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  #1  
Old 01-15-2018, 12:15 PM
tdoublenastywitit's Avatar
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I really need a straight simple answer on how to check ATF level on 79 300d!!!

Searching gets me all sorts of different answers and when put it into application gets me different levels on my dipstick....

the car is 1979 300d non turbo. automatic


there is the just turn on the car run thru the gears in park for 5 mins answer.... this gets me a reading of about an inch about the top mark on dipstick

there is the drive the car around up some hills and stop and go for 15 mins then check the level answer... this gets me pretty close to in between the two ticks on stick but usually a bit below the lower tick

there is the drive the car for a good half to an hour to get it 100% completly warmed up then check the level answer.... this get me NO reading on the dipstick at all

and there is the drive the car until it reaches the first "tick" on the coolant temp gauage (120f or 60c) and then check the level answer..... havent been able to try this one yet because i just saw this now


from what i have gathered from all this is that checking the tranny fluid on these older merc's is not at simple as a car is these days and it has to be checked at an exact temp and time. is this temp of the atf fluid or the coolant temp? what is that temp?

OR MORE SIMPLY... just a straight confirmed and tested answer on how to correctly check the ATF fluid.

please help.

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  #2  
Old 01-15-2018, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdoublenastywitit View Post

there is the drive the car around up some hills and stop and go for 15 mins then check the level answer...
That cannot be right. Folks in Florida would have to drive all the way to North Georgia to find a decent hill.
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  #3  
Old 01-15-2018, 12:29 PM
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Overthinking it. Check it fully hot after 30 minutes of driving. what is when warm is what counts. flat level ground too.
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  #4  
Old 01-15-2018, 12:33 PM
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i get a different level everytime i do that tho Jake. sometimes its no reading sometimes, high reading, and sometimes a low reading.

seriously its different eveerytime
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  #5  
Old 01-15-2018, 12:35 PM
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As I understand, you want to check transmission fluid at operating temperature or about 180*F. That’s the temperature of the fluid, not what’s displayed on the gauge as engine temperature. You won’t get transmission fluid to that temperature idling the engine. Probably not an OM616 with a good cooling system either. I take the car on a 20 mile drive, that’s somewhere 20 miles away from the starting point, not 10 miles to the store, look around, the 10 miles home. Leave the engine running, transmission in Park, pull the dipstick, make sure the fluid is too hot to comfortably leave fingertips pinched on the wet end, then check fluid level.

Once that’s set, check it cold. Start the engine, run through the gears making sure each setting engages, them check the fluid level. I have this cold baseline for a weekly check since I can go weeks without wandering 20 miles from home. The cold baseline gives me a target after fluid and filter changes although the FSM tells you how far below the min level it should be before a test drive.

Problem #2 is different readings on the faces of the dipstick. Techs told me they average disparate readings. I’m tempted to drill small holes at the lower and upper lines. There’ll be fluid in the holes or there won’t.

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  #6  
Old 01-15-2018, 01:24 PM
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The reason this is a constant source of confusion is that the correct level is just below the point where the stick enters the casting. An ounce or two is enough to overflow, and parking just out of level can screw up the reading. When the car moves around, fluid can slosh up the tube. And when you add a bit, enough clings to the tube to make further readings impossible. “Averaging front and back” is idiotic.

I don’t use the dipstick. Instead, I run a long nylon tube into the tube, put my thumb over the end, and draw it out. The fluid retained in the tube reflects the true level in the pan. The dip tube method can’t be fooled, and always reflects the true level.
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  #7  
Old 01-15-2018, 02:18 PM
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This may be a simple question but you are checking it with the engine running aren't you? If not, that is your problem.
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  #8  
Old 01-15-2018, 02:42 PM
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Doesn't your Owner's Manual in the glove-box give instructions? On all my vehicles, I have found it tricky to fill the transmission with new oil. It often starts showing on the stick (even "too much") when I know I am a quart low, due to splashing (engine running in P). In that case, you see it on one side of the stick only. Same can happen if your fluid level is low, so perhaps that is your problem.

On the plus side, I never heard that low oil level will hurt a transmission. It just starts free-wheeling when the torque converter doesn't get enough, usually on a hard turn when the level is low. Some cars show similar from "morning sickness" where the oil in the torque converter drains back overnight thru the valve body. It may take 30 sec idling in park to fill it up again. In many, it fills much faster in neutral.
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  #9  
Old 01-15-2018, 06:09 PM
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You are really new here..
We do not give straight simple answers...
lol
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  #10  
Old 01-15-2018, 06:22 PM
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The simple answer is, assuming you have a 722.3 transmission:
It should read 10mm below min when cold.
Check again it after it warms up.

That worked for me with a 85' 300td.
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  #11  
Old 01-15-2018, 09:57 PM
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Haha!

Quote:
Originally Posted by tangofox007 View Post
That cannot be right. Folks in Florida would have to drive all the way to North Georgia to find a decent hill.
:
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  #12  
Old 01-15-2018, 10:08 PM
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The fluid is checked at operating temperature, the only way to get it to operating temperature is to drive the car around for 15-20 minutes.

Once the fluid is at operating temp, you check the level with engine running and tranny in park. Make sure you're on a level surface for the reasons said above.

If you're getting NO fluid on the dipstick when the transmission is up to temp and the engine running, you're seriously low on fluid. Frankly I'm surprised you aren't having flaring issues or gear engagement problems. It's worth noting that the fluid thins out quite a bit when hot. It can be difficult to see on the dipstick.

A '79 will likely have a 722.1 transmission too, not the 722.3.
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  #13  
Old 01-15-2018, 10:22 PM
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Ahh, the fun of figuring out fluid level...

First off... does your car ride level?

Are the motor mounts all in good shape?

Transmission mount as well... and the diff mount, and the front springs... do they sag?

How are your subframe mounts?

All this contributes to “level”... and the transmission needs to be in correct operating position with All mounts at factory levels, with the car parked running on a level surface, with the transmission fluid at full operating temperature, like after a good 20 minute spirited drive...

The vast different results you are getting likely are from the vehicle being parked on vastly different level positions...
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"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
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1987 190D 2.5Turbo
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  #14  
Old 01-15-2018, 10:26 PM
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But the ONLY way to absolutely positively know for sure the fluid is of correct volume is to drain pan, and torque converter a full 24 hours to drain all drips...

Then pull the pan, and replace the filter...

Then assemble everything, and add in the 4 quarts required for startup, let it idle a bit, then add in the balance of fluid required for the transmission fluid change in the Mercedes factory service manual.

Then you know your fluid is fresh, and at the correct level.
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #15  
Old 01-16-2018, 10:25 AM
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Ok thank you everyone. Im going with maybe im possibly parking on slightly unlevel surfaces. Ill do another test today. I added a half q last night drove 40 mins and checked it on totally flat and im hitting the bottom tick.

I feel safe with that for now.

And yes i was getting a small amount of flare and noticed a leak at the cooler lines. PO said he replaced the lines. They were barely torqued down so i tighted and for now the leak has stopped.

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