CVT oil change

[hobiray]

I was told by a dealer today that my wife's coupe needed the cvt oil change at 30k mi. for only $589.99. What's the deal with this? Is this diy?

[LongBeachCoupe]

Welcome to you and your lady!It does get changed at 30k as far as i know...The price im not really sure of, and i typically reserve "only $xx" for stuff less than $99 lol... that does seem expensive... someone whose already done it, please chime in!

[jungleboogie]

I was told by a dealer today that my wife's coupe needed the cvt oil change at 30k mi. for only $589.99. What's the deal with this? Is this diy?

only?!? is it me or is close to $600 pricey for a transmission flush and refill? even despite the fact that it's a V6 Altima etc etc... i'd expect that from a bimmer or benz but for an altima?? not cool

[mcheddadi]

unless they have to remove the motor to access the cvt, thats way too much. I did my Manual transmission oil change myself and it took like 30 min because I was taking my time

[Hussain]

i did a transmission flush on my old expedition and my brothers expedition and i think even my dad's truck.... its real easy... but they of course wern't CVT. also, as far as i know all the old Muranos had there trannys go out after they did the fluid change at 30k miles... i've always wondered what was going to happen. someone who has had it done, please chime in

[bembol]

I was told by a dealer today that my wife's coupe needed the cvt oil change at 30k mi. for only $589.99. What's the deal with this? Is this diy?

I'm close to 40k/km, I ask them how much for the CVT Fluid. They won't even tell me, instead they said it not necessary and that it's going to be very expensive. They went on about how CVT is this/that...

After 5 minutes, they said it will cost about $400 because the CVT Fluid is very expensive, I think Parts Department said $30 a liter.

[hobiray]

beginning to look like so much hooey!

[TheBourneAltimatum]

I was told by a dealer today that my wife's coupe needed the cvt oil change at 30k mi. for only $589.99. What's the deal with this? Is this diy?

no, cvt fluid does not need to be changed at 30k, more like 80k-100k...also buy nissan NS-2 CVT fluid online and go have done at another dealer whenever you need a change

[CPS]

Your local dealer can scan any Nissan with a CVT and tell you whether or not it needs to be changed. It actually gives the technician a life expectancy figure on the fluid and they can monitor it *IF* you regularly visit the dealer.

The fluid is $23 a quart at my dealership, and a drain and fill usually takes about 7 quarts of fluid and about an hour of labor, maybe two.

[adidas2go]

Its not hard to drain the CVT transmission fluid. Their are a few ways of doing this.

Procedure 1

1. Drive your car for about 10 min.2. You leave the car running in park. 3. Disconnect the CVT fluid line coming from the radiator, going into the CVT. You will let this line drain into your bucket for disposal.4. Refill with new CVT fluid at CVT fluid charging pipe, with the engine running at idle speed.5. Refill until new CVT fluid comes out from CVT fluid cooler hose, you disconnected in step 3. 6. Reconnect everything, and your finished. Takes about 25 min, and 11 quarts of NS-2 Nissan CVT fluid.

Procedure 2

1. Remove drain plug from CVT oil pan. 2. Drain fluid3. Reinstall drain plug in oil pan4. Fill CVT with transmission fluid at the charging pipe 5. Drive CVT for 10 min6. Check fluid level. 7. Add fluid if necessary.

Hope this helps guys

[LinkNuc]

Yup, and if you don;t wanna do it yourself, Jiffylube, Meinike, and your Grandpap or dad will do it for less than a bill.

Here's why you are getting ripped off....My Titan's 30K tune up cost me 149 bucks...and its a 4x4....seriously wtf kinda dealer do you go to?

Oh I know TX is a big state but if you can get to courtesy do it

BTW, I have a call into a good source on what it actually costs...I will post once I get reply
Modified by LinkNuc at 2:52 AM 1/11/2009

[vonivo]

Its not hard to drain the CVT transmission fluid. Their are a few ways of doing this.

