seeing I have a hard to find leak and will also need to replace my radiator soon, I don't want to spend big bucks on fluid that's going to get drained in a matter of weeks or a month.

I'm wondering whats the inside scoop with going with just generic "Automatic transmission fluid". from Canadian Tire (or whatever US equivalent if there is one) as oppose to spending over $100 on other brands?

How much of the mark up is marketing have to wonder... And for an old car thats seemingly always in need of some work or the other, is it really worth it?

Thanks for any pointers.

I've been using Dex III from The local parts house for the last 60k miles. The Tranny was slipping in the e320 at that point anyway so I was just trying to eek life out of it. The slipping hasn't gotten any worse. Based on my experience Dex III is perfectly fine. Its in both my 95 gasser and my 83 Diesel.

__________________

77' 300D, "Cartman" SOLD @ 150K (didn't know what I had)
83' 300SD, "The Superdon" 325k+ @ 28mpg
95 E320 wagon, "Millennium Falcon" 231k+ @ 24 Mpg
95 E300D, "Sherley" 308k @ 33.69 Mpg, currently anticipating a head
99 Suzuki Intruder "Trudy" @ 45 mpg

I know a guy who did that, and the next day his dog bit him violently. Connected? certainly seems so. The consequences could be far reaching.



I used the generic stuff in my van for several years and I was constantly towing with it and generally beating the heck out of it and it was fine. As long as you stay on top of leaks and make sure to change the filter and fluid occasionally, I think you should be fine. And as you say, it will be drained out anyway soon enough.
IMO the quality of the fluid counts less than the habit of maintenance and changing said fluid as part of the maintenance schedule.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

$100? That pretty pricey!

I normally just use the Valvoline MaxLife Dec/Merc stuff.

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

The worst that can happen?

How about something like

1a) The friction lining material gets eaten away at an alarming rate and you end up rubbing metal on metal
1b) The adhesive used to stick the friction material to the metal parts is allergic to the transmission fluid you are using and no longer sticks the lining to said metal bits
2) The fluid doesn't lubricate like it should and the metal on metal parts wear
3) The fluid isn't compatible with the seals and eats them
4) The fluid isn't the correct viscosity and the internal pressures aren't what they should be resulting in malfunctioning operation

[TAKE COVER]

Whilst this next comment could start an "oil thread" I think it has to be made =>

I don't know enough about the properties of oil to make an educated guess - perhaps someone out there does?

[/TAKE COVER]

If it helps any - I've been told the friction material in 722.1 and 722.3/4 transmissions is paper based

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I've been using semi syntheic,and now full Mobil One,Mercedes gave the ok for my SD tranny.I knew all along this new stuff is better.Have syntheic 85-140 gear oil in diff too.oh yeah 345,000 miles on trans shifts beautiful

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Dex3 is what those transmissions take.. so if the stuff at canadian tire says its equivalent to, or replaces DexronIII/Mercon, nothing bad will happen, the transmission will just plain work.

Why did you go with a heavier gear oil? Just curious. Or is that the viscosity called for in the SD?

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

I drive in hot places,and run my cars hard.I don't baby diesels

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Was the guy a vet? Was the dog a pit bull? Did a cop yell at him afterward?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

If the question is about the proper fluid for the 85 wagon in your profile then the store brand Dexron II or Dexron III is just fine. That's what those transmissions were designed for. At the risk of starting another oil war, my position is that you run more risk putting in some expensive fluid designed for a newer transmission than you do putting in the fluid specified by the manufacturer.

__________________
'82 300D - Light Ivory, 2nd Owner (Back in the wind April 2013!)

'95 E300D - White, grey interior. (Suffering from stuck/broken glow plugs)

Deuteronomy 22:4-
"Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again."

Keep in mind that DexII and DexIII are not standard anymore. There is no compliance testing.

That's why I went with an Allison approved fluid in my car, since they have standards that are the same as DexII but with a different name.

-J

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

ANY fluid that meets the specification requirements for a given unit is fine. Most of the 'house brand' lubricants are made by Warren Unilube.

Warren Oil Company, Inc. - It's All About Quality

__________________
Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

I have no idea what I put or has been put in my transmission...I think I have just used store brand atf....guess I am asking for a new transmission....oh well....guess its better then running no fluid,..,

__________________

Probably a pretty good guess!

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!