Is a gearbox filter service worth it?

[Justintyme]

There's a lot of mystique given to it but it is a service procedure and therefore designed to be as straightforward as possible.

The official times given to the job by Mercedes themselves varies from 0.9 hours to 1.4 hours depending on the exact model of car.

Between 0.9 Hrs and 1.4 hrs....official MB time schedule?? Maybe for just draining the trans sump via the drain plug, and refilling it would get it done in 0.9 Hrs, but remove sump, replace gasket and filter, refit sumpp, refill, then drain and replace the TC and Radiator fluid in 1.4 hrs??? I can't see it being done in that time frame anyway. I know it took me longer than that, the first time that I did it anyway, and for sure I'd be a lot quicker next time, and even quicker the time after that, but even so,,,,,would not do it in the MB allowed time of 1.4 Hrs

 

[jshodgson]

What do think is a fair price, given the parts alone are probably £150.

I said it sounded a lot to me (based on other posts where people seem to have paid £200-£220).
Now that you have kindly told me that the garage is likely to have to spend £150 trade on the parts I can see why it is £300. The guys on here that paid c£200 must have had a right bargain based on this.
Thanks for the info.

 

[jshodgson]

Whereabouts are you? Members in your area may be able to recommend a garage and provide an idea of pricing.

I’m in Torquay. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Dickster]

I’ve had two X5 transformed by a gearbox service so I would definitely recommend it. I can highly recommend Dartford Transmissions for anyone in the area.

 

[geoffus]

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Tempted to do this myself .

 

[jasonh]

That's the kit with red ATF for pre June 2010 cars.

That kit is slightly odd - for example magnets don't wear out so why replace them. Even the MB instructions say to wipe them clean and refit.

MB do say to replace the bolts (I suspect because you torque then angle tighten them which usually means you're stretching the bolt, however in this case you're compressing a thick rubber gasket so there's no way the bolt is stressed). Most kits therefore don't come with bolts.

6 litres is the perfect amount if you don't drain the TC but not much margin for error. You need more if you do drain the TC, another 3 litres.

So whilst I'm tempted by these kits I think I would put my own kit together.

 

[blitz500sl]

Its quite easy to do DIY because there is a dip stick and you can get the correct oil in Euro car parts by Triple QX. You need to drain and refill twice due to no torque converter drain plug.

 

[W1ghty]

That's the kit with red ATF for pre June 2010 cars.

That kit is slightly odd - for example magnets don't wear out so why replace them. Even the MB instructions say to wipe them clean and refit.

MB do say to replace the bolts (I suspect because you torque then angle tighten them which usually means you're stretching the bolt, however in this case you're compressing a thick rubber gasket so there's no way the bolt is stressed). Most kits therefore don't come with bolts.

6 litres is the perfect amount if you don't drain the TC but not much margin for error. You need more if you do drain the TC, another 3 litres.

So whilst I'm tempted by these kits I think I would put my own kit together.

Using Fuchs ATF 4134 which is MB 236.14 (red) . Saves a packet over MB bottled oil . The 7g stretch bolts are one time use , they can snap at 12nm

 

[jshodgson]

That's the kit with red ATF for pre June 2010 cars.

That kit is slightly odd - for example magnets don't wear out so why replace them. Even the MB instructions say to wipe them clean and refit.

MB do say to replace the bolts (I suspect because you torque then angle tighten them which usually means you're stretching the bolt, however in this case you're compressing a thick rubber gasket so there's no way the bolt is stressed). Most kits therefore don't come with bolts.

6 litres is the perfect amount if you don't drain the TC but not much margin for error. You need more if you do drain the TC, another 3 litres.

So whilst I'm tempted by these kits I think I would put my own kit together.

I just had the Mercedes main dealer service department call me with a price for the gearbox fluid change (£394) and I asked if f it included the torque converter. He said there is no way to do it on my car without removing the gearbox and also said that the fluid change was 10litres. Sounds like it would include the TC if it is going to take 10litres.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

I just had the Mercedes main dealer service department call me with a price for the gearbox fluid change (£394) and I asked if f it included the torque converter. He said there is no way to do it on my car without removing the gearbox and also said that the fluid change was 10litres. Sounds like it would include the TC if it is going to take 10litres.

He is talking nonsense then since there is an official MB document with the procedure.

 

[jasonh]

I just had the Mercedes main dealer service department call me with a price for the gearbox fluid change (£394) and I asked if f it included the torque converter. He said there is no way to do it on my car without removing the gearbox and also said that the fluid change was 10litres. Sounds like it would include the TC if it is going to take 10litres.

I'm not sure of exactly which variant of the gearbox you have. If it's a 2007 car then it uses the slightly cheaper red ATF.

On some versions of the gearbox there isn't a drain screw on the Torque Converter. In this case the instructions say you can't drain the TC but you need to refill with less fluid - 6 litres.

Depending on exactly which gearbox it is it could take between 9.0 and 9.7 litres to fill a completely dry gearbox and TC (that's excluding the MCT which came after June 2010).

So it does seem that the service department is confused. If they are draining the TC then 10 litres would be correct. There doesn't seem to any reliable indicator or which cars have a TC drain screw or not so perhaps the dealer is covering the worst case.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I just had the Mercedes main dealer service department call me with a price for the gearbox fluid change (£394) and I asked if f it included the torque converter. He said there is no way to do it on my car without removing the gearbox and also said that the fluid change was 10litres. Sounds like it would include the TC if it is going to take 10litres.

Someone who knows more may correct me or explain more eloquently, however I believe that your service guy is suggesting that the Torque Converter cannot be drained and so they will flush through the gearbox and TC which uses a little more fluid but reduces the amount of residual “old” fluid.

The volumes will be incorrect but for simplicity, let’s say the gearbox holds 6 litres and the TC holds 2 litres. If they replace the gearbox fluid only then after the fluid change 25% of the 8 litres of fluid in the transmission will be “old” as the oil in the TC will remain.

However if they flush it using 10 litres (ie 2 litres more than the total capacity of the transmission) then more of the old oil will be pushed out, leaving less “old” oil in the TC, and hence after the change & flush there may be just 10% old oil.

Mercedes specialists and transmission specialists may be able to take it a step further to clean out the TC but the main dealer will stop short of this bases upon their standard procedures.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

The 722.6 document specifies 14L of fluid, 5 out and in then 3 x 3L flushes.

 

[jasonh]

The Mercedes WIS instructions and standard charges (ASRA) do not include a flush through or a second oil change if the TC cannot be drained.

Not being able to drain the TC is common on BMWs, Jags, Range Rovers and other makes. On those you only change 60 to 70% of the fluid.

 

[jasonh]

My reply above is for the 7G 722.9 transmissions only.

 

[jasonh]

What year and exact model is the car? The transmission could be the 5G or 7G depending on the year and model.

 

[markjay]

One other thing to note, is that there's a different between talking to the service manager or one if the techs, and talking to a service advisor.

My own experience is thst the latter generally read from script. A good service advisor will put you on hold while they go and ask someone at the workshop, a poor one will just go off-script and make it up as they go along.

Something to keep in mind when you consider the response you had over the phone.

 

[jshodgson]

What year and exact model is the car? The transmission could be the 5G or 7G depending on the year and model.

It’s an E320 cdi 2007 (57). I think it is a 7G

 

[zipdip]

Well the simple answer is if you want the gearbox to perform well then get it serviced,it is £250 well spent.

 

[W1ghty]

It’s an E320 cdi 2007 (57). I think it is a 7G

Yep , same as my E320cdi 2009