RickP330

Guys,
I just hit 60,000 miles and need to go in for some alignment work. I never had the transmisson service done. I thought perhaps I'd do it, but I don't even know what it is!
What exactly does the transmission service include and is it really necessary?
Kind regards,
Rick

tanktube67

You are supposed to do your transmission service every 42,000 miles, its part of your prevented maintenance schedule.

dalazernet

They flush the transmission and replace the fluid. Its to get out any particles that would normally cause problems down the line. There are several schools of thought on this, but I'd rather pay for these transmission services than a new transmission down the line - if my old Chevy Blazer was $3k for a tranny, I can only imagine what an MB tranny would cost.

tanktube67

+1

TaxEsq

I may be wrong, but I thought they recommended a filter and gasket change, rather than just a flush?

apuccio

I have a 2006 C230 sport I just had my done, its $495 which include gaskets, fliud, filter and replacment bolts and washer. Remember on a mercedes the trans service is sealed.
Hope this helps.

Glyn M Ruck

You need to service the 722.9 7G transmission every 38,000 Km or 60,000 Km. For DIY see johnands thread on the W203 forum. Don't listen to MBUSA's one change & then filled for life - It is BS & = short life. Do as in ROW.

Here:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ce-thread.html

jctevere

I know the 2008 service schedule said that you never needed to change the transmission fluid on the w204. But they even realized that was not a good idea, and it is probably smarter to just change it out ever 40-50 thousand miles. I don't think you did any real harm by waiting till 60,000. But I would suggest that you do in fact do the service.

You guys are right to think that the tranny is expensive. I have heard it is upwards of 12,000 to get a new one installed at the dealer in a friends 2007 e-class (and I don't imagine our 7G tronic to be any different).

Glyn M Ruck

Oil analysis tells us that 38/39K change is sensible. The oil does not look as good as you might expect at this mileage. New long life 236.14 oil & all.

RickP330

Thanks guys, all of this is not good news. The opportunity cost of me doing it is not great. I will pay the $450 to get it done.
RP

justthinking

Transmission service cost about $299 (special coupon price) or $399 (standard price)

RickP330

Okay guys it is in for service. $440.00 Ouch. Got a 2010 loaner car you guys $uck with the memory seats :-) I am having trouble getting the last alignment to stay put. This will be the third time they reset it. Everytime they do it it lasts for like two days and then it's pulling to the left again. I asked them to see if they can find something else that might be causing it. Any ideas?
RP

jctevere

it could be a number of other things. One could be that your tire pressure for the front or rear tires don't match each other. It could be that a brake is making contact (to check this drive on highway for like 10 minutes and feel for the temperature in the wheel on both aide to see d they are about the same. Another one could be just the pitch of the road that is causing it to pull.

Least likely scenario is that you simply have a bad tire...

RickP330

Well it is absolutely pulling, although it is slight. Road crown or not. you hold the steering wheel straight and let go and the steering wheel immediatly rotates left I would say approx 3/16" of linear travel where your hands go. Never to the right and almost all the time from 35mph and up. No call yet, so I don't know if they found anything.
RP

RLE

You meant 38000 miles, didn't you.

RickP330

Okay, Results are in. The toe was out and two tire pressures low. I donno, after 3 alignments they can't get it right?
RP

Glyn M Ruck

Indeed I did RLE - Thanks for pointing out the dumb error

Glyn M Ruck

US cars should naturally pull to the right with the camber of the road. The fix for this is to run 1 deg more castor RHS than LHS - typically 10.6 & 9.6

If your car has the 3 way fluted castor bolts fitted in the castor/thrust arm bushes, One is likely installed in the wrong position. Check your castor specs.

mac911

Glyn -

The dealer keeps wanting to do an alignment on my cars due to the way the tires wear.

I am always hesitant thinking they're wanting some money and because they drive *perfect* down the road, straight. Sure, on crowned roads they pull to right, but they really drive perfectly straight on a flat road.

Do I run any risk of the car not driving perfect like this, if I go ahead and let them do an alignment the next time?

RLE

That's not what MY 2008 manual says. Whatever you are quoting is wrong. MB gave up on so called "lifetime" fluid back about 2005.

RLE

Unless that's a 7-speed, it's a different transmission. If it's the same 5-speed that was in my 2001 C320, it had no torque converter drain plug and the only way to get all the fluid out was to flush it. The 7-speed has a TQ drain plug so flushing (adds mucho cost) is not necessary. Flushing transmissions is a nice profit center for the dealer. Very nice.

Carsy

Glyn,

Would you happen to have the front wheel alignment figures for the W204 so I can file them away?.

Glyn M Ruck

That is a 7 speed.

On the 722.6 5 speed transmission the TC drain was deleted in 1999. It reappeared on the 722.9 7 speed about a year into production. I have never seen a W204 without a TC drain plug. Most W203's with the 722.9 had TC drains. 722.9 was fitted to other models prior to the C Class. Some of them have no TC drains.

Glyn M Ruck

You should have the alignment done properly to spec but only if they are capable of doing a proper 4 wheel alignment on a decent machine. If all they can do is toe then don't waste your time. With stock set up these cars should wear their tyres evenly apart from some front shoulder wear with enthusiastic driving.

Castor & camber bushes on these cars have a 3 position centre for alignment. They come with standard bolts that only allow use of the centre position. You require to buy fluted bolts to allow full adjustment (yes they are being cheap by not fitting them standard)











Benz SA have drummed into all dealers & alignment shops that for no pulling or irregular tyre wear you must set the castor 1 degree more positive on the passenger (then we cover LHD & RHD vehicles) side of the car than the drivers side - typically around 10.6 & 9.6. deg. - With this setting the car still tracks straight on a level road but will not pull with the typical camber of the road.

So have the fluted bolts installed. Have a proper alignment done by a competent shop. Ensure that the rear toe is correct as well - this is important for rear wear. I posted the method here.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ing-tires.html

The pics I've posted are from a W203 but the parts are interchangeable

Glyn M Ruck

Front tyres on my W203 after 10,000Km with proper alignment. Rear wear is totally flat & even - our 204 is the same.