[ben112079]

I've got 71K on the original transmission fluid (236.10), and will be getting the tranny flushed soon. I've done my homework on the boards, but haven't seen overwhelming advice regarding which fluid to go with for the 722.6?

236.10
236.12
236.14

Would it be best to replace with the same type fluid that is already in there, or would I be better off with going with the latest and greatest fluid, the 236.14? I've seen that MB always recommends the latest fluid, but have heard some feedback that the shifting might be harder.

Also, is there a superior brand outside of the MB fluid? Fuchs, Febi, etc? Would love to hear of your experiences! Thanks all,

Ben

 

[tirona]

personally i would get the cheapest one of them. last time i changed mine i used the latest 7-speed fluid because it was slightly cheaper than 236.10. shifting is not harder at all, same smoothness as before and slightly better shifting at cold mornings. if i ever change the tranny fluid again, i would use valvoline maxlife atf which is $4/liter.

 

[iluvjesus]

Hi Ben, I am afraid you have not yet finished your homework If you search the forum, you will find lots of valuable inputs, opinions, arguments, on which fluid to choose, etc.

 

[Franasia]

ben112079,

I understand Loubapache, who is a moderator of this forum is using Valvoline Maxlife in one of his cars - if he's using it, I would use it too.

Here's a good thread:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1463460-mercedes-benz-722-6-transmission-faq.html

Cheers

 

[loubapache]

In the last weeks or so, I have been in touch with a very reputable Mercedes transmission re-builder (they have a website selling rebuilt 722.6 transmissions with 2 year warranty).

From their vast experience rebuilding the 722.6 transmissions, they have advised their customers to do two things. Both, especially the second one, will cause many to have a heart attack. (They also rebuild 722.9 transmission as well.)

1) Fluid change interval. Their recommendation is very short, especially when compared with the infinitely long interval of Mercedes recommendation of "sealed for life."

2) Fluid that can be used. Let me put it this way, what they recommend/allow will make the Valvoline Maxlife ATF too expensive. What I can also say is that many years ago, they were recommending only the Mercedes fluid but now with others.

The above, of courses, are to minimize mechanical wear and valve sticking issues of the transmission.

I am not at liberty to post these private communications at the moment (partially due to my moderator role because people would want to know the name of the re-builder/vendor) but you can search around the internet and you will find the fluid they advise their customers to use. :thumbsup:

Their old website capture has been posted on benzworld (not in the W210 forum, though). That old website has their Mercedes fluid only recommendation. When you do find their current new website, you will see what they use and advise their customers to use now.

Since I have a large stash of the MaxLife ATF (I am talking about full cases, gallon jugs, etc. ), I won't need any more ATF for my two W210s in the future. However, this Mercedes ATF fluid for 722.6 thing took me almost 10 years to satisfy my own curiosity and I think I am finally in heaven. There are some very old (almost decade old) posts of mine about this in another Mercedes forum.

As always, members make up your own mind. The link Franasia provided made that clear. As a matter of fact, I usually and intentionally avoid to be one of the first posters in these fluid related threads but I read them all, just as all other threads.

 

[e-420]

In the last weeks or so, I have been in touch with a very reputable Mercedes transmission re-builder (they have a website selling rebuilt 722.6 transmissions with 2 year warranty).

From their vast experience rebuilding the 722.6 transmissions, they have advised their customers to do two things. Both, especially the second one, will cause many to have a heart attack. (They also rebuild 722.9 transmission as well.)

1) Fluid change interval. Their recommendation is very short, especially when compared with the infinitely long interval of Mercedes recommendation of "sealed for life."

2) Fluid that can be used. Let me put it this way, what they recommend/allow will make the Valvoline Maxlife ATF too expensive. What I can also say is that many years ago, they were recommending only the Mercedes fluid but now with others.

The above, of courses, are to minimize mechanical wear and valve sticking issues of the transmission.

I am not at liberty to post these private communications at the moment (partially due to my moderator role because people would want to know the name of the re-builder/vendor) but you can search around the internet and you will find the fluid they advise their customers to use. :thumbsup:

Their old website capture has been posted on benzworld (not in the W210 forum, though). That old website has their Mercedes fluid only recommendation. When you do find their current new website, you will see what they use and advise their customers to use now.

Since I have a large stash of the MaxLife ATF (I am talking about full cases, gallon jugs, etc. ), I won't need any more ATF for my two W210s in the future. However, this Mercedes ATF fluid for 722.6 thing took me almost 10 years to satisfy my own curiosity and I think I am finally in heaven. There are some very old (almost decade old) posts of mine about this in another Mercedes forum.

As always, members make up your own mind. The link Franasia provided made that clear. As a matter of fact, I usually and intentionally avoid to be one of the first posters in these fluid related threads but I read them all, just as all other threads.

If it's the site I'm familar with, they allow the use of the "other" fluid in transmissions they rebuild. And yes it is inexpensive and readily available anyplace that sells transmission fluid. It may be they use different clutch and other internals as well so the "other" fluid works well. Then again it may work well anyway since it is a pretty ubiquitous fluid with a very long and good history.

