Cheap ATF Dipsticks for 722.6##

[LawrenceMB]

Hi, Could have been a waste of £5 but thought I'd take a punt on the replacement for the ATF dipstick workshop tool for 722.6## automatic transmissions, especially after the main dealer wanted £47+vat!! I found this £5 replacement on ebay just now:
Mercedes benz automatic transmission dipstick tool | eBay
It's listed as a replacement for special tool part # 140 589 15 21 00 (which I got off wis)
I'll post the results of how I get on with it (am going to measure & compare it to photos of the origional MB special tool laying next to a ruler that quite a few people have posted online.
Fingers crossed but for a fiver compared to £60 worth a punt!

 

[michael8554]

I do hope you have better luck than I did.
After an oil change, with new clean oil in the sump, I could not for the life of me see where the oil was on a stick like your eBay one!
The business end was blackened too but I suspect was not black enough.
Bought a Sealey dipstick off Amazon for £20 and with this I could easily see what the level was.
This has a flattened black plastic section at the tip, with the diamond on the end that abuts the "curtain rod", this stops the stick going too far into the sump.
The only mod I did was to mark the rod with a black permanent marker at the start of the section of the stick that stays outside of the dipstick tube, just to be sure it is all the way in.
Good Luck
Michael

 

[amg3.6]

I've got one exact same its not worth it as above you can't see where the oil level is. I recomend you don't buy it

 

[Druk]

Have a read here. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/69188-atf-topup-2.html
As stated by michael 8554 the diamond moulded into the plastic part is important (imho) as it serves as a stop to the dipstick going in too far and giving a wrong reading.

 

[LawrenceMB]

Excellent guys, Thank you. That info is invaluable. I'll try getting one of the sealy ones mentioned. Thanks!

 

[LawrenceMB]

I do hope you have better luck than I did.
After an oil change, with new clean oil in the sump, I could not for the life of me see where the oil was on a stick like your eBay one!
The business end was blackened too but I suspect was not black enough.
Bought a Sealey dipstick off Amazon for £20 and with this I could easily see what the level was.
This has a flattened black plastic section at the tip, with the diamond on the end that abuts the "curtain rod", this stops the stick going too far into the sump.
The only mod I did was to mark the rod with a black permanent marker at the start of the section of the stick that stays outside of the dipstick tube, just to be sure it is all the way in.
Good Luck
Michael

That's brillaint thanks Michael Do you happen to have the part number or a link for the sealy one please? Thanks, Lawrence

 

[jaymanek]

We dont have the sealey ones but someone I know does and they complained that the tips keep falling off into the gearbox.

 

[LawrenceMB]

Hi Again, I found the Sealy one on amazon & just bought it
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003615Y56/?tag=amazon0e9db-21
So my £5 punt turned out to be a waste of a fiver - heyho - could've cost me a whole transmission !
I'll learn the lesson; check on this forum 1st !!
Thanks again to you all - really appreciate it
Lawrence

 

[corned]

I know the ones with the plastic end can come apart and leave the plastic bit in the sump - not a good idea!

I have one of the ones in your first link. Nothing wrong with them, and they won't disintegrate in your gearbox. Yes, the level is hard to see, but just do what I did - paint the bottom 6 inches gloss white. The level is dead easy to see after that.

 

[paul m]

Just bought one from Mercedes benz of sunderland £32 ask for discount works great

 

[spike60]

If the oil level is hard to read dab the dipstick flat onto a piece of clean kitchen roll, the level will show up clearly on the roll.

 

[michael8554]

I'll have to watch out for the tip on the Sealey coming loose.
But it can't fall into the gearbox because the diamond-shaped part won't pass the narowing at the entrance to the sump.
Which thinking about it is a problem, because it would be better if it did fall into the sump, where it could be easily recovered - hmmm!
White paint? So long as it doesn't dissolve into the ATF.
Spike60 - great idea, cancel that order LawrenceMB !!

 

[LawrenceMB]

Thanks guys, all replies much appreciated
I've got both coming now, which is not an issue - collectively still half the price of what our local dealer wanted fro a genuine one. I reckon I'll double check the lengths & markings of them both to each other & also to drawings of the genuine mb one posted a while back at http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/69188-atf-topup-2.html then if they are both correct to genuine & exactly the same then I'll use the sealey one (carefully!) first, which from all feedback appears to go into the tube the correct depth everytime, mark how much of it sticks out unused of the top of the dipstick tube, then transfer that measurement to the steel one which doesn't have the issue of the tip falling off & use that from now on. Once I've done that I'll post on the forum that measurement so if anyone else wants to get the cheap steel one themselves they'll be able to use that measurement to mark on it how deep it should go into the tube when inserted correctly.
Alll seems a bit complicated but I've got the both coming now so might as well aye?
Cheers!

