Some specifics for those digging for bolt torques, here are the values I pulled out of Section 21 of the 2004 service manual:
- valve body mounting bolts . . . 8 Nm (71 in.lbs)
- sump pan clamp bolts . . . . . . 8 Nm (71 in.lbs)
- sump drain plug . . . . . . . . . 20 Nm (177 in.lbs, 14.5 ft.lbs)
- torque converter drain plug . 14 Nm (10 ft.lbs)
- cooler line fittings . . . . . . . . 34 Nm (25.4 ft.lbs)
(at the transmission casing )
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The hot sump level changes at a rate of about 1mm per 20 mL (1/16" per ounce) of fluid volume.
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I scaled dimensions from other's photos of the OEM dipstick to size and locate the "ears"...
the descriptions I found of the MB dipstick all measured up from the end of the plastic tip without dimensioning where the ears were.
The MB plastic tip is:
width . 6mm (1/4")
ears . . 8mm (3/8") wide across the two ears
The ears form a 90-degree cone which fits into the receiver funnel on the plastic conductor plate. From the
apex of this cone down to the "high-hot" mark is 3mm (1/8"), and the "low-hot" mark is 10mm (3/8") below that.
The end of the plastic tip (the zero reference for the fluid height graphs in the service manuals) is 68mm below the apex of the cone, and 71mm below the outer corners of the ears, 65mm below the high-hot mark.
In making my D.I.Y. dipstick, I decided to replicate the MB tip by welding stop ears on the end of a 1/4" plumbing snake, grinding them into a cone, then screwing a nylon tie-wrap into the end. The high/low marks on the nylon were measured down from the ears rather than up from the tip. The ratchet lines of the tie-wrap nicely capture the fluid and make an easy job of reading the sump level and assessing the fluid colour (mine turned out to be a tinted yellow).
I could have just pushed until I hit the bottom of the pan and added 13mm to the prescribed T1N fluid levels, but I like the OEM design not being reliant on the shape of the transmission pan.
-dave