Procedure 1

1. Drive your car for about 10 min.2. You leave the car running in park. 3. Disconnect the CVT fluid line coming from the radiator, going into the CVT. You will let this line drain into your bucket for disposal.4. Refill with new CVT fluid at CVT fluid charging pipe, with the engine running at idle speed.5. Refill until new CVT fluid comes out from CVT fluid cooler hose, you disconnected in step 3. 6. Reconnect everything, and your finished. Takes about 25 min, and 11 quarts of NS-2 Nissan CVT fluid.

Procedure 2

1. Remove drain plug from CVT oil pan. 2. Drain fluid3. Reinstall drain plug in oil pan4. Fill CVT with transmission fluid at the charging pipe 5. Drive CVT for 10 min6. Check fluid level. 7. Add fluid if necessary.

Hope this helps guys

so how much fluid would it take for option 2?

[adidas2go]

7 1/4 quarts, but that method doesn't change the fluid in the filter or cooling systems.

[Carcass]

Yup, and if you don;t wanna do it yourself, Jiffylube, Meinike, and your Grandpap or dad will do it for less than a bill.

Oh yeah. I definitely do not want any of the above people going anywhere near my expensive, highly advanced CVT.

[marlin29311]

Yup, and if you don;t wanna do it yourself, Jiffylube, Meinike, and your Grandpap or dad will do it for less than a bill.

Here's why you are getting ripped off....My Titan's 30K tune up cost me 149 bucks...and its a 4x4....seriously wtf kinda dealer do you go to?

Oh I know TX is a big state but if you can get to courtesy do it

BTW, I have a call into a good source on what it actually costs...I will post once I get reply

Modified by LinkNuc at 2:52 AM 1/11/2009

Your Titan doesn't have a CVT.

The CVT fluid costs more than any other M/T or A/T fluid because it's propriatary to Nissan and provides a much higher level of internal lubrication compared to other transmission fluids. The CVT has many more moving parts due to the expanding/contracting it does, and thus requires a higher level of lubrication. This is also why your manual says that using anything but Nissan's NS-2 CVT fluid will destroy your CVT and void your warranty.

...that being said, take note at the fact that Schedule 1 Maintence in your service maintenece guide never has you change your CVT fluid...

My dad works for a company that designed the NS-2 CVT fluid. The fluid was designed to withstand up to 80,000 miles being driven on it. That being said, i still wouldn't take it that far. 60k max. It may provide lubrication at that many miles, however, just like an oil change, junk can get in there and cause sludging and breakdown. You don't necesarily need to do it at 30k, but I certianly would before 60k. My dad just had his Altima's changed at about 33k.

And unfortunatly $500 is about the right price being charged for it, give or take some.

[adidas2go]

http://www.eneos.us/products.php?pk=8

I was considering getting this. But I haven't done it yet.

If you look at the chart near the bottom, it clearly states what its compatible with with, Nissan Extronic CVT M6 CVT Fluid NS-2 . Kinda interesting huh?

[marlin29311]

I remember that thread from a while ago about the interest in the other CVT fluids.

My arguement against it is that it's not the same stuff - it wasn't fabricated by the original chemical designers that did the NS-2. While it might be "compatible", it most certianly is not the same formula as the NS-2 fluid, which is protected by patent law. If it was, there would be a very quick and swift lawsuit against it.

Could it work? Possibly. But by using it, you've voided the CVT warranty.

I think in due time we'll see more companies coming out with approved CVT fluids, just in the same manner it happen with A/T fluids. Right now though, everything is still proprietary.

[adidas2go]

I think its just like motor oils personally. All different brands, different viscosity, different chemical makeups. However, many of them are compatible with many different kinds of engines. I know there are not as many moving parts in the CVT as their are in an engine.

I don't think its the EXACT same chemical makeup as the NS-2 fluid, I think it may be better. Made for high heat situations, and less breakdown. Just as synthetic oil is better than conventional.

