I did a little research on transmission fluid and what my 2008 S550 requires and I find the following:
The spec fluid required for my 2008 S550 is 236.14. S550s after about 2010 require 236.15
Shell 134 ATF meets the 236.14 spec. and I can get it from a distributor for about $70 for 12 quarts (about $6/quart)
According to the data sheet ( attached) Chevron Havoline Global MV transmission fluid meets both 236.14 and 236.15 and I can get that for $35 for 12 quarts (about $3/quart)
Valvoline maxlife meets both 236.14 and 236.15 spec (data sheet attached) and costs about $35/12 quarts. The Valvoline distributor here in Denver tells me that if a transmission fails because of a Valvoline fluid that was spec'd for the vehicle, Valvoline covers the repairs.

If the fluid meets the spec, why should I purchase MB trans fluid at $30/quart? Is there a difference if the spec is met? Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Data Sheets:
Chevron Havoline Global MV ATF data sheet link: https://cglapps.chevron.com/sdspds/P...&docFormat=PDF
Valvoline maxlife ATF data sheet link: https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publi...2-ac162d889bd1

 

 

does mobil have a 5-40 euro formula? ive been using the mobil 0-40 euro since new, but have just rolled 100k on my m273..ive also heard that the 0-40 is the heavier oil. thoughts?

 

 

I called Valvoline customer support (8008326825) and asked about the Valvoline Pro 236.14 and they said it is not marketed in the US and that the Maxlife is the fluid that covers spec 236.14 for the US. I asked why the Maxlife wasn't on Mercedes' list of approved fluids (BeVo). The response from Valvoline was Valvoline didn't pay the money to have it put on Mercedes' list. Notwithstanding Valvoline covering any damage, my point is that the Havoline Global and Valvoline Maxlife do meet the MB spec (236.14 and 236.15) as evidenced by their data sheets and are far cheaper than MB and Fuchs. So why not use them instead? That said, I might shy away from the Havoline because it is a synthetic blend. My understanding is the Valvoline and Shell are full synthetic. If it meets the spec, why does the fluid need to be put on the MB approved list? What am I missing here? The distributer here in Denver for the Shell ATF 134 is West Oil Direct (Jim Lien).

 

 

If you read the max life data sheet, it has an asterisk next to the 236.14/236.15 specs that says the viscosity profile differs from OEM specs so that can't recommend it in CA. Meaning it has a different viscosity curve as the fluid heats up so I'm sure maxlife will work in a pinch but you might want to look in to Mobil 134 or shell 134 as a cheaper alternative to OEM when it's not an emergency.

 

I have a 2007 S550 with 130K miles. I bought it at 70K miles and don't know if the previous owner got a transmission flush at any point of time. According to manual, transmission oil supposed be changed at 39,000 miles. Car is running fine and does not have any problem. I was told that if running fine - do not change, because it sometime can cause more problem to transmission. Do you have any recommendation, good or bad experience after transmission oil change.

 

a lot of people say don’t do it because it’ll harm it, personally I’m not one of them as i had the same question but on the c class and ignored it and ended up having to change it by force. I’d say pay attention to the shifting the smoothness and the time it takes to switch gears and whatnot and if it feels rough at this mileage I think you should go for it, I’m just about ready to hit 100k miles on my s class and I think it’s ready for it’s change aswell. Mercedes makes very strong transmissions and engines but I wouldn’t rely on them 100% when it comes to fluid changes.

 

Thanks. I've decided to go for it. I do like to buy my own parts and take it in to my indy (much cheaper). The car manual says it takes 9.8L (9 oz.) of transmission fluid. I have seen YouTube videos where they replace replace 5L or I keep replacing the fluid till it runs red. That is a lot of wasted fluid. What do you recommend?

 

Ask your “Indy” for the amount required. If he can’t answer, go elsewhere. Change requires special tools, including temperature measurement. Btw 9.8 liters is not equivalent to 9 ounces.

 

you can't read the owners manual 10 years on and expect it to have the correct information. you need to ask Mercedes what they NOW recommend is the correct specification. Two reasons.

1) the world moves and oil specification improves and later stuff may now be more suitable
2) Mercedes will know from workshop info and warranty claims over the first few years of their vehicles life what fails and why. They may retrospectively update the specification of fluid they would now use to improve shift action and or reliability

and this stupid site doesn't help https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevol...ets-sort1.html

 

Thank you for your research! I've been looking everywhere for this information. Now Valvoline even make the blue colored ATF and it should match the 236.15 spec even in color.

