NAG1 Transmission Fluid Change

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus
I think you will lose some fluid if you play around with this adapter. :thinking:

sikwan, how would I lose fluid playing around with the adapter. It is higher than the fluid in the pan I believe. I think I can remove it without the lose of fluid but I could be wrong.

...the adapter plug would be my first pick to check as there could be some misalignment of pins. Since you can shift it to "D," maybe it's not the detents but either an electrical or a hydraulic problem due to the drop of the valve body.
I can't see how I could have messed anything up in the valve body, I removed the sensors for inspection and a little cleaning but they only go back in one way. After removing this assembly and looking it over I don't think I would recommend doing this unless there was a known problem. The cleaning is very superficial in my opinion and for someone who is working under the vehicle in a drive way or if your lucky enough to have a garage your still working under the vehicle on your back trying to avoid drops of tranny fluid in your face. I would not suggest doing this procedure unless you have a good working environment and you think there is a specific problem, I don't think the little bit of cleaning is worth it.

I will proceed with a process of elimination starting with the electrical plug and housing, completely removing and replacing to see if something was misaligned but I just don't see how they could go back in and not be properly aligned. I am curious if you could even drive with a misaligned adapter.

I'm open to any and all suggestions, it will be a few days before I have time to work on this project so I hoping to get as much information as possible and hopefully narrow down what may be wrong.
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
how would I lose fluid playing around with the adapter. It is higher than the fluid in the pan I believe. I think I can remove it without the lose of fluid but I could be wrong.
When I look at this picture...

The connector is below or at the fluid level stop (black tube, left of connector).

Also, there are reports that the o-rings go bad and the fluid leaks at the connector.

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2815&highlight=plug

I guess if you just remove the plug and not the receptacle that contains the o-rings then it shouldn't leak.
 

rlent

New member
After removing this assembly and looking it over I don't think I would recommend doing this unless there was a known problem. The cleaning is very superficial in my opinion and for someone who is working under the vehicle in a drive way or if your lucky enough to have a garage your still working under the vehicle on your back trying to avoid drops of tranny fluid in your face. I would not suggest doing this procedure unless you have a good working environment and you think there is a specific problem, I don't think the little bit of cleaning is worth it.
Yup ..... I found very minimal contamination on mine (not to say that would always be the case .....) ..... and you're right - the ideal way to do it would be with the vehicle raised, on a lift - otherwise the confined space under the vehicle creates a very awkward situation.

I did mine in the driveway, without having the vehicle raised. :censored:

I had no problem pulling the unit and getting it safely in the house. Getting it back up into the transmission, aligned, and secured was entirely another story however.

The unit is fairly heavy - not heavy in terms of "Can I pick it up ?" ........ but heavy as in "Can I balance this 40 lb, probably very expensive, precision unit, with one hand in a confined space, while I try and start the screws that hold it onto the transmission case ?"

I was only able able to hold it in position for short periods before my left arm played out ....... not long enough to successfully start any of the socket head screw that hold it in there.

And consider this - you are trying to start fairly fine thread steel bolts into the case which is aluminum, a much softer material - ya really, really don't want to cross-thread them. :cry:

I was lucky - my oldest son was home at the time - and I was able to yell and get him to come out of the house and give me a hand, holding the unit up while I got a couple of the screws started. :clapping:

BB, I hope you are able to get it sorted out - hopefully it will turn out to be something simple or easy. :hmmm:
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
Bajabum,

Your profile indicates you have a 2002 cargo, long & tall, but it doesn't indicate a location (and I'm not going to assume that your username means you watch the sun come up across the Sea of Cortez).

You sound perfectly capable, but I was wondering if you're close enough to someone who might be willing to help you out, in person.

-Jon
 

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus
Thanks for your interest jdcaples, I live outside Sequim and I do have people who can help but the problem is not knowing what the problem is. I have repeated the whole transmission service three times now without any change in the outcome. I don't think I have inadvertently missed something mechanical. I may have a problem that is beyond the scope of this forum which will require professional help, ouch$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I guess no one knows what could be wrong other than the two obvious things which I know now after doing this operation three times are not the case. Fortunately I do not need to drive this vehicle and I have time to hopefully sort it out on my own which I think would be a good thing for this group and anyone contemplating this maintenance procedure.

