Hey guys,

I recently got my first Mercedes, an '83 300SD that I want to run on french fry grease (just put some in tonight!). I just changed the fuel filters and now I'd like to take care of the transmission!

What would you guys suggest? Is it possible to flush it yourself? If I drop the pan, will I find a filter that is easy to change? Is there anything to adjust or check while I'm in there?

I searched the forum, but this would be a great thing for new owners to be able to read, wouldn't it? Why don't we make a whole file for new owners that covers oil changes/basic maintenance, lingo and all of the new things under the hood?!

Thank you,
Nick

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1983 300SD running on WVO soon, bought for $750!

Nick,
There are a number of posts/threads dealing with running a cleaning product in the trans of a period of time prior to changing fluid & filter. You really should do the search and read as many of these as possible. Doing so, you will glean advice on how to do the procedure in such as way that you are able to drain most all of the fluid rather than some of it.

Though I realize your thread deals more with your AT ... you mention you added ff grease/oil to your car yet you mention nothing about the conversion. You didn't just add some to your fuel tank did you?

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Steve
'87 300TD - 132K - Soon 4-Sale
'84 300D Turbo - 122K - Driving
'77 VW Type II - 77K - Restored
'08 250EX Ninja
English Bulldog (Brier) - My best friend. Passed away 12/02/04 while in my arms.

The filter is easy to replace (after you remove the drain plug in the pan)
and remove the pan.
There is a drain plug in the torque converter(underneath the tranny you
will see a grid ,use a large screwdriver as a lever to turn the torque
converter until you access the drain plug)
Remember to replace both washers on both the drain plugs with new ones!

The most important part is to not overfill the 'tranny ...all measurements
WILL be made on absolutely level ground.

'give some thought to using Mobil 1 atf

level with engine running and engine warm.

also while the pan is off it is a good idea to check the valve body bolts for snugness. use a ratchet with your hand all the way against the hub to avoid too much torque.

be careful about your raising and put it on jackstands if you can. def not on jack.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I am also probably going to do this within the next couple months as it was last changed around 212k on my car and I do a lot of city driving, so it can't hurt. Is there a real advantage to using Mobil 1 atf? I assume this is the synthetic stuff, and its probably very expen$ive......what could I expect to gain from using it? I don't think mine would leak, it had every seal replaced 1.5 years ago. Also, wouldn't I need to do a change with the new mobil 1, then run it a while, then change it again due to it mixing with residual Dexron that was still in the tranny? Or would it be ok to just "change it" and continue on till the next change using the mobil 1? I'm skeptical how much better mobil 1 is vs. just changing the dexron every 15-20k....as I assume it costs 2-3x more.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I run cheap stuff in everything and change it often... the ability to have extended drains in the trans isn't worth it to me. Sure it can take a bit more heat but by the time your unit is well north of 200°F it's already breaking down big time... seals, clutch material, etc.

$1.20/qt for me.

If you still want to, you're fine mixing it with the Dex III that's left in there.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Thanks Guys,

Good advice on the transmission. That's a project I'll tackle soon.

Steve, I filtered the WVO through a coffee filter and it looked perfect. We'd only made chips with it at the house and I only added about a cupful to two gallons Diesel.

From all the reading I've done, it seems people are having success with putting really clean oil in their tanks as long as they live in a warm climate. What's interesting is that I put some of the dirty part of the oil in the fridge overnight and it didn't get much less liquid than what I poured in the tank. I'm planning to add a filter in the system soon and probably a heated tank, too in the next couple of months. Have you experimented with it yet?

Take care,
Nick

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1983 300SD running on WVO soon, bought for $750!

I'm running wvo in two MB's using a single tank and blending.

Your oil needs to be filtered better. Go to McMaster-Carr and order some 1 micron bag filters. Even that is not enough - I run mine through a 10 micron Goldenrod filter after that, and after a few dozen gallons, it clogs. Better there than in your car.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

What tenknots said....Also;
You should also clean out your tank first running some tank cleaning products. Then change your fuel filters. Then run your blend.

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1999 E300DT (131,800) 154,000 Black on Black SOLD

2006 CLK 500 coupe Capri Blue on Grey (zoom,zoom)
47,000mi

04 VW TDI Passat 80,000mi
(Techno)

How to eliminate oil dependency through market-driven approaches.
“We could cut oil use in half by 2025, and by 2040, oil use could be zero,”
The Sound of Diesel Speed
Ode to MB

They have this. It's called a manual. You can get a Hayne's manual at AutoZone or just about any auto parts store.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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Good tip for cleaning your fuel filters is to squirt some acetone in them when dirty and swish it around let it set for 10 minutes and drain . then blow it out with an air hose....You will never have to buy another fuel filter again...always have clean spares in the trunk!

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'87 924S
'81 280SEL

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81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
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87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."