DEFINTELY DRAIN THE TORQUE CONVERTER!
As was said, most of the fluid will be in the TC, and no, it will not drain out unless you open the drain plug on the TC. That is why MB put one there
Very smart idea, as from what I understand most cars do not have a TC drain.
Auto tranny fluid and filter should be done every 30k, IMHO. Cheap insurance.
However, as was also mentioned: Cleanliness is KEY. Sweep garage floor, and let dust settle, before taking pan off. Even though it is tempting, do NOT touch/wipe off/attempt to clean trans internals (parts you can see after you take pan off). You do not want ANY lint or foreign materials, no matter how small to enter the trans. Clean the pan with degreaser or diesel, and blow dry with compressed air. Don't towel dry. Towel = lint! Replace filter using CLEAN screwdrivers. Make sure pan is completely dry before affixing new pan gasket, and tighten per instructions and torque to factory spec.
I know, rather anal description of the procedure, but auto transmissions are sensative units! Not to mention $$$.
And DEFINITELY wear clothes that you can throw away! Auto tranny fluid is nasty stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ljsense
Yeah, I think the concensus is synthetic Dexron is best.
I also wonder if you don't really need to bother with the torque converter bolt if you're going to have the pan off for a filter change.
Won't almost all of the fluid come out if you give it time?
Anyway, I've read the shop manual and draining the TC is definitely preferred, though I don't completely understand why.
For a short cut on turning the engine, most people recommend turning the engine by turning the power steering pulley. The shop manual's shortcut has you do something fancy with the starter and bridging electrical connections.
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