I've emailed the folks at Sun Valley Mercedes Transmissions rebuilt remanufactured mercedes benz automatic transmissions a few times recently, mainly planning for the day when my 92 will need a reman. I noticed that their recommendation for fluid and filter change is 24k miles for everything, even for the 722.6 and later. So I asked them about that in particular and if, in their judgment, the 40k interval most seem to recommend is adequate. I was interested to learn that they stick by their 24k recommendation even with the newer transmissions. Clearly they have nothing to gain (and, in fact, something to lose) by recommending shorter intervals. Kinda makes me wonder if I ought to follow their advice.

Maybe I should see what Peter Schmid has to say....

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Definitely follow the advice of Marc at Sun Valley. They know their business and are very honest and fair.

Your 98 has the 722.6 trans, the 92 would be a dot 3 or 4 probably.

MB currently recommends 60Km intervals on the 722.6. The interval has changed half a dozen different times since introduction midway through 97.

What does Sun Vly have to lose by recommending shorter fluid change intervals? Seems to me they gain in terms of increased service work.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

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

Every Mercedes I've owned with a 722.6 received a 35,000 mile trans service.

Every 24,000 miles is unnecessary in my opinion. There isn't a need for that.

My assumption (perhaps incorrect) is that they just do remans....so shorter intervals reduce the need for people buying their product.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Based upon the assumption that they don't do service work, it would seem logical a shorter fluid change interval would serve to protect "their" reman work more so than a longer interval would. It sounds like a self serving warranty/recommendation issue that they can point to in the event a problem occurs.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

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