For the replacement interval - see post #49 above.

For the actual spec of the rear diff oil - best to check with the dealer as there may be more than 1 type needed.

Gear set - M-B 235.63 75W-80
Coupling - M-B 235.64 74W-70

See
Link

 

Thanks
veeeight

Middle use Gear set ？
Left and right sides use Coupling？
Is that so?

 

Are you considering doing the change yourself. From what I saw on my first A45 it was a long 3 hour procedure and the A45s sounds even more delicate in the way it’s done.

 

Yep，Because the tools are complete ，That's the fun

 

M-B 235.15 is for W177 4MATIC rear axle, eg A250 4MATIC.

A45s with TWINster type e-clutch locking clutch packs is different. (4MATIC+, although that’s just a marketing term). M-B spec sheet says you need 235.63 and 235.64 for that.

In terms of just viscosity - they are very similar. But twin clutch pack needs specific properties for correct torque transfer and slippage, so I’m not sure 235.15 will deliver that under all conditions

 

So I need to try 😊

 

The A45’s on the W176 forum, when they first came out, were quite often run by real enthusiasts. I don’t know how many of them are still running or just running as front wheel drive.

 

Riders，Driving after replacement 17000km，I think it is feasible

 

@veeeight Could you please take under two seconds and find me the oil number for both our diff and gearbox? And gearbox filter. I need the OEM codes, i.e. I think gearbox oil is 236.21 but haven't been able to determine whether it's for the 8 or the 7-speed DCT. Anyways, if you have all three codes I'd really appreciate. And is it true there's no diff filter? Does it come without a filter or we just never change it?

 

According to my list:

Rear Diff:
Gear set - M-B 235.63 - not in service schedule, "lubed for life" 😂
Coupling - M-B 235.64 - A0009894406
No diff filter. Left and Right coupling separate fills.



Gearbox (I'm not 100% sure of the parts below, so check with your dealer):
Filter - A2463772300
O Ring - A0229978045
ATF - M-B 236.22 - A0009896104

 

And if it wasn’t for this forum I wouldn’t have realised.

If it wasn't for this forum, come May I would've taken it in and they would've said that almost everything I needed for the service was out of stock. And I'd be on my way home, very pissed. I'm pissed now, but at least I feel a little better knowing I have saved myself a little time, having placed my order in advance. But I wonder if joining a forum is a prerequisite for owning this vehicle.

According to my list:

Rear Diff:
Gear set - M-B 235.63 - not in service schedule, "lubed for life" 😂
Coupling - M-B 235.64 - A0009894406
No diff filter. Left and Right coupling separate fills.



Gearbox (I'm not 100% sure of the parts below, so check with your dealer):
Filter - A2463772300
O Ring - A0229978045
ATF - M-B 236.22 - A0009896104

Much appreciated!

 

All,

Owner of a 2021 CLA 45 with the TWIN torque vectoring rear axle and have been attempting to locate reliable, definitive service information for quite a while now without much success. I am an active member of another popular MB forum but, apparently, there are very few c118 CLA 45 enthusiasts in the U.S. so I’ll try posting here. Anyway, based on my research, the 45 uses a rear axle unit manufactured by Magna – the same supplier of nearly identical torque vectoring rear axles used on the new Audi RS3 and VW MK8 Golf R. While MB does not list a part number to coincide with the 235.63 specification (center section gear oil), I have access to VW’s erWin maintenance system and they spec the following for the Magna unit in the Golf R:

Center Section Gear Oil: G-060-190-A2
Clutch Oil: G-055-515-A2 (I have confirmed this is a cross to Shell TF 0870 & MB 000-989-440-611)

Finally, being an avid DIY’er for maintenance, I have a dedicated laptop running a very current version of Xentry (late 2022) and WIS lists no procedure for changing the rear axle oil – not for the center section gear set or clutch packs – but does state that it should be changed at 30,000 miles or 3 years (aware that this may have changed to 37,000 miles or 4 years).

So to summarize, I’m coming up on this service, am interested in DIY’ing it, but still need the following information if anyone can assist:

• The WIS procedure for changing the rear axle clutch and gear oil (potentially document #AP35.00-P-3501F if anyone feels like searching by document number in WIS)
• MB part number for the drain/fill plugs. VW seems to want all drain and fill plugs replaced when performing this service on the Golf R (all 6 of them – VW’s part number for the drain/fill plugs is N90281802; I’d be willing to bet these are the same for the 45’s rear as well but my version of EPC doesn’t cover the c118)
• Confirmation that the Golf R’s center section gear oil (G-060-190-A2) will suffice for MB’s 235.63 (75W80) gear oil spec.

