W211 AMG Discuss the W211 AMG's such as the E55 and the E63

Can an overfilled trans cause damage?

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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 03:57 PM
  #1  
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Can an overfilled trans cause damage?

I had my fluid changed about a month ago by a local shop. On wednesday, I did a 70-120 highway pull on the way home, just for fun. When I let off, there was a decent amount of smoke behind me.

I immediately pulled off the highway, into a gas station, and looked around. Nothing except a few drops underneath. I backed the car up and there are just a few drops of red fluid that smelled like trans fluid. I then babied it home and slid a piece of cardboard underneath to see how much was actually leaking.

I then checked it the next day and there was barely anything on the cardboard. I'm thinking excess trans fluid blew out the vent. Wednesday was the first day in a while that we had temps in the 70s and I ran the card hard, so that leads me to believe the fluid finally expanded enough to blow out.

Can an over-filled trans cause any damage or will I just have some occasional smoke until the system blows enough out to drop back to acceptable levels? A Benz tech friend of a friend just said to go out and run it hard until it stopped blowing smoke.

Of course, this is all speculation until I get under the car tomorrow.

Last edited by HeissRod; Feb 13, 2015 at 04:01 PM.
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 04:18 PM
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if it caused any damage you would notice the gear shifting being different.

do a couple of more pulls to see if it is leaking again. could be a bad electrical connector also
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 05:40 PM
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This happened to me when I got my trans flushed, it just did a couple pulls and over about a week it completely went away
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 07:39 PM
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Get a dip stick and check it. Then you will know exactly where you are with it. Very simple and logical. Or...you could continue to beat the shat out of it and if it smokes the clutches .....well then you know your trans is cooked. If you are real unlucky from beating it till it blows you might even break some parts and then it will cost more money. LOL

Get a dip stick and check it please, you will be glad you did
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 08:07 PM
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My god. Yes get a dipstick and check the fluid level. It's designed to have a specific level of fluid for a reason.

If you need to remove fluid, get a cheap fluid evacuator and you can pump it out from the trans dip stikc.
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 08:17 PM
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No just drain it from the pan, there is a drain plug that makes it real easy.

Or... pull the drain plug and drain trans. EXACTLY 2.5 quarts should drain out. Any more and its over filled. Regardless 2.5 goes back in. Should be right on the money.
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 08:20 PM
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Heiss, if you need I have a dip stick you can have. I sold my car and don't need it. I live in Spring so if you want it we could meet up somewhere. Pm me
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Old Feb 13, 2015 | 10:02 PM
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I have the dipstick and the temp-to-level chart, but no STAR system to read it.

I haven't driven the car since it happened. (I work from home.)

I plan to get underneath it tomorrow to try to find the source of the leak.
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 12:10 AM
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Originally Posted by HeissRod
I have the dipstick and the temp-to-level chart, but no STAR system to read it.

I haven't driven the car since it happened. (I work from home.)

I plan to get underneath it tomorrow to try to find the source of the leak.
just drive around normally for 10-15 minutes then check it. it normally doesn't get much hotter than 80 celsius
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 01:54 AM
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Originally Posted by SICAMG
No just drain it from the pan, there is a drain plug that makes it real easy.

Or... pull the drain plug and drain trans. EXACTLY 2.5 quarts should drain out. Any more and its over filled. Regardless 2.5 goes back in. Should be right on the money.
You should always rely on trans dip stick. Even after changing fluid and putting in exactly 2.5, somehow the trans was overfilled. Always use dip stick.
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 07:28 AM
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Funny advices here...
EVERY MERCEDES GEARBOX IS VERY SENSITIVE TO WRONG FLUID LEVELS. Jesus Christ, look in your manual guys.
Get the Dipstick from the Aftermarket, they are below 20 bucks from ebay and so on. Stop beating your car if your suspecting wrong fluid levels... Do you have so much money to spare risking it getting worn out?
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 08:50 AM
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i know some cars well my bmw, you fill till it starts dripping just like the differentials but i am not sure how these cars are. hmmm
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by berti_00
i know some cars well my bmw, you fill till it starts dripping just like the differentials but i am not sure how these cars are. hmmm
With the 5 Speed 722.6 you can have a dipstick to simply check... With the later 722.9 (7G-Tronics) its to hard for me to explain in english. My Native language is german... In short: Its the way that the fluid stream "looks" when it comes out of the bore from the screw at the oilpan, during a certain temperature value..
Its unnecessary for us 5.5L guys though.
With the 722.6 Stick or the "combostick" where you have "hot"/"Cold" markings (some have a "20°C" and a "80°C" marking instead) on the one side and "millimeter markings" on the other, you simply drive your car for lets say 30minutes outside of the city or 15minutes inside the city (with many stops) to have it fully warmed up.
I say just 15mins inside the city, as whenever you stand at a traffic light with the gearbox in "D", the idle torque is transfered directly into heat - so it warms up quicker. But you can also go 30mins in the city just to be sure.

