Soon I will be changing the transmission fluid and filter on my newly acquired 30TD. I want to use Mobil 1 ATF, but I want to make sure to get out all the old fluid. What is the easiest way to line up the converter drain plug so that I can get at it? According to the owner's manual the inital fill was 7.7 quarts and that with fluid/filter changes it takes 6.6 quarts. So obviously I need to get that 1 quart of conventional out before adding full synthetic. Any ideas?

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Rick,

I tried in vain to bump the engine and get the drain plug to the 6 o'clock position, couldn't do it. Got it close a few times, but not enough to get the 5mm allen in it. I ended up turning the engine by the crank bolt. Found that I could feel for the drain plug with my left hand, while pushing up on the ratchet with my right (doing it thusly you are sure to be turning clockwise). Might be tougher to do on a diesel though.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

I bought a $3.95 remote starter switch from Harbor Frieght and bump it until I see the Plug.

While getting my car washed, I witnessed someone doing it Cro-Magnon style: A large pry bar against the torque converter using the transmission housing ‘window’ as a lever point. Brute Force & Ignorance can sometimes suffice, but not on my car.

RTH

Greetings Rick,

When I changed the fluid and filter on mine I had my wife use a socket on the power steering pulley bolt. This was easier to reach for her and the tension on the belt is enough to turn the engine over while you are underneath the car waiting for the drain plug to come around.


Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan

All I used was a big screwdriver. Was careful not to stress anything too much but got the drainplug to bottom by levering against converter cover. Not that hard.

Nic
'85 300CD

Me Cro-Magnon too! Me try to bump starter about 50 times to get the drain to line up. Me get very tired. Me eventually use many Cro-Magnon curse words and use large screwdriver against small protrusions on torque convertor cover.

Cro-Magnon Man like diesel. The Cro-Magnon woman in question not strong enough to turn over diesel engine. Must use brain.

Ken300D

In another thread, someone recommended painting a mark on the crank pulley against some reference so you'd know when the drain plug was pointing down. I've changed fluid twice and haven't remembered to paint a mark yet.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Charles, thanks for the tip on using the power steering pulley. I'll have to give that a try. Sort of on a related issue, I am planning on using Mobil 1 ATF and, if I can find some, I plan on using Mobil 1 for the rear differential. Any thoughts on this.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Rick, I put Mobil one in my differential. I figured the weenie that owned the car before me probably NEVER changed it so I gave "miss Peabody" a treat and put Mobil 1 in there! So far no leaks, no noises. I wasn't too impressed with the price, but what the heck it only takes a quart or maybe just a tad more. I will put it in my '84 300TD when I get that back on the road too. ( I have a quart left over since I bought 2) Tom

As for price, I can get it for $4.69 a quart at a local auto parts store. I figure since it's not something changed very often, like oil changes, then it's not bad.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

That's not bad, I bought mine at Auto-Zone and it cost me $6.79 per quart! Of course that is why I buy my Delo 400 at Walmart! Not only is it almost a dollar more per gallon at the zone, but they don't have the multi-grade. ( I did get a bargain from them last summer though, they said they didn't sell much of it and they had 15 gallons in the back) The manager asked me how many I wanted for $2.50 gallon (30W for summer use) I took them ALL! You can't tell me they couldn't lower their prices a little bit and still make money. How else could they sell it to me at such a ridiculously low price? I notice they have restocked too!

I also spotted the 15W-40 at County Post (quality farm and fleet) but they want $6.99 per gallon there! I guess I'll keep getting it in barrels! BTW it comes out to .85 per quart in 55 gallon drums!

The same day I found the Mobil 1 ATF for $4.69, I went to a Pep Boys and they wanted $5.99. So I will definetly get it from the first place.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

While at my local MB parts dealer I asked about ATF, brake and power steering fluid. They said:

Use only MB ATF fluid (Febi?) as you could destroy the bands in the transmission.

Use only MB power steering fluid (Febi?).

They use Castrol GTX Dot 4 brake fluid, not MB, nor ATE Super Blue, nor Pentosin.

He said you could use Dextron lll in the 1983 (w126) but NOT the 1993 300 (w124). I am going to use the MB fluid on both just to be safe.

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1993 Mercedes Benz 300D 2.5 205K (ex wife's)
1984 Mercedes Benz 300SD 320K (SOLD)
2004 Mercedes Benz C240 75K
1995 GMC Sierra 2WD 5.7L 188K
1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD 239K (SOLD)
1987 BMW 325i 220K (SOLD FOR SALVAGE)

609 Certification

I would think that if they told you NOT to use ATF in one model because it wasn't good for it, and they recommend it in another. That would mean that they are not compatible. I would use what they said needed to be in each application, until I could confirm that it was ok to substitute .

My '76 300D owners maunual says to use Dexron in the tranny...Tom