Stuka Bomber

Real simple question. How much should I expect to pay for this service?

I would assume this is not a very easy DIY for a first time mercedes owner.

Thank you gentleman!

Ivanrad

its not an easy DIY i recommend spending one day examining every part you buy which FYI it will cost u around 300-400 after parts and shipping. U should visit your local dealer for parts and beg for the whole sale price like i did.
take 1 day to examine what procedures need to be done . Then give yourself 8-9 hours to comfidently complete the flush along with double checking the fluid after a cold start and once the tranny is warmed up. Always change out the filter and any little things you notice.

jkowtko

It sounds like you're asking for prices the auto shop will charge for the service.

I believe this is the 722.9 (7-speed) transmission, which is a bit more involved than the 722.6 (5-speed) transmission (which I have).

For the 722.6 transmission the prices I have seen range from $250 for a partial flush, to $325-600 for a full flush. I don't know how the 722.9 service compares ... I believe the only differences are one additional tool involved in the 722.9 service (the special filler tube) which the auto shop may or may not already have, and one additional part, a $2 filler tube locking cap, for the 722.6 service since the 722.9 doesn't have a filler tube ... so I would think prices should be comparable.

Fyi, parts cost on a DIY for the 722.6 ... $25 for the pan gasket and filter, $10 for the electronic adapter plug, $20 for an eBay dipstick, $10 for 1/2" flush hose and clamp from Home Depot, and the rest for fluid. Fluid can cost anywhere from $5/qt to $20/qt depending on where you can find it.

Stuka Bomber

Here's the issue, the car has 36k on it. I just bought it, my first mercedes. During the inspection before I picked it up I noticed a slight tranny fluid leak. From my research I knew it was most likely the trans adapter plug. But assumed the worst and told the seller he'd have to come down $400 on the price. Which he did.

Should I just replace the plug via all the diys? Is there a particularly good DIY? Or should I drop the pan, replace the gasket, filter, and fluid while I'm down there? Or is the car due for the full flush? I can spend anywhere from $15 to $400 on this leak I have. It is the 7 speed, sorry for the cofussion. How many qts should I need? I seen anywhere from 5 to 15 on the forums.

If all I need Is to drain the fluid and order the parts to fill back up I can handle that. But do I need to drain the torque converter and do more than most cars require? Like I said, new to merc.

I ready ordered the plug adapter and the gasket/ filter.

Greatly appreciated guys!

jkowtko

If you want your transmission to last 500k miles or more, the recommendaton is to do a full flush every 40k miles. Evidently these are extremely sturdy transmissions (except for that adapter plug issue) and the components will last a very long time. Your goal is to minimize the wear on the friction surfaces so they last as long as possible, and the way to best do that is by always having the correct, fresh fluid circulating inside the unit.

A partial flush means draining fluid from the pan drain plug, pulling the pan and replacing the pan gasket and filter. This uses around 5-6 quarts of fluid. Technically it is not a flush, it is a "drain and fill". While the pan is drained you can replace the adapter plug. Forgot to mention -- you should also get a fresh washer for the drain plug.

A full flush is done in addition to the partial flush, and involves getting the old fluid out of the torque converter, cooling lines and radiator. To do this you need the 1/2" clear tubing, which you attach to the cooling line feed to the radiator. This usually involves another 6 quarts of fluid so you can run enough through the system to effectively flush all of the old fluid out. You will be wasting some new fluid in the process, as the transmission should only hold about 9 quarts total, but this is one of those jobs that you do so infrequently and is involved enough, that you don't want to do it only 80-90% once you're in there. Also forgot to mention an O-ring for that radiator cooling line connection that you should replace as well.

Here are a couple of the links that I saved for transmission servicing. Remember, you have the 722.9 ... the fill process is more difficult than the 722.6 because you have no standard fluid filler tube -- you have to pump in new fluid from the drain hold using a special filler tube, which you will have to buy. But you don't need that eBay dipstick.

