Transmission parts issues

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Exhaustgases

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Anyone that works on transmissions and or replacing them knows there are outfits located some where in the US that rebuilds CVT's.
I'm sure that if they are doing so for say Honda, that they are not using China made push belts.
How come you can go to the dealer and purchase normal step or planetary transmission parts but none for a CVT. Well you can if you wish to spend the multi thousand dollars for one of their rebuilt ones.
So can anyone please tell me where those rebuild outfits purchase their parts at?
All the Honda push belts on say Ebay are from China, is that who supplies the OEM ones?
Internet searching gets me no place.
 
Honda got their start making piston rings and became famous for good metallurgy and machining so I'd not be surprised if they manufacture those critical belts in house.
You could try ordering an OEM part (assuming they sell them via their parts operation) and examine the packaging.
The other critical part of the CVT is the sheaves (tapered pulleys) which require good metallurgy, heat treat and finish machining, that's why you don't see a lot of aftermarket companies making them.
 
Lubener said:
Many shops consider CVT's a throw away transmissions and just replace it.
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Its more like a dealers or a shops dream transmission.
I suppose most will not even try to trouble shoot one, it is always the automatic, "Sorry you need a new transmission".
Of course all that will cost almost what the car is worth, or maybe half its price. :ROFLMAO:
 
Exhaustgases said:
Its more like a dealers or a shops dream transmission.
I suppose most will not even try to trouble shoot one, it is always the automatic, "Sorry you need a new transmission".
Of course all that will cost almost what the car is worth, or maybe half its price. :ROFLMAO:
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It's more profitable for shops to replace a transmission then to fix them. Just like roofing and HVAC contractors. The most expensive fix is always going to only be the one offered. In the case of a transmission shop they will use the excuse we can't get the parts as an excuse to rip people off. Most are horribly lazy or too stupid to actually fix a transmission.
 
I might be off base here, but in old school automatics, there are a number of wear points that are "expected" to wear. Clutches and brakes, some bearings, etc. The frictions are wear items. So while it might be a pain to rebuild... they can be. Meanwhile CVT's don't seem to have "expected" wear items. It's a metal belt, no frictions involved (unless if it's one of those two speed CVT's that Toyota and maybe others now have, with a "launch" gear). So when something gives up, it's always a hard metal that gave up, and who knows what it might have taken out.

But of course, it's always easier to swap than to rebuild. Have to pull and install no matter what, but tearing apart adds a lot of time, and if there is a strong risk that it is not rebuildable, then it's just a waste of time to tear it apart.

Bit of a shame really. If it was just the belt that wore, and it could be easily replaced (*cough* like a timing belt *cough*) it wouldn't be so bad of a transmission. I don't mind mine, although it seems to have earned its reputation as a good one, and if it does fail, there should be plenty in the junkyards (my Corolla that is, our Camry Hybrid has an eCVT and that's completely different).
 
Sure easy to always just swap. The car doesn't need it yet, but I have looked at ebay prices and for used junk around 2K. No idea what dealer or transhop reman would be.
No used CVT should ever be swapped in, its a huge gamble.
When I rebuilt a jatco cvt for my kid, the price for the transmission was I think 3500 or so, and then that much labor for R and R as well.
I did the job for about 1300, and that included a few tools, and yes parts where difficult to find.
But again some major reman outfits get those parts from some source. I would like to have help or an insider that can point me that way.
If I ever have to work on this stinking car the owner does not have the top dollars to pay for some over priced reman that is slapped together by some kids that would rather be on their phones.
And again the most difficult part for this transmission is the push belt, and its the thing that disintegrates and sometimes below 100k miles. Its like the steel bands fatigue from constant bending, then let go I guess. So not really a fluid change issue, though that was done a few years ago.
 
supton said:
I might be off base here, but in old school automatics, there are a number of wear points that are "expected" to wear. Clutches and brakes, some bearings, etc. The frictions are wear items. So while it might be a pain to rebuild... they can be. Meanwhile CVT's don't seem to have "expected" wear items. It's a metal belt, no frictions involved (unless if it's one of those two speed CVT's that Toyota and maybe others now have, with a "launch" gear). So when something gives up, it's always a hard metal that gave up, and who knows what it might have taken out.