 

[michael8554]

Lawrence you're a star ! (3 pointed?)
I put in a request for these measurements a while back so I could be sure the cheapo dipstick wasn't pushed in too far - zero/nada/no response.
In the end I bought the Sealey as mentioned.

 

[Btbuk]

Lawrance have you done it?

Any update?

 

[LawrenceMB]

Lawrance have you done it?

Any update?

Hiya, I've half done it!
I've marked on the sealy brand dipstick the depth it goes into the dipstick tube (ie; inserted it fully & tied a small cable tie around the dipstick itself at a point level with the top of the dipstick tube, then trimmed the 'tail' off that cable tie & sealed it in place with a little red touchup paint. I'm happy to post that measurement if anyone's interested but just some important points worth noting:
- There's is always the chance that dipstick tubes on different models are different lengths, so although this measurment may work for my exact model (2000 W210 E320 v6 Elegance estate with 722.618 tiptronic gearbox), it may not be accurate for say even an e320 cdi of the same year?
- When I compared the sealy dipstick with the £5 wire one off ebay & laid them flat together with the ends (end that goes into the sump) matched up in the line the actual cold & hot markings are 'out of kilter' with each other, ie: the £5 the markings start a few mm lower on the dipstick. So this complicates it further.
- I've not actually done the ATF change yet, but are hoping too in the next weekend or 2, wheather permitting, so maybe wait & see if my box blows up 1st using the sealy one?!! (sure it won't). I'm also picking up a couple of banjo bolts of the stealership this week hopefully (part# N000000 004748) to make up a torque comvertor draining fiiting as per Olly's post, so I can let you know how I got on with that?

Other than that disclaimer above of the pitfalls I'm happy to post the measurement off the sealy one I have if anyone's game enough to transfer that to the cheap £5 one? (I've gone off the idea & will write it off as £5 lesson as oposed to a complete new trans lesson!)
I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules here as I'm new to this but I ended up with 2 of the sealy disticks (long story!), one of which is unopenned & I was going to post on flea bay, but if anyone wants it I'll part with it for half of what I paid for it (which was £21 odd from amazon) plus whatever it'll cost me to post it royal mail (will not charge any packaging or mark up the postage). As I said I'm picking up 2 of the banjo bolts too so if I get it right 1st time making the TC draing tool from it then I'll have a spare banjo bolt too which I would chuck in the same envelope & just charge what the stealership will charge me which is £1.45 + Vat.
Sorry if I'm breaking any forum rules administrator! Just trying to be helpful
Let me know if anyone still wants that's sealy dipstick measurement?
Cheers,
Lawrence

 

[Rory]

- When I compared the sealy dipstick with the £5 wire one off ebay & laid them flat together with the ends (end that goes into the sump) matched up in the line the actual cold & hot markings are 'out of kilter' with each other, ie: the £5 the markings start a few mm lower on the dipstick. So this complicates it further.

Have you checked the current oil level using both dipsticks?

I know you haven't changed the oil yet, but if the gearbox is working OK you'll get some confidence about where the level should be.

 

[MYML270]

I have just had my auto flushed and serviced.

I gave the garage my cheap eBay dipstick and they painted the bottom white and put a cable tie on the top level with the dip stick tube for me.

Very impressed with the service and the resulting performance of the auto.

KenM

 

[LawrenceMB]

Have you checked the current oil level using both dipsticks?

I know you haven't changed the oil yet, but if the gearbox is working OK you'll get some confidence about where the level should be.

That's a good idea mate. I have checked it with the sealy dipstick when I actually marked the depth, but I will do so with both when it's up to full temp when I'm getting ready to drain it. Cheers

 

[mikezxcv]

c220cdi 722.6

Could you tell us how far the dipstick should go into the hole please ie. the length from the bottom of the sump to the top of the dipstick hole. theres lots of information on how deep the fluid level in the sump should be but I cant find this measurement anywhere which I think is just as important as I find it difficult to feel when it has reached the bottom due to the force needed to get around the bend in the filler tube. My distick will quite happily bend around the corner and keep going. A mark at the top of the dipstick would be very useful
Thanks