Do you change the oil in an SLK gearbox?

Brian23

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
82
Location
UK
Your Mercedes
EClass
I have, as you can tell by all the posts, bought my wife a lovely 1999 SLK 230. I was going to change the Oil and filter in the gearbox as a matter of course when I get a different car, but it says in the hand book that it is permanent fill. Does this mean that you never have to change it? If you should change it then how often? and with what oil if you do. I have no reason to believe that there isn't enough oil, just that it is 10 years old. I take it that there is no way of checking the level?
Brian
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Hello Brian,, the oil level is checked via the standpipe on the side of the box,, the oil should be good for at least 100k
 
OP
B

Brian23

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
82
Location
UK
Your Mercedes
EClass
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
The dipstick says for MB servicing only, or am I looking at the wrong thing?
Brian
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
The dipstick says for MB servicing only, or am I looking at the wrong thing?
Brian

No dip stick on this one. 41 is the fill up plug and 38 the drain
 

MB TECH WARRINGTON

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2008
Messages
572
Reaction score
0
I have, as you can tell by all the posts, bought my wife a lovely 1999 SLK 230. I was going to change the Oil and filter in the gearbox as a matter of course when I get a different car, but it says in the hand book that it is permanent fill. Does this mean that you never have to change it? If you should change it then how often? and with what oil if you do. I have no reason to believe that there isn't enough oil, just that it is 10 years old. I take it that there is no way of checking the level?
Brian

change it every 37k, dont listen to the filled for life crap.
Mercedes stated this about the tiptronic box then brought it down to 80k, then 60k, now 37k.

Get it changed or risk a rebuild, a no brainer to me.

We have had many a autobox rebuilt.
 
OP
B

Brian23

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
82
Location
UK
Your Mercedes
EClass
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
change it every 37k, dont listen to the filled for life crap.
Mercedes stated this about the tiptronic box then brought it down to 80k, then 60k, now 37k.

Get it changed or risk a rebuild, a no brainer to me.

We have had many a autobox rebuilt.

Ok thanks for that and should I only use MB oil??
Brian
 

OlafMaxwell

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
1,044
Reaction score
0
Location
Cork Ireland
Your Mercedes
W210 E320 CDI Estate
I fully agree with MB Tech. I hav ethe 5 speed auto, now on 160k miles, had a second fluid change last November. It seems it will last quite well as long as you change the fluid as recommended, more frequently as it gets older too.
 
OP
B

Brian23

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
82
Location
UK
Your Mercedes
EClass
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Thank you

I'll agree with that entirely. When you drain at 50k miles and see the condition of it, you will wish you had done it sooner.

Thank you for the help, next question is: How much oil is in the GBox. and also how do you check the level if there is no dip stick? or is there a tool that you can buy
Brian
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
There is a stand pipe and you just fill to the top till no more goes in
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Now that I am with the right box,,,your car holds 7.5 liters from new,,are you going to empty the torque converter, if not it will take about 3 to 3.5 liters,,if you empty the converter, around 6.5 liters.

MB fluid only
 
OP
B

Brian23

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
82
Location
UK
Your Mercedes
EClass
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #16
I will empty it all. MB say it takes 11Lts
Brian
 

racall

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
376
Reaction score
0
Age
75
Location
london
Your Mercedes
c class and slk
I recon it will take about 6 to seven liters with the torque converter and a gasket and electricial plug
As you will need a dipstick as well i recommend you pop down to ollies and get a profensional to do the job

Ps i wish the forum had a spell cheker
 

Alex Crow

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
10,677
Reaction score
47
Location
Super Suffolk
Your Mercedes
W169, W124, w202, W203, KTM 250 EXC, VW T25 camper and a Polo in a pear tree
so why do benz not reccomend more than a once only change, and not even that on the first 722.6 boxes? we reccomend a change at, say, 30-50k then every 150k or never. boxes with other faults going into emergency program will wear the clutches quicker due to hard, unmodulated shifting. a box performing correctly with the correct oil level will not dirty it`s oil after that initial breaking in period and first change.

this, my opinion, is one of many dear poster. but ask yourself why we dont change steering/suspension/diff oil anymore but still change engine oil - the answer is that modern synthetic oils only degrade by contamination (mostly through the bores on engines), by extreme thermal overloading or by mechanical overloading of film strength and consequent particule contamination. when all is well in your auto box none of these situations will occur, when they do an oil change will not help!!
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
so why do benz not reccomend more than a once only change, and not even that on the first 722.6 boxes? we reccomend a change at, say, 30-50k then every 150k or never. boxes with other faults going into emergency program will wear the clutches quicker due to hard, unmodulated shifting. a box performing correctly with the correct oil level will not dirty it`s oil after that initial breaking in period and first change.

this, my opinion, is one of many dear poster. but ask yourself why we dont change steering/suspension/diff oil anymore but still change engine oil - the answer is that modern synthetic oils only degrade by contamination (mostly through the bores on engines), by extreme thermal overloading or by mechanical overloading of film strength and consequent particule contamination. when all is well in your auto box none of these situations will occur, when they do an oil change will not help!!

It was interesting that MB only changed the fluid on the cars when they went over to assyst,,once only at 40k miles.

By pulling the dip sick and looking at the fluid can tell you quite a lot.

I would have qualms about leaving the fluid for a fair time after the 40k change
 

gre1591

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
217
Reaction score
2
Location
North Yorks
Your Mercedes
C200 Auto (1995)
I had my first gearbox oil change done at 70,000miles (Car is an early 95- C200 with a 3 speed auto box) on a recent service @110,000 miles and I asked for it to be changed again but the technician said there was no need as it had only done 40,000 since the last gearbox oil change and the type of oil they used (probably shell) does 90,000 no problem.

Is this older mechanical gearbox have any different recommendations to the newer more electronically controlled gearboxes ? and what is the general opinion of these conflicting information’s?
 

You lost your key ? Or maybe you need a spare! Your vehicle imobilliser does not respond anymore? WE CAN FIX THEM ALL !! Mobile ! Save Time and Increase Profits With us !
Top Bottom