Repair-It

Placeholder. Approximate steps:
- Drain trans fluid with pan drain plug (yay)
- Remove trans pan bolts and take down pan, gasket and remove filter
- At some point examine the harness adapter and consider replacement, or replace no matter what since they are known to leak
- Clean out pan
- Reinstall new filter, pan and gasket
- Add some quarts through the fill tube which is in the engine bay. Good news: no pumping like with my STS.
- Do stuff to check the level with the temporary dipstick...

That's about it I think. I will have to see if there is a maintenance reminder to reset. There may not be as I think Mercedes may have been playing the "lifetime transmission fluid" game back in 04. Booo.

So I did this. Wasn't too bad. There are only 6 bolts that hold the pan on.

Had some trouble installing the new wiring adapter. I tried forcing it and it wouldn't go. I ended up comparing to the original and it looks like one of the holes for the pins wasn't drilled. So I simply swapped the O-rings from the new unit to the old unit and put it back.

Added all 5 liters, though I'm not sure how much it really needs. Did my best with the temporary dipstick.

However, I broke it. When the car runs you can hear a repeated clicking from the transmission. It is probably shift solenoids. It won't go into any gear. I believe I must have bent a pin. Fuck sake!! This is the second aftermarket part that screwed me in the past 2 weeks!! It was part of a filter and gasket kit from Beck Arnley at Rockauto. There are like millions of these 722.6 transmissions running around so this is not some specialty AMG part. Figured it should be fine. Really drew the short straw here...

So I am overnighting a new conductor plate from FCP Euro. Fortunately the connector is on the plate so this should get me back in business. Un-freaking-real.

Video: https://youtu.be/LdF5DnGwz7E

He's doing more than the conductor plate while the valve body is down. I'm just doing the conductor plate...famous last words.

Different channel, just the conductor plate. Doesn't look too bad. https://youtu.be/k3qrSDfK7SA

The good news is it will get a double fluid change which I think it needs. The fluid was dark like my STS fluid when I started that evolution. So it's not all bad but come on. I wanted to drive it.

One thing I could try is disconnecting the plug from the trans. I think it should have some kind of limp mode and at least give me forward (I think 3rd gear) and reverse.

Another video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVbcuKcnC2Q

This is what my transmission fluid looked like.

https://youtu.be/SXU7-M1k_fk

Is it just overfilled?? Hmm. Doesn't explain the odd solenoid clicking...

It was a level problem alright. Went to drain out a quart. NOTHING came out. Bone dry.

That's because I added the 5L of ATF into the engine. How? I added it to the engine's vestigial dipstick tube. The trans fill is behind the passenger side air filter housing, somewhat buried. I made a mistake. Also, I was dehydrated pretty severely when working. No kidding, I was dizzy and nauseous. I still feel like I am at the end of a hangover. This was the last thing I did so I guess I wasn't right but honestly I had it in my head that the tube there was the trans fill...definitely my bad.

Anyway, added ~3L of ATF to the trans. Turns the wheels just fine now. Imagine that. Guess I didn't break anything.

Now I need to drain the oil + ATF mix from the engine (free flush?) and refill with brand new oil. Kind of an expensive mistake but as car mistakes go, not really bad. Damn, this is embarrassing....

Not mine and not the best but you get the idea. Trans fill requires the old reach around...

Wow, that's a shitty feeling when no fluid comes out. Get yourself some electrolytes and some more of that unicorn blood ATF and you'll both be fine.

Gotta be drinking something when doing car work. I like coffee and water but bud light is basically the same thing.

I'm not the only one who has made this mistake.

Well that turned out fine.

Drained the engine oil. Bought some 5W-40 Liquimoly from Advance, added 8 liters of that (8.5 quarts).

Ended up also draining the trans fluid again because my ATF from FCP Euro came in on the overnight FedEx order. Thought I could change out more while the car was prone. Added some back in. That was too much. Drained more out. Eventually got it in the range for cold fluid. Buttoned up the underbody panels, showered, and took it for a drive.

Drove just fine. No engine or transmission issues from my boneheaded maneuver, thankfully. Bob experienced the first test drive post dry dock so that's exciting.

Didn't hammer on it too much but enough to test the I/C setup. I'll capture that in the other thread. Got back home, trans up to temp, checked the fluid level again. A little low. Added it in like 3 increments, got it to the top of the hot crosshatch. Perfect.

According to the owners manual, the trans holds 8 qts. If that's the case then I think I've changed out like 75-80% of the fluid. This is good.