transmission flush - will those flush machine do the trick?

[hk20000]

hi,

I have a W202 C220 1995 and I'm planning on a transmission fluid flush. The Merc dealer wants my tuition for the next decade for it so no. I know a jiffy-lube style place that does good work (so it's not jiffy lube, just something like it, indie owned) and had been doing no problem oil change to the rest of my "fleet" all the time. The question is, I searched this forum there are like these few things I don't have in my other cars:

1) transmission fluid filter - first time ever heard of this. What the deuce
2) separate TQ converter and transmission drain. What the deuce the deuce?


So I don't know if they know what to do with this car since it's Mercedes it's "eccentric" (cheap cars are weird, Mercedes are eccentric). Do you think a generic transmission flush machine will do the trick? Or something is bound to go horribly wrong?

The filter can be replaced from outside the transmission much like oil filter for the engine correct????

thanks for your help.

[stevebfl]

The pan has to be removed to get at the filter. That drains all the fluid in the sump. Drain the torque convertor and you have done what MB recommends. Amoung true repair technicians tools like we are talking about are called wallet flushing devices. They are designed to repair the bottom line of deficient repair facilities. No manufacturer suggests using them!

You want to gauge a shops stature as a repair facility compare the amount of flushing equipment they have to factory level scan tools.

[TimFreeh]

Originally Posted by stevebfl

You want to gauge a shops stature as a repair facility compare the amount of flushing equipment they have to factory level scan tools.

Perfect.

[Hirnbeiss]

Many cars recommend draining the fluid via flushing now. On my Ford, you disconnected the cooler line hose, ran the car for half a minute or so to pump fluid out, added some clean fluid, and repeated until you got through 13 quarts. The parts guy looked at me funny when I ordered a new drain pan gasket and filter - he didn't have too many sales on those parts.

[jhodg5ck]

I would hope your C still has a torque converter drain, if it does I wouldn't use the flush machine but would instead drain it properly. If you Really want to get almost all the fluid out, drop the valve body (a bit above and beyond..).

Jonathan

[hk20000]

interesting.

1989 Toyota Cressida

drain plug on pan - yup
TQ converter drain - why do you design it so that you have to take the tranny apart to drain fluid?
filter - what?
it probably is the lack of filter that makes Toyota ask you to change tranny fluid every 2 years or 50,000km at best. Flushing does the tranny good.

1992 BMW 525i

drainplug on pan - yup
TQ converter drain - this guy says no.
filter - yeah it's there somewhat.

no idea about the service life... sold it before i even get to find out.

Never heard of these items getting replaced at all from all the AT cars I've owned. But there is no such thing as a trusted Mercedes Indie around my area - any shop that actually hoists up the car and take it apart like to rip off Mercedes owners because - well it's a Mercedes it's just bound to be horrid to repair, they think, and I agree with them most of the time, unfortunately.

meh I'll just drive around keeping the fluid at the right level and test Mercedes about their "Fill for life" claim.

and save up for a proper dealer fluid service later.

[lkchris]

Originally Posted by stevebfl

You want to gauge a shops stature as a repair facility compare the amount of flushing equipment they have to factory level scan tools.

Perfect indeed!

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Mechanics_Tale/Mechanics_Tale_The_Flushing_of_America.S281.A10297.html

[slojoexxx]

Originally Posted by lkchris

Perfect indeed!

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Mechanics_Tale/Mechanics_Tale_The_Flushing_of_America.S281.A10297.html

Thanks for the link and the great read... I was thinking the same thing about the 60 minutes report... Just remember what your grandpa use to say, Funny thing about history, it seems to repeat it self...
Hello 60 minutes, have I got a story for you... HAHAHAHA

[carnut]

DO NOT HAVE IT FLUSHED! Have a shop drain the trans and when you rotate the torque converter you will find the drain plug facing forward toward the engine. Auto transmissions have had filters for about 60 years. Some are fine mesh screen type, others are replaceable plastic or metal filters.

[Matt L]

Don't all automatics have filters? Any that I've ever touched did.

Torque converter drains were used on old American iron, but they're probably missing today (same as M-B). Draining the pan never drains the converter, but most of the time when you get a transmission fluid change, they will only drain the pan.

[Kim Langley2]

There is a DIY article for transmission fluid changes on this site

[engatwork]

On the MB's I drain the torque converter and drop the pan BUT the '97 Honda CRV is another matter. Up till about 150k miles I would take it to the Honda dealer and have them do the tranny fluid flush (I do not own a tranny flush machine). Now at 210k miles I just drain it and refill it. On this particular application you are unable to drain the torque converter and there is no filter to change that I know of. Tranny still works fine although it does shift a little harder than it did new.

[Hirnbeiss]

Originally Posted by engatwork

On the MB's I drain the torque converter and drop the pan BUT the '97 Honda CRV is another matter.

Yeah, those little motorcycles probably only hold a pint or two anyway.

[Arthur Dalton]

The reason it is so important to change the filter on an auto tranny is b/c there is constant wearing of the clutch paks and the aluminum sliding parts ..and where do you suppose these worn off debris wind up ??? .. in the filter.
The suction guys will tell you it winds up suspended in the fliud ..it does..and then the fluid just carries it to the filter.
When changing a trans fliud/filter, I open up the old filters so I can get a look at the clutch debris and aluminum wear content..this gives an insight to tranny wear ..if you ever opened one up, you would see why you want to change it..new fluid can not go through an old filter any better than the old fluid could..a blocked filter restricts oil flow and that is the last thing you want happening inside your trans..you are better off with a new filter and the old fluid than you are with new fluid trying to go through an old clogged filter...
Change them both and clean out the pan while you have it off...they can agitate all they want, they don't get the crud out of the corners of the pan like you can with it off. Do it right..trannies biggest problems are DIRT caused !!!

[300B]

Originally Posted by Arthur Dalton

The reason it is so important to change the filter on an auto tranny is b/c there is constant wearing of the clutch paks and the aluminum sliding parts ..and where do you suppose these worn off debris wind up ??? .. in the filter.
The suction guys will tell you it winds up suspended in the fliud ..it does..and then the fluid just carries it to the filter.
When changing a trans fliud/filter, I open up the old filters so I can get a look at the clutch debris and aluminum wear content..this gives an insight to tranny wear ..if you ever opened one up, you would see why you want to change it..new fluid can not go through an old filter any better than the old fluid could..a blocked filter restricts oil flow and that is the last thing you want happening inside your trans..you are better off with a new filter and the old fluid than you are with new fluid trying to go through an old clogged filter...
Change them both and clean out the pan while you have it off...they can agitate all they want, they don't get the crud out of the corners of the pan like you can with it off. Do it right..trannies biggest problems are DIRT caused !!!

The filter used on most if all trannys are merely just screens.
I've seen a pic of a 722.6 filter cut open with 130K that was pretty spotless.

If pretty much any transmission filter gets clogged the tranny is pretty much screwed!