bubbaleenc
Owning the country roads.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
- Threads
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- 121
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- 144
- Location
- North Carolina
- Vehicle(s)
- '16 EX-T Sedan '01 4Runner '18 Suburban
- Thread starter
- #1
Honda CVTs are relatively trouble-free, but ONLY when you keep the oil changed. I found lots of good info scattered all over these forums, so I’m just going to compile it here.
Tools & parts:
Ramps, jack stands, floor jack, Phillips head screw driver, stubby slotted screw driver, oil pan, 3/8 male pipe plug socket, breaker bar, 12mm socket, ratchet wrench, long necked funnel, 18mm crush washer, 4qts HCF2 fluid (or better)
Procedure:
Drive car to get engine to normal operating temperature. Drive front wheels onto ramps, set parking brake, then cycle through gear positions waiting 3-5 seconds between each position change. Keep idling in park. Using floor jack on rear jack support (location depends on exhaust position), raise back of car just above point of being level. Set jackstands under rear-side jack notches and let floor jack down just enough to share support with stands. Turn off engine.
Remove under-engine cover using Phillips driver on 2 screws at front and slotted driver on 6 quarter turn fasteners.
Remove filler plug:
Closer shot:
Using 3/8 pipe plug socket attached to breaker bar, loosen transmission drain plug:
With oil pan placed sufficiently far from the plug (initially oil will come out very strongly), remove bolt wearing gloves. Oil will be hot!
If you removed the fill plug, emptying of about 4qts will take just 3-5 minutes at most. If not, it will take significantly longer.
Once oil stops coming out, *wipe the bolt magnet clean*, replace crush washer and install bolt & washer. Using long-neck funnel, refill with all 4qts of CVT oil. Add a small amount of silicone oil (a couple drops) to the fill plug ribs to make R&R easier. Replace fill plug.
Carefully get into car and start. With foot on brake, shift through gear positions waiting 3-5 seconds per position: PRNDSLSDNRP. Allow to idle 3-5 minutes then turn off engine.
Carefully get out of car. Find check bolt just above and forward of the drain bolt, and loosen using 12mm socket. With drain pan below hole, remove check bolt while wearing gloves:
If nothing is dripping after 3-5 minutes being open, add more CVT oil until it begins to drip out. You may have to replace bolt and repeat shift procedure above if you add more than a couple ounces.
When oil is very slowly dripping, reinstall check bolt and washer (I didn’t replace the washer). Wipe oil off all surfaces on engine and transmission. Remove the drain pan from under car and replace under-engine cover.
Slightly jack up rear of car and remove stands. Slowly lower rear of car and set floor jack aside. Drive off ramps.
In all, it will take about 30-45 minutes the first time but 15-30 minutes once you do it once. It is just as easy as changing engine oil - in fact I’ll probably do it every other engine oil change (at least every 3rd engine oil change).
Tools & parts:
Ramps, jack stands, floor jack, Phillips head screw driver, stubby slotted screw driver, oil pan, 3/8 male pipe plug socket, breaker bar, 12mm socket, ratchet wrench, long necked funnel, 18mm crush washer, 4qts HCF2 fluid (or better)
Procedure:
Drive car to get engine to normal operating temperature. Drive front wheels onto ramps, set parking brake, then cycle through gear positions waiting 3-5 seconds between each position change. Keep idling in park. Using floor jack on rear jack support (location depends on exhaust position), raise back of car just above point of being level. Set jackstands under rear-side jack notches and let floor jack down just enough to share support with stands. Turn off engine.
Remove under-engine cover using Phillips driver on 2 screws at front and slotted driver on 6 quarter turn fasteners.
Remove filler plug:
Closer shot:
Using 3/8 pipe plug socket attached to breaker bar, loosen transmission drain plug:
With oil pan placed sufficiently far from the plug (initially oil will come out very strongly), remove bolt wearing gloves. Oil will be hot!
If you removed the fill plug, emptying of about 4qts will take just 3-5 minutes at most. If not, it will take significantly longer.
Once oil stops coming out, *wipe the bolt magnet clean*, replace crush washer and install bolt & washer. Using long-neck funnel, refill with all 4qts of CVT oil. Add a small amount of silicone oil (a couple drops) to the fill plug ribs to make R&R easier. Replace fill plug.
Carefully get into car and start. With foot on brake, shift through gear positions waiting 3-5 seconds per position: PRNDSLSDNRP. Allow to idle 3-5 minutes then turn off engine.
Carefully get out of car. Find check bolt just above and forward of the drain bolt, and loosen using 12mm socket. With drain pan below hole, remove check bolt while wearing gloves:
If nothing is dripping after 3-5 minutes being open, add more CVT oil until it begins to drip out. You may have to replace bolt and repeat shift procedure above if you add more than a couple ounces.
When oil is very slowly dripping, reinstall check bolt and washer (I didn’t replace the washer). Wipe oil off all surfaces on engine and transmission. Remove the drain pan from under car and replace under-engine cover.
Slightly jack up rear of car and remove stands. Slowly lower rear of car and set floor jack aside. Drive off ramps.
In all, it will take about 30-45 minutes the first time but 15-30 minutes once you do it once. It is just as easy as changing engine oil - in fact I’ll probably do it every other engine oil change (at least every 3rd engine oil change).
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