.99/qt. This is what will go in my 560SL.

 

I think you made a "suitable" choice in ATF for your 560 SL.

The manufacturers of ATF, like Jay H mentioned, don't make this easy. Their applicability guidance is too often mealy-mouthed at best, or downright misleading at worst. Much of this, I'm convinced, is due to business and litigation-skittish considerations that resulted from the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. I'm no lawyer, but what I've read indicates it was that legislation that forced US-market automobile companies to cease tying their warranties to the customer's use of specific, approved service products.

It now appears that it's up to the refiners to step up and certify that their products meet the specs the car makers lay down. So if they're less than confident their product is up to the required standard, they have their lawyers get with the data sheet writers and together they craft the text that will best absolve them of liability in court while still encouraging a hapless consumer to use an oil for an application it might not be best suited for.

I respected that unambiguous text on the back of the Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle Formula bottle that said it was "suitable" for my Mercedes-Benz's transmission specification sheets. So, like you bud, that's what I bought.

Germany, by comparison, allows the job of picking out the proper ATF to be a lot easier. Take a look at the attached brochure for German refiner Fuchs. No question which ATF is approved for use in which transmission.

Good road,

 

I am taking my Nissan to the dealer tomorrow for its 18,000-mile oil change, mandatory for warranty coverage. It uses special stuff @ $80 a quart! Takes 10 quarts.
Ouch.

 

Dealer recommended I defer tranny oil change until 36,000. Says 18,000 mile interval is only for cars driven hard. I guess I look too old to drive hard.
Warranty intact.
Customer happy.


I know ... there's a Viagra joke in there somewhere.

 

The infamous green GTR tranny fluid? They are great looking cars.

I used Amsoil ATF fluid and my transmission still works, this was 3000miles and 1 1/2 years ago. Next time I'm going to use either the mobil 1 or castrol synthetic ATF for import vehicles.

 

While I was researching this, I E-mailed MBUSA and asked their advice. This is what I got back today:

"We only sell parts out of this location but I checked with a few people and any ATF except Ford is acceptable
Kind regards, / Mit freundlichen Grüßen,"

Of course, they don't own or have to maintain my vehicle. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

 

'89 560SL ATF

Can someone advise me of the proper type automatic transmission fluid , and the capacity, for a 1989 MB 560 SL?

Thank you very much

Wayne Bollman

 

1989 560sl ATF

Can someone advise me of the proper type automatic transmission fluid , and the capacity, in quarts, for a 1989 MB 560 SL?

Thank you very much,

Wayne Bollman (bollbudb@yahoo.com)

 

Can someone advise me of the proper type automatic transmission fluid , and the capacity, in quarts, for a 1989 MB 560 SL?

Thank you very much,

Wayne Bollman (bollbudb@yahoo.com)

Check the back page of your owners manual....fluids and quantities are all listed.

 

.


DexronIII for the fluid, the procedures and capacities can be found in the MB-USA Service Manual link in the EGv107.

 

Aamco uses

bulk Dexron compatible with a 12 oz. botlte of Lube Guard spec'd for your particular tranny - UNLESS the customer requests a specific fluid.

 

Aamco uses bulk Dexron compatible with a 12 oz. botlte of Lube Guard spec'd for your particular tranny - UNLESS the customer requests a specific fluid.

And they have such a sterling reputation.

 

The 560L transmission calls for Dexron III. I used Dexron VI which is a syntetic fluid, evolved from Dexron II and is backwards compatible.

 

But it's not an "oil thread," it's an "AT fluid" thread!

But seriously, when I changed my ATF on my 87 560sl, I followed Glueck Auf's extremely helpful tutorial and used Mobil 1 synthetic ATF.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r-c107-sl-slc-class/1523643-560-sl-atf-filter-change-tutorial.html

 

FWIW, I went to the dealer just to see what they use for an '87 560SL, it was NAPA ATF, P/N 75-200: NAPA AUTO PARTS

Dealers probably vary, and may even change brands based on prices.

 

.............

 

The real question is what brand ATF would u lube up that avatar to get the best performance?

 

From the looks of the components in question, I'd guess a fully synthetic formula.

And speaking of AAMCO, my sole experience with them was when I had their shop in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, rebuild the auto in my 1981 Volvo GL. The rebuild was sound enough to last several years, but on the first ATF change I discovered the AAMCO rebuilder had apparently substituted two SAE threaded bolts for a pair of the original M6 oil pan bolts he'd misplaced, stripping two threaded bosses in the aluminum transmission case.

On the plus side of this first AAMCO experience, I taught myself how to install helicoils. And a few years later, how to fully rebuild that Aisin-Warner AW55 transmission myself (and modestly cheaper, too, even with buying several expensive Volvo special transmission tools). I learned these things so that I'd absolutely know the repairs met my admittedly picky standards and expectations.

Sorry, Dan, if my experience isn't typical, and that by relating it I indict the company's likely greater number of honest, competent, conscientious mechanics. But it was my first experience with AAMCO, a sour one, and one I won't be repeating.

Good road,