[Jbehm]

I just performed CVT fluid drain and ended up getting 5.5 quarts out of it. When replacing the fluid I put in the initial 5 quarts and it barely registered on the dipstick. I went ahead and drove it briefly to get it warmed up and had it at 140° and it took another half a quart to even get it to the "min" level. To me it looks like it needs another half a quart to get it filled up but that would make a total of 6 quarts and I cannot find anywhere for someone else had to put that much into fill it. I am following what looks to be a Nissan procedure from something I found on this forum and have it within the temperature range and have the car running, have cycled through gears and have it sitting in neutral. My main concern at this point is overfilling it. Suggestions?

 

[slcjuke]

Are you checking it on level ground with the engine running?

If you have the CVTZ50 app you can see the trans temp and fill it accordingly.

 

[Jbehm]

Yep, perfectly level and running. I dipped my Fluke temp probe into the fluid through the filler tube and it was at 140F, that should be good. I know it was reading the fluid because it came back up with oil on it.

 

[slcjuke]

140F is pretty cold for the CVT temp. I would try to get it to read near the top of the dipstick at around 190F

Edit: I should add at 140F it should be reading on the dipstick. I think you're good to add a half a quart a time. Also since it's hotter than hell out right now you could idle the temperature up to about 160F.

 

[Jbehm]

Will do! I'll report back.

Thanks

 

[Jbehm]

185F and still at the bottom of the hashmarks. So it needs more, that'll put me close to 6 quarts to fill it, just seems like more than anybody else.

 

[slcjuke]

That's not unheard of.

Always trust in the dipstick lol

But yeah at about 190-200F you're at the HOT operating range (even though the trans can get much much hotter)

 

[Macgyver]

Well. @slcjuke CVT gets real hot. LOL

 

[slcjuke]

Well. @slcjuke CVT gets real hot. LOL

Ohhhhhhh yeah, lol

 

[pboglio]

Lot's of good recommendations here, nice. Same here, you'll typically get only 5.5 quarts out on a typical drain, the rest is in the valvebody and torque converter. That's why I buy 12 quarts to dilute out the mix on multiple changes. I purchased an oil siphon setup from Mityvac just for the CVT. Level ground and check/refill @ hot so maybe 180-200*F or drive for a good 20-30 minutes. If you over fill just put the siphon tube in the CVT fill tube and pull a little bit out until it's in the middle of the hashmarks.....done. There should be a VFAQ for this but if it's done correctly the CVT is all happy and life is good. Don't forget to change the beehive oil filter cartridge. If you have a chance to drop the CVT oil sump pan I'd also cleanout the magnets as that'll protect the CVT against further internal damage.