A friend has a 95 e320 with 5 speed auto. It is running fine but when he checked the auto trans fluid it looks brown like clean engine oil not red like atf. Is it possible for engine oil (it is not using oil) to get into the transmission or is it more likely some "doh" has filled with the wrong oil - OR is there ATF that is not red in color?
I can not believe it would run right if it had engine oil in the tranny though?
Any ideas?

Amber or brown is the usual color of trans fluid needing to be changed. Oftentimes has a slight burnt smell also at that point.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

When I changed my ATF it was black as the ace of spades.

Good grief was the box OK after that?
I checked my 180k miler and it is a clean red colour like new ATF; having said that it has been changed every 36k per the book - just due again now.

Seems ok. The shift from 1-2 can sometimes be a little bit 'surprising' (no clunks or noises). Heres what it looked like:





Looked like diluted diesel engine oil.

I did have an issue where it was running low for a good long while, unnoticed because of a very slow leak from the radiator. It wasn't until I had some rough gearchanges are curious behaviour, that I bought a dipstick and saw it was a couple of litres too low. Fixed the leak and refilled, its ok now.

At nearly 190,000 miles though I wouldn't be too bothered if the gearbox decided it was time to depart this world. I can always get another one.