I'm about to change the tranny and engine oil in my 1985 300SD, which I have never done since I have owned the vehicle. I don't have the manuals. As such, I would like to know how many quarts of tranny & engine oil I should use, I'm giong to drain the converter.

Andrew

Hey drew,

Go buy a cheap Haynes manual, I know they suck but they are good for some things like capacities and pretty pictures. I got the CD and Like it alot. It is great because you can print out the info and get it all dirty and nobody cares.

Anyway, on my 84 300d

7.5 q of engine oil
4 quarts then start measuring

getting the right amount of tranny fluid is not easy and no exact number can be given to you, at least by me.

Heres how you do it drain it all out, replace the filter, put in four quarts of fluid then measure the level on the the dip stick. Remember every time you measure you must put the car in all of its gears for at least two seconds in each gear. Then add more atf until you have about one inch below your min mark. when you add atf add at 4 oz intervals and then go check (trust me)
IT is easier to put it in then take it out
Now that your dip stick is one inch short go for a 20 minute car ride. preferably highway get that fluid warm. ATF fluid expands greatly when warm and your measurements markers are for warm measure. pull off at a service station and add 4 oz increments until perfect each time running it through the gears.

I think that it is important to measure it hot and have it on the top marker because I check my ATF every time I fuel up along with my Oil, coolant, brake fluid. I want to know if the care is loosing any of those fluids and if so at what rate. My benz has 250k so some usage is acceptable but I dont want any suprises.

Good luck

bob

I recently did the fluid/filter change on my '83 300TD, which has the same running gear. Though, your owner's manual will have the final answer . The capacity with the torque converter drained is 7.7 quarts. Without draining the converter it is 6.6. You're going to need a 5mm allen (hex) head and I believe a 13mm socket. The 5mm is for both the pan drain and torque converter drain. The 13mm is for the pan bolts. Also you will need a phillips head screw driver to remove the tranny filter itself.
For the engine, the oil capacity is 8 quarts, yes, it takes 2 gallons of oil. Be sure to use a diesel rated oil like Shell Rotella 15W-40, Mobil Delvac 15W-40 or Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. You can get the correct OEM filters from Fastlane. You'll need that 13mm for the oil filter cover bolts as well. I would suggest buying the Haynes manual for the W123 series, even though your car is a W126. The engines are the same, so it will be of some use to you. When you tighten the tranny pan bolts, don't over tighten them. The torque spec. is only about 5 foot pounds.

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What you want to buy is the Chilton's manual, # 48300 (ISBN 0-8019-9076-9) that covers 1974-85 Mercedes Coupes, Sedans, and Wagons from the 190's to the 500's. At less than $20, it's very helpful...

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Northern California Wine Country...
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