automatic gearbox oil change

[nrg220]

Does anyone technical know why some C Class autoboxes have oil for life and others require a change every few years. Mine is a w204 09/2007 C220 5 speed auto, and based on the greabox ref MB says the gearbox oil never needs attention, ie changing or topping up (unless a leak occurs)..just curious what the differences would be that would allow this lifetime spec as it seems odd to me. I only asked as there was no reference to changing it in the service manual

Thanks

 

[st4]

It does need the oil changed, every 40k miles. The servicing regime changed, not the oil or the transmission alas.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

The oil should be changed at 37.5k as Simon has stated and then never changed again. However with increasing faults down to poor oil quality a continuous change is advised every 40k, not that you would ever hear that advice from the dealers.

 

[nrg220]

gearbox oil change

Thank you for the input. Indeed Im not comfortable about never having to change it and I got that info direct from MB but I did check with the dealer also who seemed surprised that it wasnt on the schedule but did confirm it wasnt.

Im going to change it despite that advice if only to make myself feel comfotable as it cant be much cost to change it anyway. Thanks again

 

[nrg220]

auto oil change

PS is it 4 years or 37-40k the car is 4 years this month but has only done 18000 miles, what do you think?

 

[stuartmac]

Hi,

Fwiw, I've had a 2000 W210 E320CDI and now have a 2002 W203 C270CDI. On both, MB reckons neither needs/needed the gearbox oil changing; otoh, the indie I've used for years recommends gearbox oil and filter change around every 70,000 miles. Before I bought the W210 in 2007, I looked at a serviced-from-new-by-MB W203 that'd just had a new gearbox at (then) £1500 and 135k miles. Given the relative cost of gearbox oil/filter and complete gearbox, you'll guess whose advice I go for.

Hth.

Regards,

 

[television]

The actual facts are.

Cars that were on assyst got the fluid changed just once at 37k miles, and not again, on all other cars there is nothing in the MB service programs to change it. All drain plugs for the converter were deleted by 09-99.

Some dealers recognise this now but many do not and some will change it every 40k miles, all indies will.

 

[television]

PS is it 4 years or 37-40k the car is 4 years this month but has only done 18000 miles, what do you think?

You just leave it till the car gets to 40k miles, it is not a yearly thing

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I discussed this with my local Indy when I had a W 220. In his experience, he had not seen a gearbox or torque converter fail at less than 100,000 and very rarely before much higher mileage than that - and his business is servicing chauffeur cars which do very high mileages.

(Get him on to 221s and DPFs though, and the mood changes dramatically.)

So for anyone who is worried because their ATF change was not done at exactly 37,500, there is probably plenty breathing space before any fault might result.

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

I discussed this with my local Indy when I had a W 220. In his experience, he had not seen a gearbox or torque converter fail at less than 100,000 and very rarely before much higher mileage than that - and his business is servicing chauffeur cars which do very high mileages.

(Get him on to 221s and DPFs though, and the mood changes dramatically.)

So for anyone who is worried because their ATF change was not done at exactly 37,500, there is probably plenty breathing space before any fault might result.

Thing is Alex the mechanical bits are ok, its the stupid valve bodies and electro valves that dont like poor oil quality, thats what the majority of the gearbox issues are unless thy have glycol run through them.

 

[MB TECH WARRINGTON]

We advise every 40k, when you have seen as many gearbox failures as we do, then you would understand why we advise this.

Prevention is better than cure.

A car ran on the motorway for 40k at optimum temp and operating conditions- the oil may be in very good condition when changed at 40k.

A same age car with 40k, but used in stop start heavy traffic, queues, up and down gears, high temps through the transmission oil for 40k - the oil will be black when dropped.

But and its a big but, we cant see the oil without dropping it, we also do not know the operating conditions of each and every car. Some people drive hard from cold, others never get the oils up to temp.

This is why we advise every 40k, the unknown.


Our C class courtesy/work car has 270k miles on the clock, only now has it started flaring on 2nd to 3rd gearchanges. Other than this it has been faultless, yet we have had customers who have contacted us about gearbox failures at well under 100k mile intervals- most of which have never had gearbox oil changes.

 

[cleverdicky]

Guys may I poach this thread slightly and ask about mine. It is relevant.

I replaced mine at about 35k. I wouldn't have done it but I had a gasket leak and I also read bad things about the bush housing seal, so made sense. I did it myself following Ollies guide, but it was easy and straightforward. I took a whole afternoon and it was like surgery. And I'm very glad I did. Oil was black and thick even warmed up, although it was as smooth as butter and no issues. The only slight problem was getting the filter / strainer to 'lock' in. It just sort of wobbled a bit, and not confident it was in properly tight.
Although it runs Ok there are occasions when it jolts a bit or 1st to 2nd jumps. even reverse to 1st has a jump, but that maybe me. There are also times when in 'C' it seems like lots of revs and no power, then it drops a gear and goes like a rocket. If im in 'S' it pulls away OK but even just slightly extra gas and it just wont change up until its almost red lining. I know it was all changed with as utmost care as it could have been. With the exact spec oil and level, and all new parts. And yet it was miles better with the old black sh1t. Almost at times wished I hadn't.