Its about time to due a service on a 300cd Ive been driving around off and on for the last year.I usually get around to this in Jan so I can keep up with the yearly maintenience.Im curious to know how you guys keep the trannie up to snuff? Just to report on how well these trannies are,Ive never had one go out on me ,this is after owning 6 300cds ,4 190ds ,2 300ds ,2 300tds, and 1 300sd I just bought but still working on it to put it on the road.I use nothing special for fluid ,just cheap STP trannie fluid from the Dollar Store plus the filter.

I change fluid and filter every 30-40k miles. The original trannie in my 300D died at about 250k, I don't know what the PO did to it. My current reman trannie has about 300K on it and is working perfectly.

I use sync. ATF and go 80,000.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Thats way too long.

I use synthetic and only go about 30-35k between fluid/filter changes. Every couple years for both cars usually.

__________________
-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)

+1
My favorite is Amsoil, but Mobil and Redline both make a good synthetic ATF. A synthetic will run cooler and cleaner, is more stable, and lubricates better for longer trans life. They will say 100K but for an old car the 30-40K makes a lot of sense. Many will use the 'hoot' method to flush the TC, but a more frequent drain and fill will also work. Another reason for a more frequent interval.

__________________
Chris Brown
"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801

Chasinthesun, congrats on your post #1,000!

Unless you put the transmission through extreme grief (driven hard and put away wet, as the saying goes) you can go by the factory interval of 30,000 miles. Be sure to drain the torque converter, it has at least as much fluid in it as the pan, if not more. There are differences of opinion on the forum but I always change the filter and pan gasket at the same time.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I plan on doing filter and change at 30k intervals as well. I have one car with a dodgy tran and in that one I am going to try B&M before changing out the valve. In the good one next change I am putting in Swepco 714.

__________________
1986 300 SDL - rolling parts car and test bed.
1987 300 SDL - semi daily driver.
1977 U1000 Unimog
2007 Ram 2500 6.7l

Never.

(see sig)

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Bought my DD in 2002 at 234k, records show a factory warranty replacement of the auto tranny at 79k.

Car now has 407K, and I've never changed the fluid. Tranny has 328K on it.

Now I'm afraid to.

Flame suit ON

__________________
Nate Stanley
(Currently Benzless)
1985 F-250 6.9l 170K
2009 SCION XB 36.5K
2003 LS430 78K
2012 Kubota B 2320

every 25,000 miles.

__________________

Present
1987 300SDL
1991 300SL
1990 560SEL
2001 ML320

Past
1969 200D 1979-82
1983 300SD 1984-85
1972 250C 1982-02
1995 S350 2011
1997 S320 2012

I use Valvoline Dexron VI full synthetic in all of ours....they shift awesome even in extreme cold.

__________________
-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 change the fluid and filter every 30k miles, and I'm due for a change in a few thousand. I'm thinking about putting one of those magnets in the pan from the newer MBs just to see what it'll attract. I use Mobil 1 ATF.

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Definitely wont hurt. I have magnets in many motors, trans & diffs here. its a good thing. Some show nothing, others have shown metal mud.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Same here .


Running Amsoil ATF.


Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

I have used amsoil,mobil 1, and redline synthetic, but lately someone here mentioned mobil one's new recipe is no good for our cars.
I just was the hot flush video and im concerned our coolers are not clean enough.