Should I or shouldn't I ? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brian Carlton · #16 04-06-2007, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckinik

Gotcha, Thanks, I alays worried for the first fw miles or so, if all systems in the tranny were completely "Go". As many tranny jobs as I've done, it's always been a concern, and I've aways kept checking the fluid, to make sure it was still topped off, for th atleast the first hundred miles or so.. Probably been unneccessary though.

It's certainly necessary for the first 5 minutes. If the t/c is empty, you'll need another three quarts just to bring it back to the full mark.

The opposite problem is that you can't fill it to the full mark when using cold fluid. Expansion will then result in an overfill at 200F.

John1 · #17 04-06-2007, 08:39 PM

AAMCO owner for 15 years!

I know, I know hold the remarks but AAMCO does in fact have great tech knowledge and support tech knowledge from all the major oil companies.

The answer, from my knowledge and experiance.

If "flushes" were the way to go then AAMCO would have adopted this and charged for it.

High mileage /transmissions/vehicles (100,000) plus have more problems after a fluid change and the shops will not change it usually.

Reason being, the new fluid acts as a detergent in a washing machine and breaks free debris on the inside of the case and "strips" clutches on higher mileage transmissions. This in turn contaminates the valve body. This has been very critical since the beginning of electonic valve bodies.

The old 727's, 400's etc; would allow high contamination of the fluifd before "hanging" up a valve body, hence "fault or no shifts".

Today the newer eletronic computer controlled valve bodies fail with the smallest contamination.

This is why Transmission builders (West Coast) are paid $75,000-$100,00
as they are in fact true "technicians" and must work on a building table which must be organized and extremely clean.

SOOOO! If you are going to change the fluid in an older/high mileage trans, change only whats in the pan.

Just My INPUT.

John1

Brian Carlton · #18 04-06-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John1

SOOOO! If you are going to change the fluid in an older/high mileage trans, change only whats in the pan.

Say you change only what's in the pan.........a total of five quarts of fluid......or so.

By your own statements, this new fresh detergent laden fluid will strip the contaminants off the various clutches and your problem will appear anyway.

Avoiding the flush of the t/c won't have any benefit.........unless you believe that the additional three quarts will have an even greater effect on the stripping action.

t walgamuth · #19 04-06-2007, 09:47 PM

i have never agreed with the folks who say not to change fluid and filter.

this is the life blood of a tranny and the cleaner the better.

tom w

Hatterasguy · #20 04-06-2007, 10:44 PM

Just change it by the book, if it blows it was ready to go anyway.

#21 04-07-2007, 12:18 AM

SO WE AGREE TO DISAGREE? What do the Mercedes experts say?

Shorebilly · #22 04-07-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I had attempted to have the fluid changed on the '86 about one year ago. If you are going to change the fluid, it's mandatory to drain the t/c in the process. However, we could not find a drain plug on the t/c for the SDL and, therefore, I had to resort to the flush.

So, if you are going to drain it.........see if you can locate a drain plug on the t/c. There is another member who also failed to find a plug on this vehicle.

If you cannot find the plug, you're forced to flush it. Leaving three quarts of old fluid in the system is not what you want to do.

I have had difficulty in finding the Torque converter drain.....but....I found that it "on my car" is located at a point that is never visible at points where the engine rests......I removed the glow plugs, and only then could I rotate the engine and get the plug at a point where it is visible and removable.....

SB

Brian Carlton · #23 04-07-2007, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorebilly

I have had difficulty in finding the Torque converter drain.....but....I found that it "on my car" is located at a point that is never visible at points where the engine rests......I removed the glow plugs, and only then could I rotate the engine and get the plug at a point where it is visible and removable.....

SB

Clearly, that's certainly true.

We pried the engine around twice, using the teeth on the t/c, and never found it.

pmckechnie · #24 04-07-2007, 09:27 AM

My views on having the trans "flushed". I don't work on auto trans as such but I get a lot of them from transmission shops (including some AAMCO's) that say they have computer problems. I see a lot of NO SHIFT problems and a lot of cases where the trans was just FLUSHED. I have talked to my local trans shop and he says since the FLUSH machines came out, he has cleaned or replaced more valve bodies than ever. So please don't have a transmission flushed but please do service it including the filter. If you can't drain the converter than double the service interval.
Just my $.02 based on experience.

kip Foss · #25 04-07-2007, 03:15 PM

In my many, many years of driving many, many cars all over this world I have NEVER changed trans. oil as I have NEVER changer rear end oil. If the oil is burned then you need major repair work at which time the fluid will be changed. If it isn't burned why change it?

#26 04-07-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kip Foss

In my many, many years of driving many, many cars all over this world I have NEVER changed trans. oil as I have NEVER changer rear end oil. If the oil is burned then you need major repair work at which time the fluid will be changed. If it isn't burned why change it?

Another addition to my "do not buy a used car from" list.