overfilled or underfilled?

[choo]

hi to all , just making a little question about the wonderful E270 cdi I own that runs very well , but just recent had a issue with gear change , I placed it on a scan tool and results came back with nothing , all works well , but sometimes when I go from park to drive or reverse , it "jerks" into gear now I tried to check the level of fluid , but no thanks to the wonders of e bay ,, don't seem to be able to get a decent dip stick to read it , my first one has a plastic end which seems to read overfilled , the second is a metal one which the dam thing does not read at all ? like what the blazing magic does one do to get the correct dip stick ? pay some dollar eye signed dealer ? the metal one does not seem to go in all the way , but yet it will on my 07 jeep (yes it runs the exact same box ) what on earth went wrong as I remember when you bought a tool it worked . ...............where can one buy a dip stick that will work on my model without waiting ten years for the postman pat to find his glasses and deliver it for as it goes it seems Australia once full of crims , seems to be still in that factor can anyone help on this issue ?

 

[classiccarzone]

Hi Choo are you following the correct procedure for checking the level. Proper temperature, car running etc.?

The dipstick is not supposed to fit entirely into the filler tube, there will be an amount sticking out. This is normal.

Does your plastic ended dipstick have a diamond at the top of the plastic part? This is the best dipstick and will give you an accurate reading.

 

[choo]

Hi Choo are you following the correct procedure for checking the level. Proper temperature, car running etc.?

The dipstick is not supposed to fit entirely into the filler tube, there will be an amount sticking out. This is normal.

Does your plastic ended dipstick have a diamond at the top of the plastic part? This is the best dipstick and will give you an accurate reading.

Hi, yes letting get up to heat and pulling up on level ground going through the gears and then back to n position and checking within time , the plastic is on a coil cable which un screws , the metal one is on same coil but does not un screw both have markers on it reading part BUT the metal one is hard to read , yeah I do know they do not go in all the way , but the plastic one seems too short (just get that feeling) and the metal one reads the jeep but not the benz , but I guess this is what happens when you buy this type of thing off fleeting bay where the rule of Asian copy has taken over I am just trying to find one to at least see what it should look like without getting one that looks like it was made in a shak full of sweaty people grinding them out by the thousands where not one pair equals to the same size.

 

[whitenemesis]

The little diamond is to stop the dipstick being pushed too far in.

 

[choo]

that is like the type I use on it (I have one that is metal but it is too long for the benz but not the jeep)
but mine does not have the diamond up the top! THANK YOU! at least I know now and can search around to find , maybe the sweat shop had a budget cut ? I don't know but now I can be able to look around thanks for this.

 

[choo]

well I think I will buy this one see how it goes after postman pat (with his silly cat) delivers it . and hope that it works and is what it looks like in the pic.
920mm Engine Oil Dipstick Auto Transmission Fluid Level Tool For Benz 917-321~ | eBay

 

[classiccarzone]

That looks ok and it is cheap.
This brings up the whole debate of how you should take the level.
It is generally accepted that you take it at 80c move the lever through the gears and select either park or neutral with the car running.

From my research this is not correct. You apply the hand brake, chock the wheels if you wish and put the car into reverse with the car running. (Putting it in drive will give you the same reading but for obvious reasons you should not do that) then take the measurement.

I have found that there is a difference of approx 12.5mm (from eye judgement) in the difference between Park and Reverse.

 

[Rory]

From my research this is not correct. You apply the hand brake, chock the wheels if you wish and put the car into reverse with the car running. (Putting it in drive will give you the same reading but for obvious reasons you should not do that) then take the measurement.

I've never heard that before, and it sounds ridiculous, for obvious reasons.
Move it through the gears, waiting 5 secs in each position. Then leave it in Park for 2 mins. Then check the level.
I checked mine after having some work done at the indie I use and it was bang in the middle of the 80C marks.

 

[classiccarzone]

Why do you think it ridiculous?; I do not know of any obvious reasons for it being ridiculous.
Perhaps a tad dangerous for those who do not take the proper precautions, hence the reason that Mercedes stated that it is a job for a main dealer.
The fact that your measurement is bang on in the middle of the marks does not support any argument.

If you said it gives the same reading in park as it does in Reverse well then that would be a good argument.

I believe the reason for it is that the fluid will be pumping through the system and that this is then the correct level to have in the pan.
I am not an expert on this; threw it out for those in the know for debate.

I have always used this method (in park, running) as it was how I was told a long time ago.

 

[whitenemesis]

You apply the hand brake, chock the wheels if you wish and put the car into reverse with the car running. (Putting it in drive will give you the same reading but for obvious reasons you should not do that) then take the measurement.

I have always used this method (in park, running) as it was how I was told a long time ago.

So which is it you use? In P or R?

Check this thread and post #21 to see how the professional does it ...
HOW TO: change the automatic gerbox oil and flush on a 722.6 'box

 

[classiccarzone]

I have used it in park running but lately I have used it in Reverse running.

I am not saying either way is wrong; just throwing it out there for debate.

I can see a lot of merit in checking it in reverse or drive as this is the true level of the fluid while the car is being driven.