Also, Nissan isn't going to know whether or not you used a Nippon oil. Worst case scenario, your transmission starts acting up, and you replace the fluid with Nissan stuff, with the steps I stated earlier in the thread.

[marlin29311]

I think its just like motor oils personally. All different brands, different viscosity, different chemical makeups. However, many of them are compatible with many different kinds of engines. I know there are not as many moving parts in the CVT as their are in an engine.

I don't think its the EXACT same chemical makeup as the NS-2 fluid, I think it may be better. Made for high heat situations, and less breakdown. Just as synthetic oil is better than conventional.

Also, Nissan isn't going to know whether or not you used a Nippon oil. Worst case scenario, your transmission starts acting up, and you replace the fluid with Nissan stuff, with the steps I stated earlier in the thread.

Motor oils are required to conform to a minimum set of viscosity standards - I don't think the CVT is held to that standard as of yet because of the proprietary nature of it right now.

It's certianly possible that the Nippon is better, but no one can be sure without having used it. I can see where you would be more intersted in using it, especially with the turbo setup you have right now too.

For someone like you Blake, it could possibly work. But not everyone is going to want to monkey around with their transmission and do a fluid swap themselves - a lot of people just don't even have the know-how to do it.

I think if I were to try it out, I would have Nippon give me a backing warranty to use it right now. I'm personally not comfortable with changing around the proprietary fluids in the car, but I am also extremely risk adverse. It could give you much better performance, but I'm not willing to go that far yet.

[adidas2go]

I agree. I think you swap this out I would like to have a lot of backing information from Nippon. Before that, I won't have to much trust in words. I also agree that this fluid swap would be for more mechanically inclined and performance oriented users. Without those backgrounds, I don't see a point in swapping these fluids.

[CPS]

At my dealership, if a CVT fails within the mileage warranty, we have to pull an oil sample and send it off to Nissan. If they detect ANYTHING other than genuine Nissan CVT fluid, warranty is voided. They can detect trace amounts of anything other than CVT fluid in it, and you can't get it that clean without complete dissassembly, which would leave evidence that you had torn it down.

[adidas2go]

Hmmm, interesting. Nissan never said anything about my fluid.

[LinkNuc]

Well the fluid is 19.95 MSRP per quart so...

[vonivo]

which tube is the one coming from the radiator? do you have a pic or a diagram? also can u turn the engine off while unhooking the tube and placing it in a bucket so you dont spill all over?

[adidas2go]

I don't have a pic, but its the hose coming out of the left side of the radiator, going into the CVT.

You can find all the information here.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Altima/2008/ma.pdf

[LongBeachCoupe]

Wht are you guys talking about a total flush, cant you just drain and refill? My tech said thats what he would do at 30... its not worth the time/money to do a flush.

[adidas2go]

Of course you can just drain and refill. That's procedure 2 that I listed above.

A flush (procedure 1) is something I would do at 60k.

[jayrguidaben]

i want to change my cvt fluid on my 07 altima with 50k miles. i just want to do drain and fill but how do you guys pull the dipstick without breaking it? do you think its a good idea just to drain and fill? any advice? does anyone done this? please chime in. thanks.

[ZQ8 Blazer]

So I should change the fluid at 50k? What does the dealer recommend?

[seldomseen]

You should have your CVT fluid changed at 60k miles at the earliest. Unless you drive your car under extreme conditions, such as constant high speeds of say 100mph+ and/or if you are frequently pulling a trailer, or frequently car unusually heavy cargo. You can ask the service department to have your CVT fluid quality check using the Consult program to determine if a fluid change is necessary. Keep in mind that service managers/staff receive commission for selling services to customers. Many of which may be unnecessary and/or premature. An honest dealership will not attempt to sell you services that are unnecessary. Don't be afraid to contact other Nissan dealerships for second opinions as well.