5R55 Transmission Drain & Refill

This is my procedure for draining and refilling my 2000 S Type 5R55 transmission fluid.

It is required that you get under the car to drain and refill your transmission.  Not everyone has a car lift but you can do it using jack stands. But remember, your safety is important so be sure you take all safety precautions necessary when doing this job.

Be sure that your car is level before you start this job.  Remove the transmission fluid pan plug and drain the fluid into a suitable container to capture all the fluid.

This is the drain plug removed.  Notice that it is hollow.  This plug serves two purposes ,one to drain and the other is to drain the excess fluid when refilling to ensure the proper level..

On the bottom end of this plug is another plug and that has to be removed when refilling.  What that center plug does is when the fluid reaches the proper level it will allow the over fill to spill out.

I removed the overfill plug to be sure it was not seized in the drain plug before I put it back in the pan.

With the fluid removed, I removed the pan and removed the transmission fluid filter.  I forgot to mention that you will need to remove your O2 sensor plugs to get access to the pan bolts.

I elected to open the filter to see if I had any surprises.  None found. 

Filter removed.

New filter to be installed.  If you are going to change the fluid it is best to replace the filter.

I found a few shavings on the magnet in the pan but no alarming chunks.  I was and still am a little concerned by seeing the shavings but we will see how it goes.

I cleaned the pan with a rag and brake cleaner.  For what it is worth, I was told to rinse the pan out with the brake cleaner after wiping it with a rag or paper towel, so I did.

If you elect to flush the transmission fluid cooler you can do so by removing the lines on the right side of the transmission.  I did not do this on this car.  However, I did do it on my XK8.

Installed the new filter and pan with a new gasket and installed the drain plug with the fill plug installed but not tight.  Be sure to use the proper bolting pattern and torque.  I will provide a link for torque values. 

The fill hole is located on the right rear of the transmission and this is where you will be filling the transmission.

This is what I used to get the fluid in the transmission.  You can get this at any parts store.  I would siphon it out of the container and push it into the transmission.

This is a little hard to make out but it shows the hose in the hole as I push the fluid in.

When I did mine, I purchased 7qts of MerconV and had a little left over.  In short, I filled the transmission until it started to drip out the over fill, then installed the plug.  I then started the car and moved the shifter in all positions twice, then put it in “P”.  With the car running I measured the temperature of the fluid with an inferred temperature sensor at the pan until it reached 27-49C and then opened the fill level plug with the 3/16^th allen wrench and continued to fill until the fluid began to come out, then reinstalled the 3/16^th plug.  After that I drove the car gently at low speeds to get the fluid moving.  I then put the car in the shop and let it cool down.  After cool down, I prepared myself to add additional fluid, started the ca, got it back on the lift, got it to the proper temperature and checked the fluid level again.  I added about a half quart and have been driving it with no issues yet.

Attach is a link that should help you along in the process. I am also going to attach other additional info when I get it.

Link  5R55N/W/S Transmission Refill Directions