I would like to consult you on the following matter.

Namely, the Crossfire user manual states that the automatic transmission oil should be changed every 129,000 km. Since my car has covered a total of 216,000 km, and unfortunately I do not know if the previous owner ever changed the transmission oil, the question is whether it makes sense to be interested in this at all, or is it better not to touch it, since the transmission is working properly?

This question arises because I read somewhere that if the transmission is working in a 20-year-old car, it is better not to touch it...

What do you think?

 

I changed the transmission oil and filter in my 2005 at just under 100,000 miles ... did not flush the convertor, only drained the pan .... like you, I was not sure if the PO changed it ... transmission was working fine before the oil and filter change ... since I changed oil and filter I notice the transmission shifts a lot smoother ... it was worth the effort to do it ...

 

@DeKalb thank you for your advice.

Maybe someone else can share their experiences on this topic?

 

I would avoid a power flush. That is where problems happen in older cars. You should be fine if you just replace the fluid that is in the pan while replacing filter.

 

@Wadsworth Thanks for the advice.

 

Yes the general consensus is do not power flush an older transmission with unknown history. The risk is stirring up sediment which can block small fluid passages and effect normal operation.

Best thing to do is simply drop the pan and let as much old fluid drip out, replace filter and gasket, and refill with correct amount of new fluid. Sometimes another fluid change soon after is worth doing if you are particularly concerned about the state of the old fluid on first change.

 

@UnderTheSouthernCross Thanks for the advice.

 

Only use Mercedes transmission fluid, sorry i do no have the # when U go to Mercedes parts counter ask for transmission fluid
for a C32 before you go look at a c32 for sale and get the Vin# you may or may not need it , so they can sell it to you.

 

@amx1397 Thanks for the advice.

What do you mean by "C32"?

 

Mercedes 1999 to 2004 C32 and SLK32 , C320 and the SLK320 all use the same drive train
the 32 is the same as the srt6, the 320 is the same as the limited if u ever need diagnostics on your car instead of putting Crossfire ,put in one of the above Mercedes.

 

I have an appointment with my mechanic for the second half of June to change: automatic transmission oil, oil filter and gasket.
My mechanic prefers Mopar oil and that will be poured into my transmission.
He will also replace the corroded oil cooling line no. 2 with a new one.

 

I'm looking into doing this myself since my '06 Limited Coup is near the recommended 80k mi change point and is already leaking trans fluid and experiencing some shifting issues. The service manual says to use Shell 3403 ATF (MB 236.10) or equivalent. The driver's manual says to use only ATF approved to MB 236.10, MB 236.12. Synthetic Dextron III ATF may be substituted. If you locate the fluid fill tube just behind the engine cover, the fill tube cap has a little black plastic locking locking pin. If that has been broken then at least someone may have removed the cap for adding fluid. Not changing any fluid in your car when recommended or later I think would be a poor choice. in this case, however, the manual says that you never have to replace the fluid after it is replaced at 80K mi.

 

That's because the figured no one would change it at 160 K.

 

Yea, I guess one has to ask what "life" meant to Daimlier/Chrysler. Seems non intuitive.

 

I decided to buy an original Mercedes oil change kit for the 5G-TRONIC 722.6 automatic gearbox, i.e.:
MB 236.14 oil,
gasket under the pan,
oil filter,
drain plug gasket,
plug.
It turned out that the old gearbox oil filter had the year 2004 written on it, which means that the oil in this gearbox had not been changed since new, i.e. for 21 years...

 

I just finished this job, with a Rein kit. My tranny has probably not been serviced since new and now at 80Kmi. The fluid was dull red and I found a thiin layer of sludge in the pan. The magnet had some very tiny metal shavings on it which didn't look bad to me. I removed the torque coverter access plugs and spun the shaft but I did not see any plug for the converter. I am going to drain the pan a couple times in the next few weeks to replace as much of the old fluid as possible. The connector housing was not hard to remove, but hard to install because it took some force to seat it into the housing and the little nut that secures it needs a shallow socket to press it into the mating threads. I used a piece of tissue in a driver socket for that. I had the car on 18" stands but this job would be a whole lot easier on a lift. I'm 62 so climbing under a car 50 times is hard on my body.

 

@arydant My Dad, when he was younger, also liked to fix his own cars. It was one of his passions.
I used to help him in the garage a lot, but now it's not my passion, like some users of this forum.
Crossfire is my passion - I fell in love with this car in 2004 and only bought it in 2024...

 

Ever since I changed the automatic transmission oil, I've heard a single clicking sound when I shift into P and release the brake pedal.
This wasn't there before.
Is this normal behavior? What do you think?

I asked the AI about this.
ChatGPT replied that after changing the gearbox oil, the controller might be checking something.
I don't know if this is true or if ChatGPT is making it up...

 

The fluid level is very important. Did you measure it!

 

@xintersecty I didn't check the gearbox oil level myself.
I simply trusted the mechanic who changed the oil.