Bruce
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
Hey Bruce...just trying to eliminate some possibilities...is the readout in your gauge cluster set to "D" and can you run it manually, meaning start at 1, then move up 2, 3, 4, D?
 

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus
Thanks for the heads-up Sikwan, I took your advice and drained the pan before removing the adapter plug. Things might have gotten messier than they needed to be.
The second time I drained the fluid I was trying to catch it in a clean gallon container with a funnel and as I unscrewed the drain plug it fell into the funnel plugging things up. So I had to plug up the transmission drain hole with one hand and finger while the other hand held the container and funnel. The funnel was full of fluid and the drain plug was plugging up the funnel so it took forever to drain the funnel. I had lots of time laying there to look around and inspect things. I did notice a hose hanging down from the engine that I could not tell where it originated. It was hanging down the driver side of the bell housing to just below the front axle. Any one know what it is?
I took a picture but I haven't looked into posting yet. Looks like I need a url for them, I just can't upload from a file on my comupter.
Bruce
 

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus
Hi sikwan, the readout is "D" all the time, moving the shifter left or right makes no differnce. I was wondering about this as I haven't had the Sprinter long enough to remembe if I could change the readout manually while at a complete stop. Seems like the only time I have manually change gears with the shifter is when I was already moving down the road. Can you move the shifter while at a stop and get a different readout on the gauge cluster? I did move the shifter while driving in first gear and did not get any readout on the gauge. I took it up to 3,000 rpm and still nothing.
 

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus

Attachments

sikwan

06 Tin Can
If I remember correctly, I have that same tube. Although I don't know where it leads to because I never looked. :idunno:

The bracket just forward the springs is for jacking up the vehicle. You should have a set just forward the front wheels.
 

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
Finally got around to posting the picture of the tube hanging down on the driver side of the bell housing. Also a picture of some bracket just forward of the rear wheels, one on each side. Can't figure out what they are for either.
The parts catalog says the tube is part of the crankcase ventilation system. Doktor A says the tube drains the injector valley. I'm with Doktor A. I've never seen evidence of anything coming out of that tube on my '02. However, looks like something might be coming out of yours - unless that's splash from your tranny fluid change. If not splash, I'd remove the top engine cover and have a look to see what's going on.
 

Bajabum

Vi veri veniversum vivus
Well I finally got around to it and had the van towed into the MB mechanic. He said I just didn't have the adapter plug seated all the way in. I did this operation three times, the first time I it didn't quite seem right but after that I was sure the thing was in right. The mechanic said it just wasn't quiite all the way in even though I had the screw set and the outside thingy turned down. So I hope this is some useful help to someone else who may have the same problem and a heads up to make sure you get the plug all the way in.

BTW I'm still trying to find a way to get a spare key for less than $100.00.
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
Thanks for report, Bruce.

If you did it three times and ultimately had to seek help to get it back together, it's obviously not as simple as putting the soda back in the 'fridge.

Your experience will no doubt save someone a lot of frustration. Thanks again!

-Jon
 

contractor

New member
Today I decided to change my tranny fluid at 29K. I opted not to drop the pan or replace the filter until the 60K service since most filters looked very clean. I simply drained the pan and the torque converter. I shall try to add some pearls of wisdom to what others have already posted.

*I ran the truck up to temp and leveled the front by driving onto stacked pieces of slate
*Once level, I benchmarked the oil level (right at max at hot level on the stick)
*I could not rotate the Torque Coverter when in nuetral ...plan B. I used a 1 1/16 socket and 1/2" drive on the crank ... effortless to turn
*I attemped to loosen the pan bolt. OVERTORQUED! I went and bought a 100 pc Greatneck 1/4" bit set from auotzone for $10 (a great value). I used my MaKita 1/4" drive 18V impact driver to loosen. Took some effort but finally broke loose and drained oil.
*The bolt on the TC came right out with an allen key. Warning, as Seek mentioned, this is a messy operation. I took some cardboard and made an incline to channel the oil into my bucket. The oil is so thin it really spashes. Were safety glasses, crappy clothes, and prepare to curse like a sailor. Note: it may appear that you lost the metal seal that sits under the bolt. In my case, there was a slight counterbore in the TC and the seal was pressed into that bore.
*I measured approximately 7 quarts of fluid was drained. Don't make this mistake, I added 7 bottles of fluid (however they are Liters) and overfilled the tranny. I used a very deep 18" long funnel that held lots of fluid and made the fill very easy
*Now I had to drain almost 1/2 a liter of oil from the drain plug ... a big mess.
*Test drove the truck and brought up to temp and drove back onto the slate. Added a slight bit of oil. All said I figured it took 6.6L of oil for this tranny. I bought it from Europarts via the mail.