Then you stand with the car at a more or less perfectly level place, let the engine run, Gearbox in "P", remove the plug and its "secure thingy" inside it, put in the dipstick all the way in until there is "big" resistance, pull it out again and read that the oil level reaches all the way to the "hot/80°C" mark.
If there is to much, suck/drain it out. If there is less, fill in but be careful since the oil you fill in is cold and needs some minutes to heat up, which will expand it. I believe to remember that between the "cold/20°C" mark and the "hot/80°C" mark, its only around 200-300ml of hot oil
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 12:43 PM
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Nice explanation, Crissus.
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 11:35 PM
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FWIW, I recently changed from Fuchs 134 ATF (about 15,000 miles) to the Fuchs 4134 and noticed an improvement in gear changes even with the mix of the residual fluid in the torque converter. I will do a simple drain and refill in the near future just to clear out most of the 134 in the mix.
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Old Feb 14, 2015 | 11:45 PM
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It hurts American muscle. Slippage occurs which results in heat and excessive wear on the clutches. IMO that should never happen and there should be a dump valve. I would check levels and not lay into it till u know it's right
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Old Feb 15, 2015 | 07:29 AM
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The reason the transmission gets "hurt" is an over filled transmission can have such a high level of fluid that it "gets into" the rotating parts,drums and planets and will cause "aeration" and put air bubbles in the fluid. Now the pump is pushing fluid and air mixed in , and this is very bad. Picture it as a brake system,the slightest amount of air and the brakes are spongy and going to the floor.Engine oil same thing...the crank and rods churn up the oil with the air and now your oil pressure is no good with air mixed into the oil supply to the bearings.
Some transmissions can handle to much fluid and be ok...others show a negative effect right away.
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Old Feb 15, 2015 | 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by AgSilver
FWIW, I recently changed from Fuchs 134 ATF (about 15,000 miles) to the Fuchs 4134 and noticed an improvement in gear changes even with the mix of the residual fluid in the torque converter. I will do a simple drain and refill in the near future just to clear out most of the 134 in the mix.
Your spot on. Its THE BEST Oil available for every 722.6 and 722.9 (up until the latest generation 7G speeds with FE 236.15 recommend oils)
Read it here about the 4134
http://www.generaloils.net/PI_TITANATF-4134_e.pdf
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Old Mar 5, 2015 | 11:07 PM
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Finally got a chance to get under the car (floor jack died, so had to get a new one). Pretty sure I found the cause. I had to replace this same stupid electrical connector on my Jeep cause the o-rings on it crapped out. Thing was a ***** and a half to get out. Not looking forward to doing this one.

On a side note, does anyone know if the connector is locked when the ring tab is rotated upwards or downwards? Connector looks like it has backed out a little and I want to make sure it just hasn't come unlocked.





It's hard to make out, but you can see that the pan on the driver's front is dry, but not on the passenger side and spreads out as it goes back across the pan.

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Old Mar 5, 2015 | 11:17 PM
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Easy fix on this car. That is currently in the locked position.
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Old Mar 5, 2015 | 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Rocman8
Easy fix on this car. That is currently in the locked position.
It's an easy fix as long as the tiny sheet metal screw at the back of the connector will come out.

Any idea what the MB part number is for it? I know the Jeep number is 68021352AA.
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Old Mar 6, 2015 | 03:03 PM
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Here you go.

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Old Mar 6, 2015 | 03:05 PM
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Awesome. Thank you.

I see that the o-rings are listed as separate items on the exploded diagram. Any idea if the pilot bushing comes with the orings?

Edit - Nevermind. Online searching shows that the o-rings do come with it.

Last edited by HeissRod; Mar 6, 2015 at 03:09 PM.
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Old Mar 6, 2015 | 03:44 PM
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Yep. A 6-point 7mm socket and some patience should make for an easy job. I have a few bottles of Shell 134 left over from my drain and fill if you need fluid for the job.
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Old Mar 6, 2015 | 05:41 PM
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This post is a great example of why this forum is awesome!
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