MB transmission flush procedure for the 211 - MBWorld.org Forums
flush instructions
'05 C240 trans. issues.HELP - MBWorld.org Forums
Flushed my tranny - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum
One man Mercedes 722.6 transmission flush.pdf

And, don't forget you must get the correct fluid! Here's a discussion thread for reference. You need spec 236.14

722.6 ATF - MBWorld.org Forums

The 236.14 was arrived at by Mercedes through research and testing, and supposedly can give you a ballpark of 30% more life than the old spec, 236.10, which was also researched and tested by Mercedes. So don't cheap out and get something that isn't 236.14 spec.

MB 236.14 - Automatic transmission fluids (ATF, Specification 236.14) - Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Operating Fluids

Stuka Bomber

Awesome. Thank you sir, I think I'll visit my local dealer and ask for the parts. I'm pretty technical with those PDFs, diys, and YouTube, I'm pretty sure I can handle it. Is there a recommended source for the proper fluid I need? The cheaper the better, I realize it can be hand for anywhere from 5-15 a qt.

jkowtko

A couple of threads cover the never-ending quest for inexpensive 236.14 ... I managed to find a case of Shell ATF134 for $65+tax by calling a local Shell distributor and picking it up from the wholesale transfer station. I think I was lucky ... Fortunately I won't have to deal with this again for a couple more years. Good luck, and please post to the ATF threads if you find a good source of fluid.

mis3

One interesting point is when my indie did the pan flush for me last time, he chose to loosen the screws of the pan first and let the ATF dripped from the side. After a while, he would remove the whole pan. I asked and his reply was he did not want to "disturb" the drain plug. He's right, that stain plug is another source of ATF leak.

Javvy

how do you make sure that yours is a 722.6 and not a 722.9, mine is a 2007 C280 4matic and I was under the impression that it is a 722.6 and then this post......How does one calculate the 7speed v/s 5speed.....

5Speed: 4 forward + 1 reverse
7speed: 6 Foward + 1 reverse

Is the above correct.....???

Mine is 4 forward + 1 reverse, so if the above is correct then I am 722.6.

Can some one throw some light on this please...

Javvy

LILBENZ230

Javvy -

The C280 4Matic has the 722.6.

Only the RWD cars of 2006-2007 had the 722.9.

Also, the 7G has 7 forward gears, 2 of which are overdriven, and two ratios for reverse.
The 5-speed has 5 forward gears, one overdriven, and two ratios for reverse.

Glyn M Ruck

+1^

jkowtko

I think it's pretty cool that we have two reverse gears ... how many cars have that? (at least all Mercedes and Chrysler with the NAG trannies).

Is there an easy indicator to tell if it's a 7-speed? Does the gear display on the dash show up to 7?

LILBENZ230

It's easy to tell by the year and model. The C55 AMG (2006 only) and the 4Matics in 2006-2007 used the 722.6. The RWD cars in 2006-2007 used the 7G.

On the dash the display would show D1 through D6 and just "D" for 7.

Stuka Bomber

Time out, so I just realized that I have the 4matic and thus the 722.6 correct? Sorry, I've had the car for two weeks sitting in the garage while I wait for the title :/.

I can follow all those diys 100% to perform this correct?

Thanks guys!

jkowtko

Yes, either way you can do it yourself ... the 722.6 is probably a bit easier with a standard refill tube.

How did you not know if you had a 4WD vehicle or not? That's a pretty big "feature" to miss when you're buying a car ...

If you want to be more sure, confirm with the VIN number and the gear selector display on the dash.

Stuka Bomber

Well I've made a couple threads on various forums and realized I didn't tell you guys I had a 4matic in my initial post. Then I read all the replies and noticed that the responses didn't take into account I had a 4matic. I reread my initial and noticed I left that out.

jkowtko

Then I think you're good to go with the DIYs.

One suggestion on the radiator cooling line flushing part of the procedure ... the fluid comes out rather quickly, jerks the hose around a bit, and takes maybe only 10-15 seconds to push out two quarts of fluid.

If you don't have a helper for this part, just make sure you have a good clear or translucent storage container of one gallon minimum with the 2 qt level clearly marked, and that you have a way to hold both the carton and the tube in place so they don't tumble when you turn the engine on, and within your eyesight while you still have one hand on the ignition key so you can turn it off at the right time.

