Scot,

You are welcome.

I'm assuming you have a 722.6 transmission.

This is how I do a fluid exchange:

Why only change about 70% to 80% of your fluid with a pan, and torque drain when you can get very near 100% of your fluid out?
No need to worry about draining the torque converter, washer, or aligning the engine to get the torque converter drain plug.

Do a fluid exchange!!

My method:

First, you'll need some supplies:

Fluid:

If you get the Shell ATF 134(the best), the Valvoline Max life will do fine too. You'll need to get FOUR-Gallons. Buy it in gallon jugs if you can, but you may need a few more quarts. The Max-Life fluid is 17 bucks a gallon from Walmart in the USA.

You'll need to go to the home center and paint store.

one- NEW clear graduated one gallon paint bucket.

Six feet of 3/8" to 7/16" inside diameter clear vinyl tubing.

Make sure you have the Mercedes 722.6 measuring dipstick tool, and a NEW funnel for your 722.6, so no contamination occurs. Start fresh...

The process:

1) Drain the pan, replace the filter(save the old filter by the way-we will do something later with it), and replace the oil pan gasket. If you can measure how much fluid you drained out, so you can put the same amount in. It is about 3 to 4 quarts
2) Always inspect the transmission pan for debris, and particles; Then clean the pan.
3) Do not drain the torque converter. Just assume it does not have a drain plug.
4) Disconnect the top transmission cooler line from the radiator-A little fluid will drip. Be ready to clean-up the drips
5) Slip on the the clear tubing several inches into the flared cooler line.Make sure it is snug around the cooler line, so you do not make a mess
6) Lightly clamp so it is clamped to keep the tubing from moving out of the bucket, but not clamped to kink it! At the other end of the tubing to the rim of the paint bucket.Make sure the tubing is at lease half-way in the bucket, so you do not make mud pies once the fluid starts to come out.
7)Roll the drivers side window. Now start the car(leave it in park), get out an look at the bucket as it reaches the 2 liter or 2 quart mark(that's why you want a translucent bucket, so you see it from the outside). I will take 20 to 30 seconds to get to the 2liter or 2 quart mark. Stop the engine!! If you went over or under by little no big deal. Just do not go over the 4 liters, you do not want to run out of fluid in the pan. Keep it safe, and just empty out two quarts at a time. Use the dip stick tool every so often.
8) Make note of how much oil came out, and put the same amount back in OF NEW FLUID through the dip-stick tube with a new the new funnel, because used funnel for motor oil can destroy the o-rings in your transmission, just get a new one.
9) Pour out the old fluid into a recycling container.
10) Repeat step 7 trough 9 You will see new RED fluid come out at about three-gallons, but exchange out two to four quarts to get all of it out. Measure your fluid with the Mercedes measuring dip stick, so you do not over fill it.
11) On the last time, screw in the cooler line to the cooler, and disconnect the hose. Add oil get the dip-stick measurement close to the cold measurement side. Remember the oil is measured with engine on, and warmed-up. Save several quarts, so you can add a once you drive the car around.
12) You are done with the fluid change.
13) Now dissect your old filter, and look at the filter membrane for metal particles. Your pan have something too. Photograph what you find in your pan.

You'll rest assured a little work will get the fluid from the transmission cooler lines, cooler, valve-body, torque converter, and every "nook and cranny"

I do this general process for all makes and models.

Hope this helps,


Martin