Transmission Fluid?
 

Its come time to do the transmission fluid but im not trying to go to mercedes to get it done...is this a job that only mercedes can do and if not, whats a good price to pay? And whats really done when during a transmission flush?

Here in the UK a good indie charges around £175 that includes a new filter, a flush is no good as the pan has to come off to change the filter.

These boxes have no drain plug for the torque converter,,, so when the pan is off, just slacken the oil cooler pipe and just spin the engine for a few seconds and it will drain that too.

Sure its messy but it works

The torque converter does have a drain plug!!! Alll you have to do is turn it manually until you see the drain plug and then let the fluid drain out. I bought the filter and fluid for 60 bucks I think so its pretty cheap if you want to do it yourself but its a messy job and it might be worth paying the extra cash.

Oh and I have a 430 so it might be different, hopefully its the same design.

Greg

you have to understand that theres a difference between a flush and a drain and fill.

because if you just drain it, you arent draining fluid thats in the torque converter, theres a flush machine my tech hooked my car up to. flushed 16 quarts through the whole system, changed out all my gaskets and seals. cost me about 300. well worth it, the old fluid looked terrible.

Make sure they use OEM fluid and filter, these will have to be purchased from the dealer.

Also, I am not sure about your year, but it may be one of the cars that does not have a torque converter drain plug (when MB thought they had lifetime ATF). In this case, you need to have it flushed out, otherwise you are only draining the pan.

On cars with both drains, there is no point to a flush, since the draining method gets everything out.

agreed. these cars dont have a drain plug on the torque converter, hence it needs to be flushed out.

I think 98-99s have the TC drain plug.

does anyone know if the 01 has a drain plug?

I went to Caliber Motors (Mercedes Benz dealership in Anaheim Hills, CA). I asked for a transmission flush. The bill came to $89. I don't remember the transmission shifting so smoothly. I'm pretty sure I got a drain and fill rather than a flush, as just the transmission fluid for a flush would have cost more than that. However I am very happy with the price and effects on the car.

The 2001 does not.

it was only 89? thats not bad i was expecting a lot more..thanks for the help!!

Dealer ATF FLUSH in Maryland costs well over $500.00. I think they changed to the adaptive transmission in 2000, so it would not surprise me if pre 2000s have both drain plugs, and post 2000's do not. If you have a post 2000, then Im not sure what the point is to a drain and fill, because there is so much dirty fluid left. Id def pay the extra money for a true fluid exchange (about 16 quarts of synthetic are pumped through the transmission in total)

How do you top up the diff oil is what i want to know?:crazy:

The Diff has a bolt on the passenger side that has to be taken off. Then you can fill the diff up until it is level with the bottom of the hole. BUT, I recommend to do a complete drain and refill so that you will have FRESH gear fluid in there!!

Greg