I last posted when I sold my beloved 240d for a more family friendly, but far more bland, Chevy. As predicted by Sam, Bill and Tjohn, I passed this beautiful 83 300d for sale and had to stop.

The car was inherited by this 27 year old gal that had no interest what so ever. She had limited knowledge of the maintenance and no records came in it other than the original maintenance log running up to 127k for oil changes only. It has 145k on the clock now and has obviously been inside it’s whole life. Everything works! Even cruise and AC, though it’s low in R12 and the air comes out only from the vents and defrost. No rust at all and the paint is shiny with no signs of repair.

Now for the scary part: The transmission fluid is a faded pink rather than the bright red color that it should be and the 1-2 shift is REALLY mean, with a flair at 3-4 which, I read, can be typical in this car. Next on my to-do list is this transmission and I have been reading some of the vast info available here. My wise father-in-law tells me that a car with over 100k that has never had the transmission fluid changed is better left alone. If that gearbox goes out, my beautiful toy is a goner from what I read here. I have about 2k in it so far total and would like to change the fluid and the plastic vacuum control levers that are worn out. I’ll look at the rest of the vacuum system later.

Should I change this obviously old fluid? I am keeping the Chevy (outside the garage now) for my main transportation so the Benz will only get a few grand a year on him.

Jackson

Faded pink is old? Brown is old.
If you don't know when the last fluid change was, change it now.

The "leave it after 100K" idea is completely wrong. Doing that is condemning the tranny an early death from abuse. Change it every 25,000miles.

Possibly changed out at some point. Hey, if the fluid looks and smells fine, run it. My "new car was 221k on the clock, have no idea when the fuild was changed or IF, buts its old, for sure. I dont cotton to your father-in-laws advice. Is he a Chevy man!? I'm changing mine out, no doubt. New filter.

He, huh? Its funny how we animate cars, typically by "she". Had the landlord's receptionist say how she "loved how she sounded coming down the driveway and around the corner." "How do you know it a she" ,I asked? There is nothing feminine about that car. Its all nasty, noisy, and business. Its all male."

I was referring to Old Red,. the 67 Chevelle.

We'll stick to convention on the diesel. With the open cold air duct on the pass side fender, you get a faint " scent of a diesel". Hahaha! I dig it. The "black" love affair I've dreamt of since I was a kid! With a very "spirited" lady, of course.

Old Red, well, he's my "other side" ... hehehehehe

the top gear shift in a 95 feels more of a "push" than a shift. I think its fine. Run it. Start a maintenance routine.

If the fluid smells burnt you could be in for some problems. I personally would change the fluid.

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a few mb diesels

I had fluid that looked like pepto-bismol. It was a combination of water and air in the tranny fluid. I'd change it.

IIRC, the leave it after 100k is only for if there is burnt fluid in there. I think that the fluid also would have lots of dissolved clutch material, and that somehow helps. Just something I've heard mentioned before.... dunno how connected to reality it is.

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John Robbins
'05 E320 CDI - 240k
'87 300TD - 318k

It is a viscocity issue. I wonder if the new " high milage" ATFs are any good. I plan on using one myself.

I would just change the fluid. If it smelled burnt, that's a different story. I think that the "don't change it after 100K miles" applies to power flushing and running a cleaner thru it. Definitly don't do that. I think pink is okay as long as it doesn't smell burnt, just drain it and refill it.

pink is water mix. get it out now!!!
most likely the trans will lose all it's clutch material. water in there is a bad thing. unless it was parked outside in the rain with a funnel in the dipstick tube and the hood left up, only place for water to get in is the fluid cooler in the radiator. bypass it with an external cooler asap!
and plan on a new radiator soon. cause it will not build pressure right with a leak in it.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

that is worth the time anyways.. good advice from john above.
this is like the father benz looking down on you with a gift.

Wait a minute! Is the fluid a translucent pink?....or wiped up into a pink milkshake? If its just a translucent pink then it is not coolant contaminated its just old. Tranny fluid will, as it ages and is subjected to heat, change color even if it not dirty...... it can change from translucent red to pink to even yellowish green. By the time it gets to yellowish green you definitly want to change it........

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K

The color is more of a dark red now that it's out where I can see it. No mess and the pan was clean on the bottom. No burned smell either.

However, this thing leaks EVERYWHERE now. All around the pan as well as the torque converter. It actually looks like it's leaking ahead of the converter where I drained. The specks call for 106 lbs/inch? I keep turning and turning and am nowhere near that with this cheap-o torque wrench. I am afraid that I am going to bust a bolt off or mess up the pan. And I don't know what to think about the leak at the front. I don't think that I was up there. The front seal maybe?

How expensive to have a shop stop the leaks? Any ideas?

I am reading that an overhaul is between 1500 and 3000 or more. I am sweating bullets here, more because I love that old oil burner than anything else and I know the wife would not go for any such expenditures. Let's see, the wife, or the black pearl....Hummm


Jackson

Jackson, I think you over torqued the pan bolts! Most torque wrenches are in Lb/Ft not Lb/inches unless you have a short handle light duty one. At 106Lb/Ft, if you missread the calibration you could shear a wheel bolt off with that type of torque........

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K

Yep, a re-tap of the 6 holes and over sized bolts plus a new pan. I am still cheaper than a dealer flush but I ate some on that one. Read the specks Jackson.

Thanks for the imput.

Jackson