Well I was finally able to connect to tablet!!! Thank you for the help!!
Same codes, but the cvt degeneration was not as bad as i thought it was going to be.
Getting back some hope, next is to drain the fluid, and remove the pan, it is going to be hot for the next week so not sure how much will get done. Also on the P0746 code, which solenoid is that one?

Thanks.

 

Well, I drained the transmission fluid last night, so far it didn't look to bad, there was a little glitter in the bottom of the pan, but not enough to be concerned about.
Hope to have the pan off soon.

Thanks.

 

Hello,

I pulled the pan off tonight, alittle more glitter, but still not bad. the magnets have some crud on them. But the filter is dirty, you can barely see through it. So I will take that to work and clean it in our wash tank. So should I pull the valve body to do a clean and check?

Thanks.

 

I pulled the pan off tonight, alittle more glitter, but still not bad. the magnets have some crud on them. But the filter is dirty, you can barely see through it. So I will take that to work and clean it in our wash tank. So should I pull the valve body to do a clean and check?

That's a very small pic that loses clarity when zoomed in, but it looks like your magnets were really caked with metal particles, to the point the collected "stuff" was so heavy it dropped down from the magnets. That is, unless you have double-stacked magnets, or it's a shadow-casting anomaly, or you have some kind of holder that the magnets sit inside of or something. I hope you'll take and post a picture when those things are cleaned...

Some people will use compressed air to try to blast out crap from the valve body - that can get messy and cause pieces to become even more jammed/lodged. Others have tried to wipe things down as best they can, but you risk living behind strands of material or fibers that could adversely affect the solenoids. Some have sprayed it down with brake cleaner, which could ruin the seals. If anything, I would use some cheap NS-3 (or Marvel Mystery Oil) in a spray bottle and use the stream nozzle to gently blast areas and let the metal particles drip down to the floor/pan with that fluid. Once you feel you've hit enough areas, I wouldn't wipe anything down except the mating surface of the pan gasket. But that's me...

 

Yes, there is a lot of build up on the magnets, I will get some better pics tomorrow.
So you are saying don't even take it a part, just spray it down in place, and put it back together, basically?
With that being said, what are the chances that it might live a normal life?

Thank you.

 

If you're feeling confident and comfortable about taking out each solenoid and cleaning it, that's your call. I recall there's a thin metal arm in there (I forget what it's called - I think it connects to the step motor) that you have to be very careful with when you remove it to get to the valve assembly and remove the electrical cluster or whatnot. If your CVT system is merely clogged up with sludge and some normal amount of metal, then cleaning/changing the filters (the paper one, too), cleaning up the valve body exterior, the pan, etc., might be all it takes to restore your CVT to normal operation.

I wouldn't be too aggressive with it just yet, since you stated the metal mesh filter was really sludged up. Fluid restriction through the system could be the primary cause of some of the issues. I'd just clean everything up, put in some new fluid, drive it around normally and maybe drain the pan one more time after 500 miles to see how things look. If the same problems exist after the first service, that would be the time I would go for broke and start taking things apart, depending on any codes being thrown.

 

Update, well I put it back together, put new fluid in. Drove it around the neighbor hood some last night, seemed ok in the beginning, then it went into limp mode due to over heating, and still getting the P0746 code.

So not sure what to do moving forward, maybe the cooling filter is clogged.
Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

Get a screen shot when it's cold and seems to work. Would be good to know the pressure target and actual look like then. There is a data logging function in there somewhere. You should turn it on and save the data log from a drive around the neighborhood starting from cold start when it seems to work and ending when it starts acting up. Your data log will capture a whole bunch of data from various sources that would be good to see.

 

Hello all, getting back to this project. I have decided to try to fix this issue one way or the other. I was at the point of buying a remanufactured unit, but work is real iffy right now, to say the least!
So recapping what the current issue is, has a active P0868 code, and I just erased a P0746 code, waiting for it to come back. When I go to take off, the trans feels like it is taking off in "Second Gear", also very slow in changing or engaging forward and or reverse. My driveway has a small incline at the bottom, it struggles coming up it slow, but once you get going it feels ok-ish, but not great. So after reading watching YT videos, I think the flow control valve in the pump is the main issue, since the trans has to come out, might as well check the ball bearings in the main pulley drives, clean the valve body, check the pulley surfaces, check the condition of the belt and hopefully get this trans to last another 50 to 100,000 miles.
Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you.

 

Since I don't recall if you mentioned it (and I don't want to re-read all yours posts) did you ever change the external CVT cooler filter? If not, I'd at least try that cheap and simple service before removing the transmission.

And I could be wrong, but I don't think you can actually fix the flow control valve problem. I think the problem is that valve is wearing away its hole/seat within the transmission housing/body, so you can't replace that lost metal. But maybe installing a new valve might at least cure half of the problem, if that's actually where the problem lies. @chidog would probably know for sure if he's around to provide some help.

 

Hello All,

Just some updates, work has been busy, and staying late has put a damper on things, to put Nicely, work has been creating some Big issues lately. But I'm in the process of pulling the trans out, and this has not been a fun job, I still have some ways to go, but it's getting there, I'm at the point of dropping the K-member will almost. I will be lucky if I ever get the trans out, and be lucky to ever get it all back together.

Thank you.

 

What is the plan after the transmission is out? Yes huge job getting them out, its easier going back in, why? because the all the super tight bolts are loose.

 

If I ever get the trans out, the plan is to go through the trans, pull it completely apart, probably install Trans Go flow control valve, check the belt, take apart the pulleys, and try to find where all of the debris came from. I'm thinking from belt slipping, then I'm not sure what to about the convertor, have cut apart and inspected at Trans Star.
Working getting some space cleared out in the garage for a decent transmission work bench on I'm working on, trying not to make a huge mess, but will most likely will.

