diy auto transmission fluid change

[MICHAEL31]

I was all set taking my e270 cdi 2003 to my local guy for auto box fluid change, I alreay had the kit (oil, filter etc) which he was glad of, but he explained he can only get so much fluid out, leaving the tc almost full. to empty that needs special equipment, am I right in thinking only a decent vacuum pump required, and can be diy quite easily, oh I have dip stick as well. tia.

 

[Dragonml]

Heat up your transmission fluid,take it for a good drive .
Lift the front of the car up,i did my ml on ramps.
Unscrew gearbox drain plug.
Let it drain.
Remove 6 bolts holding sump up.
Remove sump lower it down there will be still some fluid in it.
Remove filter,let it drip for a 20 min .cleen up your sump pan.
On passengers side for uk car at the botom of the gear box you will see metal pipe with banjo conection,remove banjo and slowly move pipe few cm.
Now you need to get same size banjo conector (go to scrap yard and cut one of from auto mercedes)
Fit banjo pipe on and add bit of rubber pipe to it so it can flow in to container..
Fit gearbox filter and new gasket and refit sump make sure you cleen up surface of gearbox where gasket will go refit drain bolt.
Fill 4 litres of oil in to gear box from filling tube under the bonet.
Start the car and wach fluid flowing out of your drain pipe,let few litres out, stop and refill box with 2 litres of fluid.
Do same again until you see nice new red fluid coming out of your drain pipe.
Stop .
Remove your adapter pipe, refit original gearbox pipe with new washers on each side of banjo.
Start up the car check oil level with dipstick (i got one from auction site for 8 pounds)
In my case i needed to add more oil.
Its a easy job .

 

[-AJC-]

Lift the front of the car up,i did my ml on ramps.
Fill 4 litres of oil in to gear box from filling tube under the bonet.

Where is the filling tube on the ML? I've lost some transmission fluid from a leak at the transmission cooler by the radiator. I'd like to refill without having to make up a fitting to connect to the underside by the sump.

 

[Uncle Benz]

I'm just the bearer of bad news for you today! On the 7G in the W164 there is no filler tube. You have no choice but to pump fluid into the gearbox via the drain hole.

 

[-AJC-]

Isn't all bad, I have a pump somewhere in the garage!

 

[Uncle Benz]

Phew! I was going to offer to give you a lend of mine!

 

[-AJC-]

Well I've got a Sealey system for filling and bleeding the brake fluid which probably can be adapted. Mind you as you're local wouldn't mind a lend of a suitable connector if you've already got one made up!

 

[umblecumbuz]

When you undo the banjo union that connects the atf cooler to the transmission, and run the engine as detailed above, there really is no need for any kind of special connector to direct the outflow.
Just use a suitable container placed underneath. Thr fluid flow is slow - it does not rocket out. And, of course, you will not be reusing it.

 

[-AJC-]

When you undo the banjo union that connects the atf cooler to the transmission, and run the engine as detailed above, there really is no need for any kind of special connector to direct the outflow.
Just use a suitable container placed underneath. Thr fluid flow is slow - it does not rocket out. And, of course, you will not be reusing it.

But I will need to refill by connecting to the drain plug and pumping the new fluid in.

 

[mercmancdi]

What's the score w212 ,,,2012 e class does it need transmission fluid change at 40000 or are they sealed for life , Sorry if in wrong place

 

[John Laidlaw]

I think 37500 miles for ATF regardless - I'll try to check the book later if I remember!

 

[ajlsl600]

I'm just the bearer of bad news for you today! On the 7G in the W164 there is no filler tube. You have no choice but to pump fluid into the gearbox via the drain hole.

how F stupid a design is that.....thats simply benz going out of their way to stop people from doing a simple job themself and frankly,for me just about enough to stop me from buying one, i already had to buy a pump to suck the oil out of my SL ,just for the sake of a sump plug ,are benz frightened that their boys cant be relied on to tighten the damn plug... i will say, once i got over the exasperation of having to buy a pump, my knees and back were ok with not having to grovel under the car to do the job.