 

[loubapache]

I think you found the website.

They only use "Mercedes Benz O.E.M. parts" for the rebuilds. That is clearly stated on the website.

Also, they do not say everything on the website. Being a responsible business, they would only talk about their own products rather than make blanket statements. They actually use the same common fluid in the 722.9 transmission as well but that is not the talk of our forum.

What they found is that the types of fluid are not the causes of failures as long as they are kept fresh, clean, and changed.

 

[Musikmann]

...What they found is that the types of fluid are not the causes of failures as long as they are kept fresh, clean, and changed.

That's what my Chrysler tech says about motor oil too and he sells Valvoline products. Although I'm sure they are fine, I'm sticking with Pennzoil which is what has been in my 1994 Plymouth since it was new; same for the Toyota and the Mercedes (Mobil1).

 

[e-420]

I think you found the website.

They only use "Mercedes Benz O.E.M. parts" for the rebuilds. That is clearly stated on the website.

Also, they do not say everything on the website. Being a responsible business, they would only talk about their own products rather than make blanket statements. They actually use the same common fluid in the 722.9 transmission as well but that is not the talk of our forum.

What they found is that the types of fluid are not the causes of failures as long as they are kept fresh, clean, and changed.

actually the fluid they recomend is no longer licensed by the OEM (licensing expired in 2006) and has been superseeded by a newer fluid. Unless you find old stock you won't find that exact description on the bottle anymore. What you generally see now is a "generic" description for use in certain model year and mfg vehicles. It would be interesting to see if they also recomend the new stuff which is supposidly much better.

 

[loubapache]

That is correct but people use that generic name for this whole family of fluid whether it has the H or not or a higher number. The product is still widely available.

And the newer is still backward compatible to the expired one.

Replied PM.

 

[Kajtek1]

This is like talking about engine oil changes.
I made the point in the other discussion and I make it here.
So per my experience even if you fill up your transmission with cooking oil it will work for 100,000 on most of the cars. Might give different shifting since cooking oil is thicker, but it will work.
Now I have no laboratory to do testing and I am not willing to test the fluids on the car I am planning to keep. I did put Valvoline fluid into older MB and it worked perfect for the time I kept it.
When MB transmission fluid cost about $20 per quart, I had motivation to seek cheaper ones, but now I can buy it for $12 a liter so if I do another flush in 7 years shall I go into risk of using non approved fluid for $40 savings?

 

[tmandel]

Hmmm, well fluids aside, it would be nice to know the name of an experienced vendor of rebuilt MB trannies.

Can someone who knows the answer to Loubapache's mystery vendor provide it? I.e. not being the moderator?

 

[deanyel]

I sort of understand the secrecy about the name of the vendor, but why the secrecy about the name of the fluid?

 

[loubapache]

Hey, Dean, no secrecy about the fluid, just try to be a little diplomatic and sensitive to all members.

I think you know it already. It is just DEX III, the same stuff you used in your beloved W124.

Now the thread may take a turn. Remember when you said a certain oil was not your holy grail some time ago, you almost had your ... chopped off by others, IIRC. (I apologize in advance if I remembered wrong.)

This is just FYI. You make your own decision but there is no need to attack the vendor or the messenger. The vendor probably has rebuilt/repaired more 722.6 than all of us combined on this forum.

 

[Musikmann]

Thanks for telling us loubapache.

 

[loubapache]

Thanks for telling us loubapache.

Again, make your own decisions what to use. I am not recommending one fluid over another but I have been clear for a long time what I use.

It was just for my own curiosity that I have been collecting whatever ATF specs I can get a hold of.

 

[tmandel]

"ATF specs" -- what do you mean, more exactly?

Do we know the *composition* of e.g. Valvoline MaxLife, or DEX III, or for that matter any of the specific MB-approved transmission fluids? Would be very interesting.

 

[deanyel]

There was a thread somewhere not too long ago by a guy using Walmart Dextron III in a 722.6 C-class, for well over 100k miles as I recall, with no problems. The extra cost of proprietary fluids doesn't bother me as much the possibility that we're just being duped.

 

[Musikmann]

Chemical composition should be included in the respective MSDS sheets.

 

[loubapache]

Good memory, Dean. I actually had exchanges with him a long time ago on another forum. Again, IIRC, his username is 300B. What you said about being duped is very true. Good Lord, any body on this forum can afford the Mercedes fluid but that is a different story.

tmandel: a late welcome to Benzworld. By specs, we often mean the viscosity, etc. The composition, as Musikmann said, is from MSDS sheets but they do not have to tell everything because different countries have different regulations. I have posted the viscosity of various ATF several times before and the link below is the latest.

Viscosity is what matters to the shifting quality. Too thick or too thin will make the transmission shift bad. That is why there are some DEX-III-H fluids. The H means higher viscosity stability (than DEX-III) so it maintains the designed viscosity for a longer time (does not shear down as easily). It also has tighter differences between the cold and hot viscosities. Then the DEX-VI is another step forward. As a matter of fact, I do not think a mineral base stock can meet the DEX-VI specs.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1487449-redline-d6-atf-meets-mb-sheet.html#post3862984