 

I'd make sure it is on the mb data sheet for reasons previously mentioned

 

I was thinking - on a few parts places and here and on other forums a few times... they all talk about an upgrade to the slightly deeper, higher capacity sump and the improved trans filter of the cars that run the later 7G fluid - but when you check that non backwards compatible fluid spec, that OIL is thinner - so if you put the thick blue fluid through a much finer filter I can imagine that upgrade could result in starving the box of much needed fluid - hence not so clever

checking with a dealer re some fluids a few years back for antifreeze and trans fluid,

Anitfreeze MB325 is blue and goes in the earlier stuff (2006 to 2013 I guess) dealers words were "pink stuff only went in Merc's from 2014"

So I then asked what my earlier 7G box should take and it is a different fluid to the later cars, he then said merc don't state what the difference is, so I looked up the difference between the Fuchs versions

The early 7G boxes takes 236.14 - fuchs version = TITAN ATF 4134

Ultra High Performance ATF, specially developed to optimize shifting performance of Mercedes-Benz automatic transmissions.

The later 7G boxes take 236.15 - fuchs version = TITAN ATF 7134 FE

Premium Performance ATF with reduced viscosity, especially developed to further optimize fuel-economy and gearbox efficiency of latest generation Mercedes-Benz 7-speed automatic transmissions. Not downwards compatible with previous MB-ATF-Specifications.


Productname
Mercedes-Benz Genuine ATF MB 236.14
MB 236.14 ATF NAG2VSport A 001 989 68 03-
MB 236.14 Genuine ATF A 000 989 68 05-
Aral Getriebeöl ATF M14
arexons ATF 236.14
ATF 6140
ATF 7-Speed
ATF 722.9R
ATF M14
Fuchs TITAN ATF 4134
IPIRANGA ATF 236.14
LETOF ATF 134
LIQUI MOLY TOP TEC ATF 1600
LIQUIMATIC DX14
LUKOIL ATF SYNTH M 14
MATIC 14
Mobil ATF 134
MOTUL ATF 236.14
Neste ATF M14
OEM AMB7
PENTOSIN ATF 134
Q8 AUTO 25
RAVENOL ATF M 9-Serie
Shell ATF134
Shell SPIRAX S6 ATF 134M
Sinopec Greatwall ATF-B14
Tim Eckart ATF 7 Performance 236.14
Total Fluidmatic 7S
Valvoline ATF Pro 236.14
ZIC ATF 914


Productname
Mercedes-Benz Genuine ATF FE MB 236.15-
MB 236.15 Genuine ATF FE A 000 989 69 05-
ATF 7150
ATF 722.9G
ATF 7GT-Speed
ATF M15
Fuchs TITAN ATF 7134 FE
LETOF ATF 134FE
LUKOIL ATF SYNTH M 15
MATIC 15
Mobil ATF 134 FE
MOTUL ATF 236.15
Neste ATF M15
OEM AMB7N
PENTOSIN ATF 134 FE
Q8 Auto M 15
RAVENOL ATF M 9-FE Serie
Shell ATF 134FE
Shell Spirax S6 ATF 134ME
Sinopec Greatwall ATF-B15
Valvoline ATF Pro 236.15
ZIC ATF 915


Productname
Mercedes-Benz Genuine ATF FE MB 236.17-
MB 236.17 Genuine ATF FE A 000 989 59 04-
RAVENOL ATF M 9-G Serie
Shell D971
Shell Spirax S6 ATF D 971
Sinopec Greatwall ATF-B.17

link to a company that states what's what
https://www.fuchs.com/de/en/product...ive-lubricants/automatic-transmission-fluids/

 

Great research! In your first paragraph did you mean to say thick red fluid rather than thick blue fluid? Isn't the blue fluid is the later fluid?

 

I'm terrible - they use one colour and I keep forgetting which is which ... rather than logic of blue antifreeze and blue trans fluid they have one, red one blue .... I THINK !!!

they even use straw colour for the hydraulic fluid when the rest of the world uses industry std GREEN then recco Pentosin CHF 11S whits is clear.... is it any wonder we get muddled

And WORSE the one site (Fuchs) that USED to give specs has updated their site till its ineffective drivel - just like the Merc bevo site (I was reading as they hived of the truck business and now car drivers can run clueless on its fluids GREAT !!!!!!)

