CVT options for FWD VQ35

[Japsfinest]

Well much like other Murano owners my CVT tranmission is no longer with us.Now I figure that most, if not all, FWD VQ35 2003+ cars that have the new CVT transmission should be interchangeable. Please shoot me down if I am wrong. My murano has 78K and I refuse to pay more than 2K for a transmission. I am looking for other possible transmission solutions. any ideas, comments, or suggestions are welcome.

[Japsfinest]

I can't believe that there have been no replies as big as this board is...

[devnull]

It seems to me that it's less likely for people to tinker with a Murano than other cars. I wouldn't expect transmissions from Nissan sedans to work because the Murano is substantially heavier than a sedan.

I searched car-part.com for Murano transmissions and I noticed two things:

There are Murano transmissions for $2k

The search didn't show parts from other cars...when parts from other cars are interchangeable they usually show up in the search.

[Japsfinest]

Great point with the weight issue. I did the same searches on car-part.com and found no matches in other models and I figured that I was searching sedans that did not have a cvt transmission but a traditional automatic.

thanks for the feedback

[MinisterofDOOM]

Nothing else aside from Murano used CVT in 2003. It wasn't until 2007 that other FWD VQ cars adopted the CVT. Altima has optional CVT as of 2007 model year, and Maxima is CVT-only as of 2007 model year.

I'm not sure which models/years have interchangeable CVTs with your Murano, as the CVT has undergone a lot of revisions since 2003. I have seen that the model numbers are ALMOST identical, which with older Nissan transmissions would mean they're compatible (Murano has RE0F09A, Maxima/Altima have RE0F09B). But considering that the 2008 and 2003 Muranos appear to have the same model number even though I am 99% sure there are numerous differences, it's hard to judge by model number alone.

You'd have to find out what the changes were from year to year to know which you can and cannot use with your car.

[XJared]

I'm not sure what other year Muranos will work with what you have, but no other models will. The mounting is a lot different. BTW, what happened to the trans and how often did you service it?

[Japsfinest]

Well I hate to admit it but I have never serviced the transmission. I have always gone with the rule of if its not broken don't fix it. and the risk of getting particulate in it. I came home from a business trip and got itn after month and half of me not being home it makes a nasty squeling sound that sounds like metal and metal spinning inside the transmission. it is revmatched so the higher the reves the louder the noise. it is still driving but after reading on the murano forum about the failure rate of that cvt transmission, i know that if i drive the truck around its going to leave me staranded within a couple of miles.

[Q45tech]

"I refuse to pay more than 2K for a transmission"

Then you better give up driving or LEARN to deal with junkyards* because every [4AT] modern transmission cost more than $2,000 to just rebuild properly. Not counting swap labor.

5 speed AT have added a $1,000 per gear and I expect the newer 7 speed AT to cost $5,000 for a PROPER overhaul.

* CVT from a junkyard is just asking for grief unless the vehicle was totalled from the rear, as a frontal impact will destory the CVT. Same with flood damaged due to pressure relief vent allowing water inside.

[marlin29311]

Nothing else aside from Murano used CVT in 2003. It wasn't until 2007 that other FWD VQ cars adopted the CVT. Altima has optional CVT as of 2007 model year, and Maxima is CVT-only as of 2007 model year.

I'm not sure which models/years have interchangeable CVTs with your Murano, as the CVT has undergone a lot of revisions since 2003. I have seen that the model numbers are ALMOST identical, which with older Nissan transmissions would mean they're compatible (Murano has RE0F09A, Maxima/Altima have RE0F09B). But considering that the 2008 and 2003 Muranos appear to have the same model number even though I am 99% sure there are numerous differences, it's hard to judge by model number alone.

You'd have to find out what the changes were from year to year to know which you can and cannot use with your car.

Not to mention that the fluids have changed.

If you had performed regular maintnence on the CVT as the manual says you should, it probably would have gotten the new fluid, NS-2, which is much better than the old NS-1.

[Japsfinest]

"I refuse to pay more than 2K for a transmission"

Then you better give up driving or LEARN to deal with junkyards* because every [4AT] modern transmission cost more than $2,000 to just rebuild properly. Not counting swap labor.

5 speed AT have added a $1,000 per gear and I expect the newer 7 speed AT to cost $5,000 for a PROPER overhaul.

* CVT from a junkyard is just asking for grief unless the vehicle was totalled from the rear, as a frontal impact will destory the CVT. Same with flood damaged due to pressure relief vent allowing water inside.

labor will all be done by me, I payed close to 5K to replace my supra transmission and that didn;t hurt because I beat the **** out of it and its a fun car to drive but me pulling 2k out for the murano is like pulling teeth with a rusty fishing hook.

Is there a reliable cvt rebuilder? im not going to go to a steakhouse and order sushi, if you know what I mean.

In the supra world there is only one reliable transmission builder in the country, the master tech at champions toyota in texas.

If im going to have the thing rebuilt and pay an arm and a leg to get it done then I want to make sure its done right. If I get a junkyard transmission Im going to trade the truck in the next day and get something standard. I don't know enough about these modernday automatics to have tofind out the hard way

[XJared]

labor will all be done by me, I payed close to 5K to replace my supra transmission and that didn;t hurt because I beat the **** out of it and its a fun car to drive but me pulling 2k out for the murano is like pulling teeth with a rusty fishing hook.

Is there a reliable cvt rebuilder? im not going to go to a steakhouse and order sushi, if you know what I mean.

In the supra world there is only one reliable transmission builder in the country, the master tech at champions toyota in texas.

If im going to have the thing rebuilt and pay an arm and a leg to get it done then I want to make sure its done right. If I get a junkyard transmission Im going to trade the truck in the next day and get something standard. I don't know enough about these modernday automatics to have tofind out the hard way

based on your questions, I dont suggest you replace it yourself.