Hope this helps.
 

220629

Well-known member
I recently changed the tranny pan/converter oil, filter and connector on my 2004. Thanks to this thread it all went as it's supposed to.

There were a couple little things I did to make it easier. With the warnings of draining the converter being messy I fashioned a protector out of heavy duty aluminum foil to divert the oil down into my pan. I turn the edges up on three sides and then form it into place over what I want to protect. I learned to use aluminum foil after a few oil filter removals on my Dodge V8 motors.

Filling the transmission was like watching grass grow. Using a funnel at the top didn't work at all. I first tried a small tube down the dipstick housing, but the flow was way to slow. What did work was taking a cap nozzle from a 90w gear oil Lucas Power Steering Fluid bottle and adding a piece of Tygon tubing fuel hose. I made a flat, round, holed gasket out of rubberized cork to help seal the cap because the threads don't quite match the transmission oil bottle. (No gasket needed for Lucas cap.) After fitting the nozzle cap with hose onto the bottle, I fairly quickly tipped the bottle and stuck the hose end into the dipstick tube. While holding the hose and pushing a bit to get a good seal I squeezed the bottle with my other hand. After the bottle collapsed I would pull the hose back and let air back in then repeated the procedure until the bottle was empty. There was no mess and it went pretty quickly. Hope this helps.

Stop filling after 4 or 5 quarts and start the engine to pump fluid into the Torque Converter TC. Add final fluid after that. Otherwise the fluid can leak out.


This was Version #1. It worked, but not as well as Version #2 below does.

TransFillAdapt.jpg

This is Version #2. The black hose fits snuggly in the transmission tube. I hold a paper towel or rag under as I move the spout into position and while I do the squeeze and fill process. So far all I've needed to deal with is a couple drips here and there.

NAG1fillTubeSm.jpg

Added: If a fluid change doesn't improve your transmission operation you may want to try an additive.
...

Also once you are done add a can of BG's ATC plus transmission additive. Any abnormal burnishing of the lock up internal clutch will be smoothed out by this stuff.
All the best
Dennis
********

Added:
I have some tips for the Connector Body install.
Don't use the bolt to try and pull the connector into place. The bolt threads into a fitting on the circuit board. It is fragile.
Align and push the connector body in as far as it will go. After mostly in, use your fingers with the 7 mm socket to thread the bolt in until finger snug.

Note: The bolt sticking out prevents full seating. Screwing in the bolt finger tight and just pushing on the connector may yield similar results as my screwdriver levering method. The leverage made me feel better about fully seating without any strain on the circuit board screw mount.

Hold a kinda long chunk tip of a 2x2 against the tranny housing recess. Use a large screwdriver against that to lever/move the connector body in without forcing. Use the socket and your fingers to turn the screw in again. It should turn in some. Alternate the screwdriver pressure to opposite sides of the connector.
Repeat the above procedure until the screw no longer turns in using your fingers.
Use a ratchet handle to snug the bolt in. Try the 2x2 and screwdriver lever procedure one last time. Check that the bolt is still snug. If snug, you are done. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN.


********

A reminder.
With a pan drain and torque converter drain service the transmission can be refilled to the point of overflow. I generally first put in 5 quarts of fluid. After that I start the engine and shift to reverse/forward a couple times without actually moving the van. That pumps fluid out of the pan. After shutting down the remaining 3 quarts (approx.) can be added without any problem.

Added:
Pan Drain Plug Damaged and Stuck?
Have a replacement on hand first.
I got some good advice from Dr. A and took a chisel to it. Half a dozen taps to make a notch in the edge of the giant head and then I angled it and it only took another few to loosen it.
 
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