Larry,

No drain plugs on the converter on my 2000 C280, 722.617 transmission.

I ended up just changing the 2 quarts in the pan.

Looks like I'll have to go to the dealer for a full flush and change.

glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400
2000 C280

Not surprised by this. A lot of newer cars no longer have converter drain plugs. Many do not have dip sticks. This ins't unique to just MB. It's industry wide.

The MFGs do not want you servicing your car. Drive it 100K, bring it back and get a new one.

__________________
'91 300-SEL

It is interesting and disturbing but in my 92 BMW 525i Wagon there is no dipstick for the trans. To check the level you have to get the car to a certain temp (86 F) and fill the fluid until it spills form the fill hole. Checking mine, at operating temperature, the fluid came out. After waiting 3 hours for it to cool to 86 F, it took two quarts of fluid. The temperature of the fluid is critical to the fill level and MB had a heck of a time advising how to check and fill the fluid properly. It was also a problem with the required cleanliness required and small piece of lint could cause the need for a transmission rebuild. It seems that the prevailing thought is that most people could not properly handle this job so they made it a lifetime fluid fill. I think it is still prudent to change the fluid even if it has to be pumped out and in. Thank MB for converter drain plugs.

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

Your cars dont use that much oil. 6 Quarts is nothing compared to the massive crancase on my dads SL600. That thing gobbles up oil...... We brought the car to the mechanic hoping that it would just be a regular oil change just like my 400E. But no.... He says that the 600 needs like 11.5 quarts of oil to fill the crankcase. My mechanic won't change the oil to anything but synthetic, and we are stuck with a huge bill. You all complain about the price of 6 quarts of synthetic, and my dads car uses almost 12! And then to top it all off, the gas prices are almost 3$ a gollon, and it doesn't help when you get 16 miles to the gallon. Anyway about the transmission fluid, we were talkin to our mechanic and he says that in order to prolong the life of the V-12 transmission that we should change the fluid just about every 60,000 miles. Anyway my rant is over.

But then there is something about the way you feel when you ride in that car. It could be the endless acceleration, the awesome looks of the R129, or just the looks that you get from everyone around you.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I didn't see any complaints about the oil price or volume. My 500 takes 9 liters (about 8.5 quarts) of motor oil. I thought that was a lot of oil. Since I change it myself it's not too expensive. I don't use synthetic because I drive relatively few miles and don't like to leave the oil in too long. For me it would be a waste.

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

I have a 92 500sl and I am planning on changing the tranny oil this weekend, does the filter need to be replaced as well?
After you drain the torque converter, how do you refil it, I assume that it will refill at the same time you fill re fill the tranny.
Is this true?

__________________
Thanks, Juan

The manual says to change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles. It's best to change the fluid every 15,000 miles. The torque converter woll fill with the tranny.

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

"My 500 takes 9 liters (about 8.5 quarts)"

Actually 1 liter equals 1.0567 quarts so if the manual says 9 liters you should fill with just over 9 and a half quarts.

After draining both the transmission pan and torque converter, the procedure says to first fill the transmission with 4 qts of fluid, start the engine, then fill the remaining charge with the engine idling.

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Diesel fan is right, thank you for the correction. 9.5 quarts. I have gone to using slightly less so that cold, the oil is between the marks on the dipstick.

Thanks Kestas, I am almost ready to do this job again. I have to boot the CD manual when I start a job. I'm still a rookie...

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

Thanks guys, so before I think about performing the tranny oil change, I need to order a pan gasket and filter, 10 qts of oil and I'm ready. Is that correct?

__________________
Thanks, Juan

The pan gasket may be reusable (if you want to save some lunch money).

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

I ordered a pan gasket for my 124...it was a waste of money... i still have a new one... i guess some day i will use it...

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

The Transmission Fluid change takes gallons, not quarts. I don't know the amount but I think 2 gallons will do it. The 10 quarts is for Engine Oil Change! Edit: I have an extra gasket too.

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

Now you are confusing me, 2 gallons for the tranny and Converter, 9.5 qts for the engine. 2 gallons = 8 qts, then maybe not.

__________________
Thanks, Juan