ANDOLINI

On E320, 2001, Can I Change Transmission Fluid Myself. It Has 30,000 Miles. I Was Wondering May Be I Can Drain The Fluid Since It Has A Drain Plug; Open The Pan, Change The Filter. However Is There A Drain Plug For Torque Converter. After Draining The Torque Converter, Screw Back The Plug In And Then Fill The Fluid From Top Just Like Any Other Car. What Kind Of Fluid Should I Use? Thanks

BenzVince

Good luck with that, draining the tranny fuild is not hard but getting to the torque converter, there's a a opening to access to the bolt but the converter has to be rotated or turned to get the bolt align with the opening in order to unscrew the bolt. I didn't even bother doing it myself, i took it to the dealer cuz i knew it won't work unless it's on a lift.

lexrex

I'm fairly certain that Mercedes removed the drain plug for the torque converter in 1999. Your best bet may be to exchange the fluid through the transmission cooler lines.

You'll need to use a special Mercedes synthetic fluid. Don't use regular transmission fluid in it.

Lightman

There is also no trans fluid dipstick, at least not on my 99 - you will have to buy a special dipstick.

I paid $175 for a flush/fluid/filter at my local mb dealer. I didn't think that was bad at all.

Gregs210

I'm going to throw in with Lightman on this one. As lexrex notes, the fluid is MB specific and it's $10 a liter at a discount (and who knows how much you need -- last US car I did was 11 quarts). The dipstick is another $48(!) and when you add in the filter and flushing as well as the accumulated mess, $175 sounds like a good deal. Of course, where I live, it's probably more than that, but...

That said, unless your car has been abused, I don't think I'd be worrying about changing the fluid until something like 60-70K; that seems to be when most folks get it done, and I don't think MBZ really has a spec on when to do it. I'm coming up on my 60K 'B' service and I'll probably have the dealer do that (although I'll be doing lots of the items on it beforehand in order to keep the cost down).

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

ANDOLINI

I Guess I Wont Mess With It. I Love The Car. In The Past I Have Changed Fluids On My Car Its Just Gets You Closer To You Car Mechanically. I Will Just Take It To The Dealer. Thanks.

Lightman

This was done in Fl. Two dealers quoted me $250, but my local dealer there in Sarasota was $175. Just lucky I guess.

I change mine in the E every 50k.

ccmbduong

I don't think you need to change your trans fluid until after 60K mikes. I have '96 E320 and have it changed every 60K miles

diffuzi0n

when did you do this change? My tranny fluid along with gasket and the filter was about $155. I will be changing the fluid hopefully this weekend.

diffuzi0n

I did the change this weekend and I took out the oil pan and changed the filter, etc, however, I took out only about 4.5 quarts of tranny fluid. I know its suppose to be atleast just as much in torque converter, but i could not find the torque converter drain bolt for my life. Anyone did this on a 99? I know that there are two lines that are to cool off the tranny fluid, are they suppose to be hooked up a machine for a tranny flush? is that the only way to replace rest of it from the torque coverter?

Paxfobiscum

Go to Silverstar Motors in Northern Blvd. Had my tranny fluid completely flushed and replaced there about a month ago for about $180 or thereabouts. That includes filter and 8 quarts of fluid that if you buy separately would cost you $12 per quart. Let them do the job for you that way they can also check your car bottoms for anything else that needs checking. No need to do it yourself and buy a dipstick and all that jazz. Would end up being more expensive.

By the way, I changed my own sparkplugs and it was not easy but a great experience. I have some pictures to download when I find the time.



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