Oh, one final note, the Golf R procedure in erWin suggests the clutch oil condition can be checked via diagnostic software and that the oil condition needs to be “reset” upon changing. It further states that driving style (read: driving aggressively) can drastically reduce the required service interval of the clutch packs. I have not verified if our rear axle is also digitally monitored.

 

@veeeight will address the Tier One supplier question.
I think you may well be correct re Magna in the VAG product; however, you are not where it comes to our W177 vehicles.

You MIGHT be able to use similar lubricants in both suppliers' components, however I wouldn't take that as gospel, that's for sure.

Simply order and use the MB P/N lubricants and definitely for where you live, change them all every six months.

 

Number 1 reason for changing the A45s rear coupling sections (Left & Right) more often, as opposed to less often:

The A45s configuration and calibration is to give “more” rear drive feeling, say compared to a Golf 8R. So the rear coupling clutches (Left & Right) are experiencing more slip engagement more of the time. Slipping clutches in oil leads the oil to deteriorate quicker than non slipping clutches

The M-B spec oil for the rear couplings (Left & Right) is M-B 235.64 - A0009894406. 0.4 litres per side. Shell Equivalent TF0870 B. The “B” is different to the G8R non-B oil suffix? Does this make a huge difference? Don’t know.🤷‍♂️ But I would stick to the M-B part number above.

 

LOL!!
I'll second that!!
Particularly as I have A LOT of personal experience in the ME and know HOW they use their vehicles, in addition to the ambient conditions.

Was our friend in the ME correct regarding Magna being the Tier One on the VAG differential assemblies?

 

Guys you’re going to start giving the molecular structure of each oil type next 😂

 

Well, that would be more useful than OEM Marketing Dept service schedules and processes!!

 

I know that the A45s rear diff is considerably different to that of the A45 first gen but we had to have the diff oil changed on that from the very beginning. I'm trying to recollect if it started at 1500 miles or just the first service. But my point is that I just don't believe that MB has made such a step change in the operation of the rear diff that they can now stretch the first oil change to potentially 4 years. There must be bedding in wear and the oil from that period surely should be changed sooner than 4 years.

 

Ok so I picked up 6lt of ATF - M-B 236.22 - A000989610409 and I was told it takes up 5.something.

Now on to the diff left and right section oil, DCT filter etc, and plugs... and let the wait begin (hope not).

 

To serve as a reference, the Magna unit in the RS3 and Golf R appear to be identical, down to the case design, internals, control units and mounting points:

The Magna unit for MB seems to have been put together slightly differently (I'm assuming for packaging considerations) with the most obvious being a different case design, different mounting points, and the passenger-side control unit is clocked differently.

So whether or not they all use the same oils for the gear sets and clutch packs, I don't know (but I strongly suspect the internals are nearly the same, if not identical). One additional thought: even if the internals are identical, different programming of the units by Audi, VW & MB to illicit different behaviors may very well necessitate different operating fluids.

 

Can I ask what the A35 unit is and, if VW can offer the same for the Golf R/S3 and the RS3, why can't MB.

 

They behave differently for sure. Our cars are a lot more rear-biased, to the point of becoming scary on worn tires (Race mode, ESP-sport). But it's so satisfying to be able to break traction so easily, exiting roundabouts and u-turns being my favorite spots and you don't need drift mode either, Race mode will do. Needless to say people are often impressed seeing a hatchback do that. And we get that with only a 50% to the rear, that's even more impressive.

 

Which is all the more reason for sticking with AMG's P/N 's for lubricants.

The small amount which one may save by using those recommended for the VAG variants of the rear axle assembly is simply a false economy.

 

For anyone interested, I'm attaching the oil level check and change procedure from erWin for the Golf R unit. Other than the resetting the oil adaptation values with diagnostic software, it appears to be a pretty straightforward procedure on the VW.

 

The question is, would it be best to stick to "lubed for life" but having the advantage of running the MB spec oil, or go VAG for the sake of running fresh oil, but not knowing if the VAG spec will work 100%?

 

As usual, @veeeight has nailed it in his post.
Precisely what I use.
I would recommend my manufacturer, however it is an Australian lubrication company, so no use to you in the ME or our European members.
I note with interest @veeeight has also recommended a specialty lubrication company, however more conveniently based in the UK.
They may well export to the ME.

