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transmission fluid check

9K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  accipiter3 
#1 ·
Since I have the nag1 w5a580 in my 06, and NO DIPSTICK, I've been directed to ebay to buy one for $25. No matter what I type in, All that keeps coming up are dipsticks or fluid level checking tools for the Mercedes 722.6. Is this the one I need? Help! :mofo:
 
#2 ·
You're OK.

The W5A580 is Chrysler speak for a 722.6 Benz.

You can go to Wikipedia and enter 722.6.....it'll take you to a 300 series Benz catagory and it will reference the usage of that trans by Chrysler.
That is the only trans Benz ever supplied to Mopar.

Rob
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the info. Just ordered this thing through ebay. They had the typical looking flat rolled steel type of stick that im assuming stays in the trans fluid port. There was also a round type of tool , coiled up, that you check the level, and remove and put the plug in. I bought the typical looking type. Chances are, if I ever get into a jam and need a level check, It'll be there, not at home in my garage. Whats funny is the dealership says that there is lifetime fluid in this unit, but all the mechanics say to replace the fluid and filter at or around 50k.
Thanks again.
 
#4 ·
Read the owners manual, and go with what it says, if you drive like a little old lady only on sunny days and never off-road, bad weather or dusty condtions, then you can use the "Standard Duty" cycle, which I think is 120k miles, the "Severe Duty" I think is 60k miles, and I would change it when it says.

The manufacturer considers 100k mi the life of your vehicle, so keep that in mind when they say its a lifetime fill, it may mean it will last to 100k mi and if you want to keep the vehicle longer than that, you'll have to change the fluid.

Do NOT flush, just change the fluid and filter in the pan.

The Dipstick for the NAG1, mercedes 722.6, is a special tool NOT a dipstick, it is NOT designed to stay in the trans while you drive. It will stick out another 2 feet from the tube and will NOT seal. As well, its designed to be bottomed out on the pan to measure fluid level, unlike dipsticks that bottom out on the cap on the tube.

You'll have to improvise something if you want to leave the special tool in the fill tube as a dipstick, and then you'll have to be ultra precise, because it will have to bottom out on the bottom of the pan as the cap seals on the top of the tube. And this is for a trans that has to be ultra precise on fluid level.

BTW, you'll also have to come up with a way to measure the trans temp, the fluid level is based off a precise level in millimeters based off the trans fluid temp, you look it up on a chart in the FSM, but you can find it on the internet with a google search.
 
#5 ·
I'm no Sunday driver, but no hardcore offroader either. Inbetween I guess. My offroading consists of access roads and to get to the streams, lakes and campsites. I did replace the fluid and filter last month at 52k, feel good about that. I just can't see myself going to the dealer for something so simple as a fluid level ckeck. I'll check into the temp thing. Thanks for the info.
 
#6 ·
Yea, if you're going to change the trans fluid yourself, i.e. save a ton of money, then I would definitely do it at 60k miles, especially considering your only changing half the trans fluid when you do it.

I did my NAG1 trans fluid/filter, to install trans temp gauge. It was easy, the toughest thing was measuring the fluid level and that was even easy because I measured the amount of fluid I drained out of the trans and replaced the exact amount I removed. So it was dead on.

I had put in a trans temp gauge, so NO problem for me measuring trans temp fluid. The pan is steel (even though it has a coating on the outside that makes it look like aluminum) so it should conduct heat real well, just get a thermocouple or thermometer for a couple of bucks and hold it against the pan for a few minutes.

Oh, take the vehicle for a drive first and warm up the trans, it typical holds about 150°F, and it took a good 15 miles of stop and go driving to get it up to there, but I'm sure in warm weather it will get hotter. Its better to measure the fluid level when its at operating temp then when its cold and lower fluid level.
 
#7 ·
I do have a temp measuring tool, it's electronic, shoots a beam and gives the temp readout. Im in the heating/plumbing field, we use this tool to measure air/water temps. Thanks for the info.
 
#8 ·
Well, you would know better than I, but IR tools read temperature differently than others and I think you have to keep in mind what temp reading it is giving you. You want to know the temperature of the trans fluid, but your going to measure the tempature of the steel pan that has a coating on it. I've read the color of the surface will change the temp reading on IR tools, I don't if that is true.

I really have no idea if it will be as accurate, more accurate or less accurate than other methods.

Like I said, 15 minutes of stop and go driving in cool temps, like 60°F, will bring the trans up to 150°F, if its hot out, likely it will climb up faster and may go higher. If the temp seems off with the IR, try to verify it, that would be my fear, reading the surface temp of the pan with IR tools might NOT reflect the temp of the trans fluid that the heat is conducting through the pan and then a coating and then radiating from the coated surface.

I could be totally wrong, and you may be spotting my ignorance because you know more about the tool than I. I studied science in college, I'm giving you the educated guess thing, which is still a "guess".
 
#9 ·
I was thinking about getting a reading from the bottom of the pan, but instead I think I'll do the 15min drive, check the level and pull the temp off of the dipstick. It should be close enough . The tool I'm referring to will read your body temp at 98.6! It should do the job.

Does your 3.7 ever seem kind of sluggish? When i'm traveling 35-45 and want to pick it up a bit, if I floor it, most of the time it will not even down shift. It'll stay in the gear it's in and just gradually pick up speed. When I floor the wifes 2002 4.0 GC, while even cruising, it'll downshift, rev and take off. Real quick. I don't have that in the commander. It'll accelerate ok from a standstill though, but not at driving speeds. I was thinking this is what you get w the 3.7. It only has 54k.

I got rid of a 96 5.2 GC, it was a beast. Even at 116k., it would fly, and had tons of power. Maybe i'm just used to that motor. Had it for ten years. I really miss that power and speed.
 
#10 ·
I was thinking about getting a reading from the bottom of the pan, but instead I think I'll do the 15min drive, check the level and pull the temp off of the dipstick. It should be close enough . The tool I'm referring to will read your body temp at 98.6! It should do the job.

Does your 3.7 ever seem kind of sluggish? When i'm traveling 35-45 and want to pick it up a bit, if I floor it, most of the time it will not even down shift. It'll stay in the gear it's in and just gradually pick up speed. When I floor the wifes 2002 4.0 GC, while even cruising, it'll downshift, rev and take off. Real quick. I don't have that in the commander. It'll accelerate ok from a standstill though, but not at driving speeds. I was thinking this is what you get w the 3.7. It only has 54k.

I got rid of a 96 5.2 GC, it was a beast. Even at 116k., it would fly, and had tons of power. Maybe I'm just used to that motor. Had it for ten years. I really miss that power and speed.
Check the wiring on the passenger side of your transmission. The no shift or double down shift were the first indications I had, and it turned out to be bare wires grounding or crossing with each other. Later on it went to "limp mode", and you don't want to go there. Your 3.7 should be about the same "zippiness" as your 4.0; even with the larger body.
 
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