Transmission Fluid Change
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: ct
All Diesel Fleet !1983 240d stick,2005 E320 CDI Midnight blue, 2005 E320 CDI, Desert Silver, Kubota
Transmission Fluid Change
Finally found a BG Transmission Fluid Exchange machine. I brought the requisite 16 litres for the exchange.( purchased wholesale from MB ). You need the extra 5 or 6 literes for the complete flush. It was very simple. The mechanic put the car( 05 CDI-25,000 miles ) on the lift, dropped the forward plastic sound cover under the cooler and disconnected the transmission lines to the cooler. He was very careful and I estimate that he lost only a couple of teasponfuls. The car was started and the car's transmission pump pumped the old fluid into the BG machine and that pushed the new fluid from the machine into the other cooler line and back into the transmission. Total time was about 45 minutes. This procedure completely exchanges the fluid, as opposed to just dropping the pan and replacing the pan fluid. I plan on doing it at each 25,000 and at 75,000 dropping the pan and cleaning the magnet and replacing the filter. The fluid coming out was darker, but I have seen fluid coming out from an E320 with 60,000 miles that was totally black.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm
Finally found a BG Transmission Fluid Exchange machine. I brought the requisite 16 litres for the exchange.( purchased wholesale from MB ). You need the extra 5 or 6 literes for the complete flush. It was very simple. The mechanic put the car( 05 CDI-25,000 miles ) on the lift, dropped the forward plastic sound cover under the cooler and disconnected the transmission lines to the cooler. He was very careful and I estimate that he lost only a couple of teasponfuls. The car was started and the car's transmission pump pumped the old fluid into the BG machine and that pushed the new fluid from the machine into the other cooler line and back into the transmission. Total time was about 45 minutes. This procedure completely exchanges the fluid, as opposed to just dropping the pan and replacing the pan fluid. I plan on doing it at each 25,000 and at 75,000 dropping the pan and cleaning the magnet and replacing the filter. The fluid coming out was darker, but I have seen fluid coming out from an E320 with 60,000 miles that was totally black.
This is good to know. I am thinking that I am going to have the ATF changed/flushed or whatever you want to call it at about 20K for the first time. I also will have the transfer case fluid changed at the same time. I kind of thought that this 100K service life was wrong. Also, BudC sent me a service bulletin that MB in Germany issued stating to change the ATF at about 60,000 KM (or about 37,000 miles). Fluid is cheap and just because I have an extended warranty it does not mean that my transmission will fail while it is still covered. I think that this is the way to go if you are planning to keep the car for a long time (which I am).
I will try and find the letter and it's translation and post it. Also, how clean was the fluid going in the machine (the new ATF)? Sometimes the new fluid is already kind of black.
Steve
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Super Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 522
Likes: 2
From: ct
All Diesel Fleet !1983 240d stick,2005 E320 CDI Midnight blue, 2005 E320 CDI, Desert Silver, Kubota
Fluid Color
The MB approved fluid was a medium red color. Fluid coming out was just slightly darker.
