Attention All: New Technical Service Bulletin

There is a recently released TSB on the subject of other services to be performed when tires are rotated.

While it doesn't directly address the important issue of rotating the air in tires it does discuss the need to replace that air with helium. The process involves purging the air in the tires with a vaccum pump and them replacing that air with helium. It has something to do with lightening the vehicle which will increase fuel economy and more significantly decease the wear and tear on the ML transmissions altogether.

Of course I made this up.

Yes, I'm reviving an old post. Transmission started acting up, mainly slow to shift up, especially when cold. Changed fluid and filter, and shifts fine now . '98 ML320 with almost 123K on the clock. Fluid didn't look terribly bad, but did have some small metallic bits in it.

Do what you want with yours, but I'll be changing mine again at around 220K. I'm sure the engineers feel confident it doesn't need changing, if they took the torque converter drain out of the later models. A LOT of oil came out of the converter. Either that or they wanted to make a thorough fluid change a really expensive job!

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Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)

All you need is the special dip stick (its longer than necessary, guess it can be used on all mb's) from MB and a couple of replacement locks (they are usually red or black) The pan is only held down by 6 bolts (yes, only 6 bolts) very easy to replace the gasket, just make sure you clean the magnet very well there should be alot of shavings from 100k =P if you don't have a magnet you should get one... the drain bolt is a tiny hex or torx bolt.. that one needs a replacement washer gasket.. I remember i bought 8 bottles of MB transmission fluid..