Have a look at these professionals to view the process from the other side of the fence

You are being redirected...

 

[choo]

I do believe after heating it (by running around in circles or just plain driving around) then one pulls up and gently go from park to reverse reverse to drive , back to reverse then either NEUTRAL OR PARK and of course engine running , and must be checked within one minute (or was that two can not remember) as for hand brake well of course if one is silly enough not to remember this and runs after the escaped car like one out of the three stooges making a WOOOWOOO noise running after it. checking any car in gear is of course a good way to remove next doors cat from sleeping under it and a perfect way to renovate the garage . but in so many times I could be wrong in the way I check but so many cars I have done over the years it does from time to time fog up the brain but as long as I am not doing manual gearboxes I do not care.

 

[classiccarzone]

I do believe after heating it (by running around in circles or just plain driving around) then one pulls up and gently go from park to reverse reverse to drive , back to reverse then either NEUTRAL OR PARK and of course engine running , and must be checked within one minute (or was that two can not remember) as for hand brake well of course if one is silly enough not to remember this and runs after the escaped car like one out of the three stooges making a WOOOWOOO noise running after it. checking any car in gear is of course a good way to remove next doors cat from sleeping under it and a perfect way to renovate the garage . but in so many times I could be wrong in the way I check but so many cars I have done over the years it does from time to time fog up the brain but as long as I am not doing manual gearboxes I do not care.

Did you read the link above choo. There is always the possibility that something could happen to cause the car to rev up of its own accord but it should not do that in an ideal situation so you apply safety measures. If your hand brake is good enough to pass an MOT it should be good enough to prevent a car from moving off.
The few times that I have done it I have taken extra precautions; but as I said before perhaps this is why MB did not supply any means of checking it (too dangerous in the inexperienced or foolish hands)

 

[choo]

Did you read the link above choo. There is always the possibility that something could happen to cause the car to rev up of its own accord but it should not do that in an ideal situation so you apply safety measures. If your hand brake is good enough to pass an MOT it should be good enough to prevent a car from moving off.
The few times that I have done it I have taken extra precautions; but as I said before perhaps this is why MB did not supply any means of checking it (too dangerous in the inexperienced or foolish hands)

I do not think there is a new car today that has a dip stick for the transmission ? could always be worse , like BMW convertible or the Australian ford transmission that has NO check at all (and once it goes no fixing it) some at the early stage use to drill and place a tube so it could read , but it seems that car makers caught onto this and made the alloy so thin that it could not be drilled .
many many cars have I done over the years and I never had one move on me, but then again I do make sure of this but things can go wrong , such as the actor that was in star trek who for some reason did not place the hand brake on , and the jeep rolled and killed him , but he was not working on the car , so it makes me wonder why people do not use the hand brake ? but thinking of it long gone are the days of park holding the system in lock . (no catch anymore on transmissions) this is why I prefer neutral and level ground after all gravity has a strange effect on fluids. the idea of going through the gears is to make sure fluid is in the lines so on, otherwise if checked leaving it too long it will run down to the pan and give a incorrect reading . but back to the main ..... of course the hand brake should be on , and when car is running one should have foot on the brake pedal and when going through the gears remove the footsie and if car moves there is something wrong , if it revs out well of course it makes sense not to be placing it into gear . for there is one thing I do not understand why some would not use the hand brake , I have seen this over the years and always seem to end up with car/truck golf buggie what ever rolling off and doing damage to either something or someone. for we all learned when learning how to drive HAND BRAKE , and it is only logical but for those who pull up in a hurry and can not be bothered to place on the hand brake should not hold a licence in the first place. I am sorry not to give full detail , but as you can see I tend to RAVE on quite a bit (maybe I should change my ID to dip stick ?) LoL

 

[thebiglad]

As temperature is an important part of doing an autobox oil change and I don't have a diagnostic terminal to give me the oil temp, I use one of these babies :

Non-Contact IR Laser Handheld Temperature Gun Infrared Digital Temp Thermometer 7303394378353 | eBay

 

[choo]

As temperature is an important part of doing an autobox oil change and I don't have a diagnostic terminal to give me the oil temp, I use one of these babies :

Non-Contact IR Laser Handheld Temperature Gun Infrared Digital Temp Thermometer 7303394378353 | eBay

yes it is , and I use that type of handheld for testing re gas after I do repair on air con

 

[Yugguy]

Taking it in reverse (ooh err) sounds suicidal. Every procedure I have read uses Park.

 

[Gbrowncls55]

going back to your problem is you idle speed at the correct level. a slightly raised idle speed will give those symptoms

 

[thebiglad]

I have used it in park running but lately I have used it in Reverse running.

I am not saying either way is wrong; just throwing it out there for debate.

I can see a lot of merit in checking it in reverse or drive as this is the true level of the fluid while the car is being driven.

Have a look at these professionals to view the process from the other side of the fence

You are being redirected...

and if you notice, he doesn't measure the level with the vehicle in gear, it's in Neutral or Park.

 

[classiccarzone]

@thebiglad sorry I lost you there. Who does not measure with the vehicle in gear