I just got my CRD back. It had been dying and shuddering and acting up. The dealer found that the tranny was low on fluid! I knew that the tranny had been on the low line, and didn't figure that being low that small of an amount would cause such problems. Well, Friday another dealer changed the tranny cooler filter, so I assumed that the fluid level should be good. Wrong it was down several quarts. Now that it is filled it seems to be just fine. I can't even sense a shudder as it had had before! Hope it helps!

Just had a local tranny shop do the filter TSB on mine, since the stupid a## tech at the dealership can't read a Julian date and kept telling me my VEHICLE build date didn't match the TSB (it's the tranny build date).

Sure enough, they found the defective "AB" suffix filter inside and changed it out.

They also reported the same thing, instead of 5 quarts to refill, it took 3 test drives and 9 quarts to finally get the beast topped off.

If you read the TSB and the reason for it being done, I believe I know why it takes the extra 4 quarts. Supposedly the defective anti-drainback valve in the cooler return filter is allowing the torque converter to drain down overnight. Therefore, it stands to reason if you remove the filter during servicing, it's going to allow the torque converter, cooler, and lines to drain down - you're having to replace the 5 quarts that came out when you removed the pan, and another 4 quarts that drain out when you remove the cooler return filter.

Bloody good thing I'd given them a whole case of tranny fluid.

Whoever wrote up the fluid capacity tables in the owners manual, service manual, and TSB really friggin screwed up!

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Mitchell Oates
'87 MB 300D Diamond Blue Metallic
'87 MB 300D - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Sport CRD Stone White
Provent CCV Filter/AT2525 Muffler
Stanadyne 30 u/Cat 2 u Fuel Filters
Fumoto Drain/Fleetguard LF3487 Oil filter
V6 Airbox/Amsoil EAA Air Filter
Suncoast TC/Shift Kit/Aux Cooler
Kennedy Lift Pump/Return Fuel Cooler

Thanks for the info...I'll check mine asap. That may be why I still have a slight problem after the TSB. Didn't think to look at that since the dealer had it for the entire day.

Update: Checked the fluid on the way to work this morning, and it's fine. Also found I have a tranny studder at 40-45 with the O/D off.