Need to remove tranny dipstick tube, 300SDL - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cmac2012 · #1 01-07-2018, 10:13 PM

I like my car and am perhaps too cautious with my tranny fluid level. It has a slow leak and I can't afford to fix it just yet. So I check fluid level every couple of days. Especially on my days of 80 to 90 miles commuting. Two days of that will often have me down to the min line or close.

The stick often objects when being reinserted, yesterday it objected in undeniable fashion by breaking as I tried to pull it out. I had no idea there was a spot that was even close to that. It does do a sort of short range S curve, a bit sharper curve than I would have recommended. I found a replacement dipstick for later model 722s online - the bulk of it is long tight spring stock with maybe 1.5 inches of indicator part. Sure seems like such a stick would have a longer lifespan in my motor. I bought this stick about 10 months ago. I think it's slightly different that the original.

Right now I need to get the tube off so I can get the remnant out. Looks tight. Not as easy as I was hoping for. I'm sure I'll get it but if anyone has the magic sauce to ferry me across the hard part I would be grateful.

I'll take a pic and post it.

Mxfrank · #2 01-07-2018, 10:26 PM

The easy way to do this is to remove the transmission pan and pull the remnant from below. It ends up coming down through a hole in the right front corner. If you don't see it protruding, just push it through with your new dipstick.

cmac2012 · #3 01-08-2018, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

The easy way to do this is to remove the transmission pan and pull the remnant from below. It ends up coming down through a hole in the right front corner. If you don't see it protruding, just push it through with your new dipstick.

Not trying to give you grief, but this might have been difficult. The tube came out easily enough. The harder part was cleaning the opening of any bits of dirt. Awkward spot to get to. I think I pulled off, hard to do while looking in mirror.

But the broken part was hidden inside the tube. Trying to push it out with the old one not effective. I was able to use a skinny coat hanger with a short hook to fish it out.

The part where I'm in the dark is what better dipstick might be available. The stick that just broke is the same unit that Pelican sells, strikes me as really not the best design for this dipstick tube. It binds up on the way in, the flat steel part twists 90 degrees a couple of times, seems to cause more difficulty than it alleviates. I will definitely be looking for a better way to insert it. I think this new specified part is different from the original. Would love to have one of those to compare.

cmac2012 · #4 01-08-2018, 12:55 AM

Yeah, I could see the efficacy in that. I'm hoping to go with the less involved approach. It's hard to get at, but not too hard - it has an Allen bolt holding it in place.

Here's a photo after I cleaned it up and put an Allen wrench in place. It wasn't breaking free and I was worried about breaking the wrench. I hit it with some Blaster - a poor man's Kroill - and put some heat on the body around the bolt with a small blowtorch thingy I have. Broke free all right. Thank God.

cmac2012 · #5 01-12-2018, 03:31 PM

Small PITA - another in series of jobs where one just barely manages to find the room to get a bolt started and then tightened, particularly the upper attachment to to the block.

The real lesson for me here is to be more methodical about using the diptstick. I did some practice and found what seems to be the best way to insert it - that is I twist it to the same orientation each time. In the past I would just stick it in willy nilly and sometimes had to shove hard to get it down. Ended up bending it in odd fashion. I think this is more of an issue with the new item. Not the same as the original.

Diseasel300 · #6 01-12-2018, 03:51 PM

The dipstick on mine is flaky too. I tend to start it by hand, feeding it by holding the metal rod and driving it almost all the way in the tube, only then pushing the plastic cap. Weird setup...

cmac2012 · #7 01-13-2018, 04:27 AM

Here's a pic of the dipstick I found on Amazon. They say it's for the Mercedes Benz 722.6, 722.7, 722.8,or 722.9:

Seems like a superior design. But looks too long in the photos to be usable in a 722.3.

This E-Bay listing mentions 1220 mm. That's 48 inches. At that price, I'm almost inclined to see if there's any way I could attach it to the top part of my ruined, now replaced dipstick. Finding the correct length might be dicey. One thought is to approximate the length from the original and put a small vice-grip at the spot and get the level right based on the original and then put the donor device in and adjust until the right spot is found. I dunno, maybe. Another project on the back burner.

https://www.ebay.com/i/191939197679?chn=ps

shertex · #8 01-13-2018, 08:39 AM

Cmac2012, that's a measuring tool, not a dipstick...i.e. not designed to be left in the tube.

cmac2012 · #9 01-13-2018, 02:10 PM

Well that's EFFed.

But it is used for tranny fluid level checking? Seems odd, one would need to store it well to keep it clean. The top part of my existing dipstick provides more of a seal to prevent dust and debris from falling in that the one shown. I might adapt one, keep it for a spare.