 

[Frontstep]

I think an experienced MB tech should be allowed to wander through the development departments with a cattle prod,
any daft designer could be given a few volts to remind them that the car being fixed later in its life requires some fore thought.

 

[mercmancdi]

I have 37500 MLS on mine and only done 1400 MLS from last September ( few health issues in family )
So rang mb to see what's cheapest check they could do to keep service up to date , after some debate they rang me back , looking £320 for service , but said I need my transmission fluid now changed and at a reduced rate they would do it for £340 so that's £660 thank you sir ,, you can guess I said no thank you
Sir .

 

[mercmancdi]

I think 37500 miles for ATF regardless - I'll try to check the book later if I remember!

Thank you

 

[steveq]

What's the score w212 ,,,2012 e class does it need transmission fluid change at 40000 or are they sealed for life , Sorry if in wrong place

You will have the 7G+ gearbox.
The ATF change is at 60,000 (or 5 years) on that gearbox as far as I know. It will state it in your handbook.
Definitely NOT sealed for life -- unless you want to shorten the lifespan significantly !!

There is a different ATF to be used on the 7G+ which is the Merc spec 236.15. It is coloured blue to highlight the difference from the previous ATF which is red.
It takes about 9 litres + new filter + new sump bolts + new rubber gasket + TC sump bolt. That lot will total well over £100 plus labour.
If you do get it done you need to make absolutely sure that they drain the Torque Converter which holds about 4 litres. I don't think main dealers do that normally.

It might be the best value you ever got when compared to the potential issues if you don't do it.

 

[ajlsl600]

I think an experienced MB tech should be allowed to wander through the development departments with a cattle prod,
any daft designer could be given a few volts to remind them that the car being fixed later in its life requires some fore thought.

****** right ,but if 5 of ten owners feel they have to go to the dealer because there is no drain plug the benz designer has done HIS job...AND benz save 10 cents per car ,one less bolt,washer, tooling to install . these days i think benz pretty strong on finding work for their dealers, and WHO checks for these kind of dramas prior to purchase........i did,nt

 

[steveq]

****** right ,but if 5 of ten owners feel they have to go to the dealer because there is no drain plug the benz designer has done HIS job...AND benz save 10 cents per car ,one less bolt,washer, tooling to install . these days i think benz pretty strong on finding work for their dealers, and WHO checks for these kind of dramas prior to purchase........i did,nt

Hi,

There is a gearbox drain plug (and a TC drain plug) -- the dipstick pipe is gone.

At least Merc have gone away from the 'sealed for life' mantra.

The 7G+ ATF change is doable as a DIY.
There is more to do but most of the tasks are the same as the 5G:-

• Remove the rear engine cover
  
• Remove the electric pump that is bolted to the TC so that the TC drain is accessible (7G+)
  
• Drain the TC (at least there is a TC drain bolt on these) (7G+)
• Remove the ATF sump plug to drain the ATF
  
• Remove the sump to get at the filter
• Thoroughly clean the sump
• Fit new filter
• Fit new rubber sump seal
  
• Replace the sump bolts as they are single use stretch bolts (7G+)
  
• The torque settings are low on these necessitating the purchase of a new torque wrench - for me at least (7G+)
  
• Screw adaptor into the sump for filling (Purchased from Amazon under £15 ) (7G+)
  
• Attach pump and pump in over 9 litres of the new ATF (Lidl pump (about £15) worked great for me) (7G+)
• Start car (7G+)
  
• Use my iCarsoft 980 to monitor the ATF temp up to 45degC (7G+)
• Remove the adaptor/pump pipe and let the excess flow out (7G+)
• Screw in the sump drain plug.
• Refit the engine cover

Honestly, getting the car safely up to an adequate height to work under it is the most difficult task -- that is the same on the 5G and a perennial problem for DIYers.

 

[Yugguy]

Just as a note, if you don't want to, or can't drain the TC, if you are prepared to do several flushes and fills in a row you can more or less change all the fluid. Do 3 or 4 drains and fills, then a final drain and fill with a new filter.