Transmission fluid advice...
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Joined: Feb 2011
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'11 E350BTC P2 Leather
Transmission fluid advice...
I drive a 2011 M-B E350 Bluetec diesel with the OM642 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine.
I am just turning 120K miles (about 200k km) and the recommended 120K service includes: engine oil change and filter, engine air filter, fuel filter and cabin air filter, and a transmission flush, fill and transmission filter.
Local Mercedes stealer, I mean dealer, wanted $2200 for all that. My local independent garage, who I trust implicitly, is doing everything but the transmission fluid and filter for $500. Fair enough.
He told me, "I can't do the transmission fluid. Need a special tool, it has to go in at a certain temperature, and I am just not equipped to do it, I'd have to buy the tools and charge you for it. Plus, if your transmission fluid was changed at 80K (which it was), I'd wait 60K beforeI changed it, that is what pretty much every brand does. 60k."
I called the stealer again, and they want $800 for the transmission filter, flush and refill.
Short of calling other M-B dealers, which I will do, what would you do? Wait 20K more? Find an independent garage that is more familiar with M-B? Pony up and let the stealer do his dirty work?
(Note I am not a fan of this dealer. They filled my DEF fluid from a 55 gallon drum and tried to charge me for 14 half gallon bottles at $20 each. I asked for the empty bottles, and they finally admitted they fill from a drum)
I am just turning 120K miles (about 200k km) and the recommended 120K service includes: engine oil change and filter, engine air filter, fuel filter and cabin air filter, and a transmission flush, fill and transmission filter.
Local Mercedes stealer, I mean dealer, wanted $2200 for all that. My local independent garage, who I trust implicitly, is doing everything but the transmission fluid and filter for $500. Fair enough.
He told me, "I can't do the transmission fluid. Need a special tool, it has to go in at a certain temperature, and I am just not equipped to do it, I'd have to buy the tools and charge you for it. Plus, if your transmission fluid was changed at 80K (which it was), I'd wait 60K beforeI changed it, that is what pretty much every brand does. 60k."
I called the stealer again, and they want $800 for the transmission filter, flush and refill.
Short of calling other M-B dealers, which I will do, what would you do? Wait 20K more? Find an independent garage that is more familiar with M-B? Pony up and let the stealer do his dirty work?
(Note I am not a fan of this dealer. They filled my DEF fluid from a 55 gallon drum and tried to charge me for 14 half gallon bottles at $20 each. I asked for the empty bottles, and they finally admitted they fill from a drum)
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
When transmission service intervals are whole mystery done by MB, I just did 2 of them last week.
$9 infra-red thermometer will do when you don't want to spend $100 on advanced scanner. Any shop hesitating spending "that kind of money" on their tools would be red-flagged in my books.
My W211 did not have ATF changed for 140k miles, while comparing the dust on magnets, I think the W212 was on factory ATF at 180k miles. No problems.
Note that 7G have converter plug, so if you don't DIY, make sure what the shop include in the price.
$9 infra-red thermometer will do when you don't want to spend $100 on advanced scanner. Any shop hesitating spending "that kind of money" on their tools would be red-flagged in my books.
My W211 did not have ATF changed for 140k miles, while comparing the dust on magnets, I think the W212 was on factory ATF at 180k miles. No problems.
Note that 7G have converter plug, so if you don't DIY, make sure what the shop include in the price.
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 1,293
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
When transmission service intervals are whole mystery done by MB, I just did 2 of them last week.
$9 infra-red thermometer will do when you don't want to spend $100 on advanced scanner. Any shop hesitating spending "that kind of money" on their tools would be red-flagged in my books.
My W211 did not have ATF changed for 140k miles, while comparing the dust on magnets, I think the W212 was on factory ATF at 180k miles. No problems.
Note that 7G have converter plug, so if you don't DIY, make sure what the shop include in the price.
$9 infra-red thermometer will do when you don't want to spend $100 on advanced scanner. Any shop hesitating spending "that kind of money" on their tools would be red-flagged in my books.
My W211 did not have ATF changed for 140k miles, while comparing the dust on magnets, I think the W212 was on factory ATF at 180k miles. No problems.
Note that 7G have converter plug, so if you don't DIY, make sure what the shop include in the price.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Read the procedure.
