For the 722.6 transmission...

Whats the best economical fluid these days?

I ordered a few years ago from Ryderfleet for like $4/qt, but these days I can't find it anywhere for less than $10/qt.

Is there an alternative that is MB Approved and cheaper than $10/qt?

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Coastal dex/merc 3

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Napa 5 gallons of Dex 3....$80

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1985 300D 198K sold
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1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

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Neither of those are MB approved as stated in the first post.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

The synthetic valvoline high mileage atf that's like $24 a gallon at autozone/advance says its NAG-1 approved on the back. Comes in a red jug. I have not used it.

I get a somewhat sizable discount at the dealer and just buy genuine. Also only having one car with a .6 makes it easier to deal with the $70 expense.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/maxlife/automatic-transmission-fluid/37

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do you have a shell oil distributor near your place, Mine will sell me the 12 qt case for 72 dollars plus tax if I show up on their front counter (I dont like to - the lady there is scary as death)

OTOH - if you really want to buy a fluid for a NAG1 gearbox - you can order from the mystik website a case of 12 qts of their multivehicle ATF, Its got a nice number viscosity index but they claim its semi synthetic (odd) and also clai, its safe for use in place of Shell 3403M115 ATF which was the original and only 236.10 specification of mercedes benz.

I also know of a one man shop in houston who works on MB and BMW and he uses ATF +4 in the 722.6 transmissions. after driving one of those cars I feel that the ATF +4 in these gearboxes makes it shift buttery smooth.

he does do a pedal reset and also do a transmission retrain procedure of making the unit shift under 1800 rpm for all gears without braking and then stopping and idling for 10 minutes.


I am also trying to figure out if Shell 3403M115 ATF is available in mexico as they have the A class hatchbacks there - MB strictly tells to use only that ATF in the A class FWD gearbox.


I work in a petro chem place and they have pretty decent labs here - luckily one of the lab bosses is a gearhead too and has an E55 with the 5 spd NAG1 - he also has his mechanic use ATF +4 in it - he further claimed (no backing here due to litigation) that the 3403 ATF is nearly identical in performance to mobil 3304 aka toyota T4 which is very close to the dexron III-H specification except that the 3403 was a very highly refined base stock and could take very high temperature torture, that maybe the reason MB went overconfident in the "lifetime fill" claim.

Being the simpleton I am - I still only buy proven stuff.

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1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
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