contact148

here are the results so am i in trouble with this transmission??

Star Rider

Why does the "antifreeze" column have a question mark? Is there some in there or not?
Your numbers seem to be all over the place... some much higher than average, some much lower.

contact148

I dont know maybe because it may have coolant in it??

Star Rider

For them to mark it with a question mark doesn't tell you anything at all... kinda pointless. It should be a yes/no answer with the concentration numbers if yes I would think. Someone with brains will happen along on this sooner or later with a more educated answer.

mleskovar

"We did find a little potassium and sodium in this sample, which aren't normally found in ATF. Potassium and sodium probably show antifreeze in the oil, if that's a possibility." Call them and ask why the question mark. My guess is the test did not show coolant present but they did find components of coolant present so they are questioning it.

contact148

well i just dropped the pan and its the saddest looking atf ive ever seen dark brownish black....

thunder storms or else id have done the flush tonight

mleskovar

You better find out if there's glycol in your fluid before you go any further. If there is you need a new radiator and a total system flush.

contact148

well i allready replaced the rad with a behr as i had the valeo I filled the tranny up cooler lines ive not hooked up yet if its not raining tomorrow ill flush it I got a case of shell atf 134 $7.63 canadian a bottle

Im hopeing glyn will comment on this....

mleskovar

Did you replace the radiator because of ATF/glycol contamination? If not, maybe it did leak and that's what is showing up.

Dingleberry

What?

contact148

replaced the rad yesterday

tranny had the certian rpm wineing noise and then started bucking in1st/2nd gear so i parked it and found the valeo rad so i took it out and put a behr in it sat since sunday as getting parts takes days here

mleskovar

OK, gotcha now. There's some posts on this process where they were successful in saving the trans. I've read where to fully 'flush' you need to exercise the trans/valve body through the gears but I don't know how much fluid is trapped in there and if it would make a difference. Glyn's sleeping now, so should you

samaritrey

splinter

Gave up on Blackstone a while ago. Southwest Research Institute’s UOA is superior IMO.

http://www.swri.org/4org/d08/d08home.htm

C230 Sport Coup

Glycol would be accompanied by water, and you show no water.
How many miles on the vehicle or since last flushed?
yes, actually a full flush is only called for when glycol contamination occurs.
The rest of the time, the factory figures 4 quarts out of 9 is just hunky.
BS.

I'm ramping up to do mine again #2, getting some clunking.
50K miles since last flush. Got all the stuff for free....
just short 2 or 3 quarts. One more trip to the dealer....

Someone pointed out once, easy way to tell if coolant has
gotten into the tranny is to put some on a hot skillet or whatever and see if it sizzles, and
or steams ie water.

C230 Sport Coup

Glyn never sleeps.
He's actually a self aware piece of software wandering the net,
like the lawnmower man.
My phone rang just recently and said 'unavailable'.
I'm pretty sure it was him.

contact148

there is currently 127500 KM on it i had a fluid and filter change done 10km ago

car was lady driven mostly hwy I drive it maybe 10km a day mon fri and it sits most weekends it gets on the hwy every 2 weeks or so for 45mins each way

Just completed the flush 4 liters came out with the pan/filter then i ran it and took 2 liters each time 4 times for a total of 12liters

fluid was dark black brown for 1st 4 liters then got better till it came out new

just took car out seems to be ok with possible one slip but it could have been the road too....

set the level in the middle of the 2 marks for 80 closer to the lower end as car was hotter then 80

Glyn M Ruck

In my opinion there are traces of antifreeze having been in the system. No doubt from your old Valeo radiator. I presume a 4 quart change was done on this transmission & not a complete flush? The sample would not be too bad for 60,000Km but is crap for 10,000 Km. I would believe that the transmission has not been serviced every 39,000 miles/60,000Km. So you are doing exactly what Benz recommend in this situation & doing a complete flush.

After a full flush & filter change. Run 10,000 miles & take another sample & we will have a better idea what is going on.

I'm presuming this messy sample is a cocktail of old & new fluid. Pity we don't have a sample of what came out 10,000Km ago. I'll bet it was awful.

Correct me if my assumptions are wrong.

contact148

the sample was taken on the weekend so the newest fluid is 10k and yes they only did a filter and 4L atf change at that time

now that the offending rad is removed im hopeing all will be ok

I plan on doing another filter and fluid change in a few months aiming for oct before it gets too cold here

esp since i can get the shel 134 atf for $7.63 a liter

now by those #'s glyn should i be worried??

mleskovar

I bet the water is boiled off and since the new radiator isn't leaking into the trans fluid what you have left of the glycol is showing up.

Glyn M Ruck

The sample is not representative because it is a cocktail so it's hard to say. I would not loose any sleep. Let's see what the next sample looks like with completely new fluid & known mileage. You might have done the first change that car had ever seen.

If you find clutch pack material on the filter screen is when you need to really be worried.

contact148

ill take a pic of the filter once i cut it open if there is anything on it

Glyn M Ruck

+1

johnand

What did the magnets look like when you dropped the pan?

Glyn M Ruck

Last I heard this transmission was still going - & this is metallic wear debris.