If you are looking for ways to weigh the container down, one method is to start with 1 qt of old fluid (from your pan draining) already in the container, and set your top mark at the 3qt level. That should give you enough weight to keep it from getting tossed.

You should be able to do this flush with 12 quarts (5 + 2 + 2 + 2, plus 1 for topping off). But if you find the fluid cheap enough you might want to buy 14 qts so you can do the flush even more throughly.

Stuka Bomber

Awesome. Thanks for all the help. Ill hit the dealer Monday and buy the parts.

Last question, I got a flyer in the mail today from the local Firestone tire center. $50 off a trans flush. After inspecting to make sure they are using the proper fluid and after verifying they are using 14qts. Is something that they can be trusted to do? I can stand in the waiting room and watch them through the glass to verify everything.

Thoughts?

jkowtko

If they use the correct fluid and follow the standard procedures, sure why not?

Confirming the correct fluid could be a bit difficult, however. Here are the two approved specs for the 722.6 transmission:

http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/236.14_en.html
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/236.10_en.html

236.10 is the older spec which was current when these transmissions first came out. Mercedes since upgraded the fluid with spec 236.14 both for the newer 722.9 transmission, and in general to further prolong the life of 722.6 trannies. Either one will work ... 236.14 will help your tranny last longer. (Expected life of these transmissions is on the order of half a million miles if properly cared for.)

The fluid must be exactly what is listed on the spec sheet. For example, Shell ATF134 does not mean Shell ATF[something else]. The fluid packaging should mention somewhere on the label that it is "approved for MB spec 236.14". If the dealer says he has fluid that is "specifically made for Mercedes Benz" that doesn't cut it ... there are many MB transmissions over the years that require many different types of ATF, most or all of which are mutually incompatible ... you don't want to ruin a $6k tranny with the wrong fluid! The label on the product must explicitly state the spec or match the product name exactly. If you have any doubts about this, take down whatever info you can from the dealer and post it on this forum for feedback.

As for flushing, DIY'ers do it from the connection point where the outbound cooling line meets the radiator (usually the top connection), however MB shops may flush where the return cooling line connects back into the transmission. For the latter you need a special fitting since the return connection is a banjo bolt. Either one should be fine as ultimately most of the fluid you need to flush is in the transmission's torque converter, and that will be pumped into the cooling lines either way. I suggest you watch a couple of the DIY videos to see how it has been done, before visiting the dealership. Then ask them to show you how they would do it. With the hood open on your car it shouldn't take them more than 15 seconds to explain it. And it will hopefully match something you've seen or heard. (e.g. sticking a pipe down the filler tube to repeatedly drain and fill is not a proper way to flush this transmission.)

Good luck ... let us know what you find out.

mis3

I have a 722.6. When I did my pan flush last year, I was looking for 236.10 ATF and could not find any, not even the local dealerships. Based on the advice from w209 forum, I used 236.14 ATF. Because my trusted indie only did pan flush, I actually did 2 pan flushes in a row, 3k miles apart in order to push more 236.14 ATF in the transmission.

The transmission service eliminated some idle vibrations and the car drove super smooth afterward. So, 236.14 is definitely a good ATF for 722.6.

I watched the whole procedure and the most important thing is to keep everything clean. Also, to measure the ATF level is not straight forward.

Stuka Bomber

Just thought I'd update the thread for future searchers. My local dealer is dong the trans flush for $260 including tax. That's cheaper than I priced all the parts out to.

That's for new filter, gasket, and pressurizing the whole system and cleaning it out.

Just a heads up.

jkowtko

Pressurizing? Is this an MB dealership?

Stuka Bomber

Yes sir. They said they blow all the lines clear of old fluid to flush the whole system.

Javvy

flushing does not mean dropping the pan replacing the gasket and the filter....flushing means removing the drain bolt letting all the old fluid drain and just pouring in what came out.....all this pressurizing hog is just plain BS...ask them if they will be dropping the pan cleaning the old gasket out and replacing with new gasket and filter and also getting to the oil in the torque converter......if YES then it is a super deal or else it is super expensinve....

You can DIY the flush yourself....for llike $80....

just my 2 cents...

javvy

kirax2

i spent about 350 at a indy mercedes shop to do it for my C230 coupe, car drive like new afterward