Trans fluid change. Any guidance would be much obliged.
Removing the pan and inspecting, plus installing a new filter then enough of the correct fluid, is my preferred way. I am not a fan of the “Transmission flush $69.99” places. It can be tricky to determine the trans fluid level. Check your owners manual for the procedure.
look on youtube; there are hundreds of videos as to how to do it; you’re going to have to jack up the car as high as possible and put safety stands underneath it; your question does not tell us the mileage on the car; your car probably has the 722.6 trans in it which is a very good trans. However, you need to replace fluid with regularity; every 50,000 or so; I would not do a total flush; too expensive; the only fluid you can use with that trans is made by Valvoline I believe; the Pentoil is way too expensive; drain about 4 or 5 quarts and replace; that’s all you’ll get out by draining/dropping pan; do it again 50K later; (the trans was made by Mercedes and they put it in everything; first electronic trans they produced)
If this van has the 722.6 transmission . . . it does NOT have a dipstick, but it has a dipstick tube
The tube will have a black cap on it . . . this is NOT the dipstick
To check the level, you need a special tool, which you can find online, probably on ebay
There are many compatible fluids. Believe it or not, the factory fluid is not outrageously expensive, not in my opinion
It is the 722.6 trans. Mercedes owned Chrysler/dodge back then and they put the 722.6 in everything.
fluid: Mercedes insists that this 722.6 must use the ultra expensive Pentoil trans fluid. However, Dodge vehicles, with the exact same transmission (made by Mercedes) note that the Valvoline ATF full synthetic meets manufacturer standards (at half the price for the Valvoline versus the Pentoil).
dipstick issue: You can buy the dipstick on amazon.com; that’s where I got my dipstick for my 722.6; however, don’t keep the dipstick in the vehicle engine slot when using the vehicle; (there is a concern that it can causes issues such as rattling, etc.?) you must replace it with the original black cap that came with it from the factory; the manufacturer states that the dipstick is to be used only when adding or checking the AT fluid;