 

The current website for official Mercedes fluids is

https://operatingfluids.mercedes-benz.com

The "later" version is called 7G-Tronic Plus started late 2010

Read about them here

https://f01.justanswer.com/73bbchevy...and_tricks.pdf

In which you can find

June 2010 Across-the-board switchover from ATF 134 transmission fluid (red) to FE-ATF 134 (blue)

September 2010 Market launch of 7G-TRONIC-PLUS with FE converter with centrifugal pendulum technology

The blue fluid is referred to as "world's lowest viscosity transmission fluid"

 

and what do u make of this then?

seems to suggest there is a switch over point where blue is OK but not on earlier boxes

 

Agree ... early and late are mutually exclusive. After the switchover point, blue is all that's approved and before that red is all that's approved.

On datacards, A89 is the code the car has the PLUS transmission that requires blue fluid and the new spec filter.

Just for discussion ...

Supplier FCP Euro would like to sell owners of "early" transmissions a kit to fit the new spec oil pan, which creates larger capacity. They also specify in their kit the new spec filter ... which I think is a mistake, as red and blue fluids are different viscosities and I'd question whether the new filter is capable of passing thru the thicker fluid or doing so with out damage. Also, the pan change may fool a subsequent owner into using incorrect blue fluid in their early transmission.

 

yep - I don't think the 'better filter' is really suitable for red fluid either, as it may restrict flow in an undesirable manner

and having read this link and just seen your confirmation.... https://blog.fcpeuro.com/the-definit...c-transmission I'm now irritated, because its the winter and didn't fancy groveling on the floor, last week I asked a 'decent Indy merc place' to change the gearbox fluid on my 2006 car

when I picked it up I said what did they put in, and he said 'blue' - when I said 'but its not meant to take blue' he claimed its just an upgraded better fluid (I didn't really believe him), but then thought about the STUPID wording of 'not backwards compatible' and wondered so what does that silly phrase really mean ?

1) can't mix blue with red - or 2) unsuitable fluid for earlier boxes .... the reality of the phrase 'not backwards compatible' is closer to 1), rather than 2), what a load of rubbish - why can't they just communicate in ENGLISH

I was thinking if Blue fluid is low viscosity it might also have different friction levels - this its likely the clutch material is different and or the pressures are different - wot a faff - do now I have to go persuade the experts they are really idiots and get them to swap and flush it back again ?

Service Intervals

“Red” 722.9 Models: All 722.9 boxes BEFORE 06/21/2010 (through to MY2010 will be red, 2011 cars will need to be checked by actual production date)

• Fluid Type: MB 236.14 (Red)
• Service Interval: Every ~40,000 Miles

Automatic Transmission Fluid: 9.9 L (10.5 US qt.)

“Blue” A89 722.9 Models: FROM 06/21/2010 to 2015 (All vehicles MY2012 and onwards will be blue, 2011 will need to be checked by production date)

• Fluid Type: MB 236.15 (Blue)
• Service Interval: Every ~70,000 Miles

.

 

now what.... this site specifically stated the two gearbox types

Transmission, automatic, up to production nr. 2834526 without code A89 (722.9xx 7/1)

Transmission, automatic, as of production nr. 2834527 with code A89 (722.9xx 7/1)

when you click through either choice it then offers the same fluid ANYWAY....

and the tech specs says - see attached pdf


Transmax ATF DEXRON®-VI MERCON® LV Multivehicle
Product Performance Claims
• Low viscosity formula for maximum fuel efficiency in modern automatic transmissions
• Enhanced friction durability for smooth transmission performance
• Superior high temperature protection to effectively resist oxidation
Suitable for use where the following are called for:
MB 236.10, 236.12, 236.14, 236.15, 236.17


.

 

Almost 20k miles on mine after doing the upgraded pan and filter, but using the correct 236.14 (non-A89) fluid. If the filter was meaningfully starving the transmission of fluid flow, I think it would have already manifested. And FWIW, mine shifts nicely, and has not changed over the 20k. I'm comfortable with it.

I think it's silly to worry about the filter. No one talks about engine oil filter "compatibility" with different oil viscosities. I don't think this is a thing.

 

the later filter is a much finer mesh triple layer filter....

I went in a major main dealer and asked what would you put in my car and they said 236.14 red.... so no idea what this other lot thought they were doing....
it seems to be working OK and I'm REALLY confused if its so different - how come castrol can make ONE oil that goes across ALL the standards including the one after 236.15 as well ???
the only concern I have is the car seem to be holding on to taller gears and really lazy to kick down even in sport its lazier than it was using comfort... but the fluid can't impact this - that's not have these modern ones know what to do....

 

Does it have more filter area?

I've had this car up to nearly 140 mph. Imagine the flow through that filter. No slipping, no issues.