Stampede.

 

I had a local outfit do the converter, they did good work. Don't know how well the trans go valve will work on the newer year units. They work okay on the 2004. Do your home work on that one.

 

Hello All, still in the process of removing the trans, what a Pain!!!
Does the transfer case need to come out first or does it come out with the trans?

Thank you.

Chad.

 

Hello All, still in the process of removing the trans, what a Pain!!!
Does the transfer case need to come out first or does it come out with the trans?

Thank you.

Chad.

Pain, yup tight bolts.
I think I took xfer case off before removing the trans,don't remember.

 

Check the service manual. It's downloadable from https://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals

 

Well, you need to pull the transfercase out first, there is transmission bolt on the back side that needs to be removed before you can drop the transmission.

I was able to remove the transfercase last night, only a few little things more before I can drop the trans out.

I told the wife, I might not get this one back together, this one has been the biggest pain in the a$$ I have dealt with, and I have done a lot in my drive way.

Stampede.

 

this one has been the biggest pain in the a$$ I have dealt with, and I have done a lot in my drive way

You shoulda done a youtube series on it. You know there's tons of people that want to try and do this. I think I did see one crazy one where a guy pulled it out from the bottom by jacking the front up absurdly high in the air. I'm still rooting for you to pull it off!

 

I will say, I'm finally getting excited about getting trans dropped out. I have thought about doing a youtube series on this, but there is some good videos already about getting the trans out, for the most part. And there is some good tear down videos of the trans, what to look for ect, but I have not found one were someone dove in from the beginning of the tear down and putting it back together, then putting it back in. I don't think I want me losing my $hit when something doesn't go right, and having to pull all back out, lol.
I'm literally 4 bolts, 2 cooling lines, and the main harness plug away!!!!

Thanks.

 

Remember to save the spacers/washers/shims used for the speed sensors on the old CVT so they can be installed on the replacement CVT. My 2006 used CVT was missing the speed sensors, so I had to transfer the current ones over. If the spacers aren't put back in place, the CVT may not operate correctly.

The other thing I would suggest is replacing ALL the seals on the CVT and transfer case. I had left the old output shaft seal on the CVT and it started to leak about two years later.

The torque converter usually comes with the used CVT and is held in place by a metal arm to keep in it during shipping and installation. You might want to take some exact measurements of how deep the torque converter sits within the housing (the distance from the front of the TC to the outer face of the CVT housing) or make some good reference marks in several places on both TC and the housing so you know what orientation the TC was in to lock fully into place.

 

Hello All,

Just an update, it's out and on the work bench, finally!! Hoping to have the VB out and start splitting the case soon to see what the issues are.

 

Hello,

Well, I found what was the main issue, the flow control valve was stuck in the bore, I need to get a new or a good used belt. I'm working on making puller for the variator pulleys, instead of paying $300.00, which could be used for parts.
Does anyone know if you can pull the variators out, with the transmission still the vehicle? I thought about looking for good used parts at the junkyard.

Thank you.

 

The valve piston looks both scorched and worn. I wonder if the crookedness of the valve assembly in your photo is due to the oscillation of the spring changing (weakening) after so much use, to the point it "drags" along one particular edge of its bore and starts to wear unevenly and then ultimately becomes stuck.

How do you tell if the used parts are any good? With such precision tolerances, wouldn't even the slightest wear (possibly even smooth and undetectable by the human eye) be enough to cause a problem once everything is put back together? Especially if you're talking a new/different belt on variators that already have some mileage on them. The belt might not seat 100% correctly and your hard work may start to become damaged immediately. But I've never rebuilt a transmission like this, so what do I know? Dropping the tranny on a rear-wheel drive takes an hour or two, whereas having to remove a Nissan CVT takes substantially more time. Point being, I think I'd be worried using used CVT parts.

The below video which you may have already seen shows the guy crudely disassembling the CVT. Around 12:19 is where he begins to take apart the variator system.

 

Yup the good ole flow control valve. I don't think the drop in Transgo one works good on these years. Unless they fixed it.

Variators come out in car? I'm not sure, but looking at yours it looks like they can, you know that side case.

You will want to remove every valve in the valve body, and clean and make sure they all move freely. I vacuum checked the one I did.

I used a large harbor freight puller for the pulleys. Yeah had to tie the arms together sorta so they would not slip.

 

Hello Chidog, I'm glad to hear from you. I need to go through Redline's post again, but what was the issue with your transmission, and what did you do to your pump, if anything? If I remember correctly, but Redline's flow control valve was worn like mine, and caused the broken belt. I was thinking our trans had the same pump in them.
Also, did you buy a new belt, if so, what was the part number and the cost?
The more I think about it I bet someone could just pull the variators out if you pull the VB first, to gain access to the belt, from a "parts" trans.
More to come.

Stampede.

 

It was my adult kids car, it had the codes and shops wanted top dollar to fix it. Per lots of study I figured it was the flow control valve as well, and it was. Pump was fine, one variator pulley had very small metal deposit's on it. I hand worked and polished them out, it had some bad bearings I think I mentioned that in Redlines post and photo's as well. The belt looked good and I checked it real good and checked all the bands as best I could, and reused it. I think someone used wrong fluid in it because the fluid was purple, cleaned everything, and had the TC redone at a local outfit. Transtar sent the wrong one and said they didn't have the correct one. Dealing with the variator seals is horrible. The ones in the kit did not seal good at all, so cleaned the micro metal particles from the old ones and reused them they sealed great. Its all about how the lap joint on the seals is designed.

 

How is the project going?