 

75w80 Synthetic Gear / Diff Oil GL-5

Fully Synthetic 75w80 Premium Gear / Differential Oil Fully synthetic gear oil is a high performance product manufactured from a blend of synthetic oils, sheer stable viscosity index improvers and a multipurpose extreme pressure additive system. It offers a high level of performance when...

www.westwayoils.co.uk

 

veeeight,

Can you articulate your reasoning for recommending a GL-5 oil vs. GL-4 for this application (most 75W80 oils I've come across are GL-4 spec)? Just curious as I see Westway Oils offers their 75W80 in both specifications. Thanks!

 

My recollection is that GL-5 EP additives withstand higher pressures, so in a closed diff application like a rear axle it probably lasts longer.

But in reality the differences are probably marginal in the A45s application, I mean if you're talking commercial truck rear axles and loads, that's probably more relevant.

 

No use to members in Europe or the ME; however, all my vehicles use Penrite oils, formulated right here in Melbourne and who know only too well the demands of our environment. Have used their GL-5 in all my differential assemblies, including the 1500 HP Ute, for years.

 

I'll drop by my dealer once more and ask if they know anything about the hypoid. I could bring them the oil no problem, the real problem is letting them work on something they aren't trained for and with no procedure to follow.

 

I'll drop by my dealer once more and ask if they know anything about the hypoid. I could bring them the oil no problem, the real problem is letting them work on something they aren't trained for and with no procedure to follow.

 

Just product differentiation. M-B wanted to keep “Drift Mode” for the A45.

 

Picked up a few things that arrived recently, don't really know when, I didn't get a call as I explicitly requested. Perhaps they didn't think I needed it, as I ought to have upgraded myself to the 6th sense. So I called them instead.

The little box is listed as the oil cooler filter and the bigger ones as oil filters.
The little o-ring on the left is listed as an o-ring seal (profile) and the bigger ones as o-rings.

And now we come to what really worries me, the diff oil. As you can see they gave me the 235.15 approval which, as I've been reading here, is not the right one for our twin clutch system. I looked in the bag just to make sure, and I immediately asked why it's not the 235.64 which is the right one based on what I've read. They went like "where did you find that info" typical dealership response like I'm some dumbass clueless rich dude owning a six figure car, not supposed to worry about anything going into the engine and other components, and I said "from owners in the UK, that's the one they use". Guy said, "so that's what they use in the UK, it's country-specific". I said, so how come we use the same engine oil 0W-20, no matter if I have personally decided to stick to the AMG 0W-40 as I would use the 20 to boil my spaghetti in our blazing hot summer, the 0W-20 is still the recommended one, which is the same in both countries. So same engine oil but we use different diff oil? doesn't make much sense. He said he would run another check based on my VIN, but I don't think that is going to change anything as all orders are based on VIN in the first place. Perfect...

I have sent MB an inquiry, asking which is the right diff oil approval for my car and in my region.
Waiting for their response.

 

@Theo there are 2 sorts of “rear diff” oil in the A45s.

The centre section gear set - Hypoid Oil - which MB do not list a part number for its replacement as it’s “lubed for life”.

The twin clutch x2 oil - which is 235.64.

 

The photo shows 235.15 for the diff oil. Which I presume MB in Germany thought was correct.

 

I’ve just noticed something in that document re the earlier discussion about GL-4 and GL-5 spec oils:

“However, the hypoid gear oils must at least correspond to the US military specification MIL-L-2105 B/C/D and must be classed GL-5 in the quality grade according to API (American Institute of Petroleum).”

 

@veeeight so the 235.15 that they gave me is for the single clutch differential systems, not suitable for our twin unit.

 

I have given up trying to second guess why dealers give out the parts/lubes they do! No idea why they thought 235.15 was correct for your car. Unless they have an instruction that says substitution is OK…….


M-B 235.64 is Shell TF 0870 B - which if you look at the description - is approved for Magna Powertrain:

Shell TF 0870 B 209 Liter

<strong>Shell TF 0870 B</strong><br /> Synthetisches Verteilergetriebeöl<br /> <br /> Shell TF-0870-B ist ein Hochleistungs-Getriebeöle für spezielle Verteilergetriebe von Magna Powertrain und Mercedes-Benz Hinterachsgetriebe nach MB 235.64

www.kreissler24.de