It is not adding at certain temp, but closing the overflow plug at the temperature it is calibrated for.
The procedure sounds scary at first since there is nothing like that in the past, but once you do it, there is not much to it.
Just messy job as you have to work under the car.
It is not adding at certain temp, but closing the overflow plug at the temperature it is calibrated for.
The procedure sounds scary at first since there is nothing like that in the past, but once you do it, there is not much to it.
Just messy job as you have to work under the car.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 1,293
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
Read the procedure.
It is not adding at certain temp, but closing the overflow plug at the temperature it is calibrated for.
The procedure sounds scary at first since there is nothing like that in the past, but once you do it, there is not much to it.
Just messy job as you have to work under the car.
It is not adding at certain temp, but closing the overflow plug at the temperature it is calibrated for.
The procedure sounds scary at first since there is nothing like that in the past, but once you do it, there is not much to it.
Just messy job as you have to work under the car.
The procedures MB have are for their own shops and simply speeds up the service time when they don’t need to wait for the old fluid to cool down for the volume measurement. Instead they have calculated what the temperature needs to be for fluid expansion to the correct level to overflow out.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
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From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Not sure what fluid that uses, but you can use Shell ATF fluids. It's probably either ATF 134 or ATF 134 FE. The local shell distributors usually have both for around $60 for a case of 12 quarts so much cheaper than the dealer. And yes, there's a certain procedure you're supposed to do to fill the transmission til the fluid comes pouring out. And that happens at a certain temperature. Fluids expand at different temperatures so I suppose if you do it when it's cold, you'll have too much fluid.
https://www.shell.us/business-custom...r-locator.html
https://www.shell.us/business-custom...r-locator.html
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
So, why not letting the old fluid to cool down to the same temperature as the new fluid is and then adding the exact same amount of the new fluid that came out?
The procedures MB have are for their own shops and simply speeds up the service time when they don’t need to wait for the old fluid to cool down for the volume measurement. Instead they have calculated what the temperature needs to be for fluid expansion to the correct level to overflow out.
2 the only way to check level is to top it off and let it overflow
3. getting ATF to 40C does not take long and you can always spend the time to check other things, or simply relax.
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Northeast
2012 S350 Bluetec, 2014 GLK250 Bluetec, 2026 E350 4Matic
Make sure you use the right fluid. There's a difference between the 2010 and 2011 E class (not sure of the exact cutoff) but one is the 7GTronic and one is the 7G Tronic Plus. The Plus requires fluid every 70K miles. The older 7G requires at 40K. I did the fluid myself on my 2011 E350 about 20K miles ago. It's a messy job but the only tools you need are a fluid transfer pump, IR thermometer and the thing that screws into the bottom of the pan to pump fluid in. I put the fluid in a clean bucket and pumped it in. No issues after the change.
I got a kit from benzexpert on Ebay. It included everything and was priced reasonably.
I got a kit from benzexpert on Ebay. It included everything and was priced reasonably.
Last edited by 300SE1993; May 9, 2018 at 11:28 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: Sacramento , CA
2010 e550 p2
Make sure you use the right fluid. There's a difference between the 2010 and 2011 E class (not sure of the exact cutoff) but one is the 7GTronic and one is the 7G Tronic Plus. The Plus requires fluid every 70K miles. The older 7G requires at 40K. I did the fluid myself on my 2011 E350 about 20K miles ago. It's a messy job but the only tools you need are a fluid transfer pump, IR thermometer and the thing that screws into the bottom of the pan to pump fluid in. I put the fluid in a clean bucket and pumped it in. No issues after the change.
I got a kit from benzexpert on Ebay. It included everything and was priced reasonably.
I got a kit from benzexpert on Ebay. It included everything and was priced reasonably.
After this date mercedes started using different fluid.
i got the kit from rockauto but i made my own kit with with parts they offered.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Harborfreight is having coupons for $5 transfer pumps.
The adapter might be harder to find, but transmission plug is having the same thread what oil pan plug and having spare oil pan plug, I drilled/taped it for hose connector.
The adapter might be harder to find, but transmission plug is having the same thread what oil pan plug and having spare oil pan plug, I drilled/taped it for hose connector.
