92 190E 2.6: Confusing reading on tranmission fluid level
 

Folks, I could use your advice on this.

When I checked the tranmission warm (after approx. an 8 mile drive, car in Park, engine idling), fluid level was very low, near the tip of the dipstick. I became concerned and drove to NAPA (in my truck, not the 190E) and picked up a couple of quarts of NAPA Dexron III ATF (Dexron III is what the owner's manual recommends for the car). When I checked the ATF level again, after coming back from NAPA and running a couple of errands (approx. 2.5 hours later) the fluid level reads almost to the second mark. I'm not sure how to interpret these seemingly conflicting readings. Please let me know if I'm not doing something properly and what I should do to determine my true fluid level. Thanks for your suggestions/help!

regards,
Hans (Atlanta, GA - (Peachtree Corners))

Drive the car for a couple of miles until the car reaches operating temperature, stable temperature gauge; check the fluid level on both sides of the dip stick, read both sides at the same time, the lowest reading is the true level.

Thanks for the tip
 

I'll try that tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

regards,
Hans

Just a note. Driving the car for a couple of miles by no means gets the transmission temperature to hot. The engine temperature guage has nothing to do with the transmission fluid temperature.

When I change my fluid, I initially adjust the level to about 10mm below the
low mark. Again, I didn't dream this up, it comes from expert MB mechanics. Then when you can drive for say 20 minutes at highway speeds, pull over and check the hot level.

Steve

Thanks Steve. I'll make sure to take the car for a nice 30-45 minute drive before checking the level.

I concur.

i was told once the car is hot and been driven, stop, engage all the gears (move from P-R-N-D 3-2-1 and back) and hold for a second or two in each, then check the level.

i used to a mercedes apprentice motor mechanic a long time ago in a far off land.

Easy to prove. Fill the mark using the procedure described in the prior post.
Drive for 45 minutes at highway speeds. Pull over and check the level. It will be too high, due to heat caused fluid expansion.

That's the reason for filling to 10mm below when cold.

It's obvious that not all mechanics are rocket scientists, or for that matter that all people who claim to be rocket scientists are rocket scientists.
You have MB shop's using the wrong anti-freeze etc. etc. So you pick the advice that makes the most logical sense, follow the MB manuals and go for it.

Steve