But of course, it's always easier to swap than to rebuild. Have to pull and install no matter what, but tearing apart adds a lot of time, and if there is a strong risk that it is not rebuildable, then it's just a waste of time to tear it apart.

Bit of a shame really. If it was just the belt that wore, and it could be easily replaced (*cough* like a timing belt *cough*) it wouldn't be so bad of a transmission. I don't mind mine, although it seems to have earned its reputation as a good one, and if it does fail, there should be plenty in the junkyards (my Corolla that is, our Camry Hybrid has an eCVT and that's completely different).
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Think of the belt as a clutch and you're on the right track. There is a small, continuous slip between the belt and pulleys and any fluid contamination that bridges the gap will cause excess wear to the belt, pulleys, and everything else that's under pressure / contact (bearings, pump, gears, bushings, solenoids, valves, etc). CVTs have a low tolerance to fluid contamination and overheating. I recommend dropping the CVT pan annually for cleaning and inspection until the magnets (and fluid) stay clean between service.

If the belt was cheap and easy to change (think, alternator belt) then it wouldn't be a big deal. In practice it's often easier to change the transmission than the belt. To be prudent, keep the fluid cool and the magnets clean.
 
martinq said:
If the belt was cheap and easy to change (think, alternator belt) then it wouldn't be a big deal. In practice it's often easier to change the transmission than the belt.
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Yeah always easier to change a main component like transmission or engine than to fix it.
And works good under a warranty or for very wealthy non DIY people.

Sorry some of us poor slobs can better afford a kit and a 200 or so belt way more than a 4000 to 6000 dollar transmission.
Its just more cost effective to change the belt. Because along with that 6000 dollar transmission there is also the 4000 plus dollar remove and install cost, that is if you want the warranty on the 6000 dollar transmission. :ROFLMAO:

So I'm surprised there are no CVT transmission experts on this site.
 
Exhaustgases said:
Yeah always easier to change a main component like transmission or engine than to fix it.
And works good under a warranty or for very wealthy non DIY people.

Sorry some of us poor slobs can better afford a kit and a 200 or so belt way more than a 4000 to 6000 dollar transmission.
Its just more cost effective to change the belt. Because along with that 6000 dollar transmission there is also the 4000 plus dollar remove and install cost, that is if you want the warranty on the 6000 dollar transmission. :ROFLMAO:

So I'm surprised there are no CVT transmission experts on this site.
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If you price it out I'm sure it's pretty cost comparable either way.

- remove CVT
- install reman CVT
- return the core
- pretend your parts warranty has value

Vs

- remove CVT
- clean, teardown, inspect, clean, rebuild
- install DIY reman CVT
- pretend that you've done this 8x before as well as those two extra times something didn't go right the first time
- marvel at your efforts and brilliant craftsmanship
- know that if something wasn't right this time you get to do it all again "for free"
- hope that the parts you used "this time" were really worth it, or maybe they were "grey market" or "fake"
 
martinq said:
If you price it out I'm sure it's pretty cost comparable either way.

- remove CVT
- install reman CVT
- return the core
- pretend your parts warranty has value

Vs

- remove CVT
- clean, teardown, inspect, clean, rebuild
- install DIY reman CVT
- pretend that you've done this 8x before as well as those two extra times something didn't go right the first time
- marvel at your efforts and brilliant craftsmanship
- know that if something wasn't right this time you get to do it all again "for free"
- hope that the parts you used "this time" were really worth it, or maybe they were "grey market" or "fake"
Click to expand...
Not for a person that can not afford a monthy payment on a transmission. Not everyone is in your financial position to do what you say.
I have done many transmissions before. And a Jatco CVT. $1300, parts, tools, TC, is just way less than $4000 for just the transmission.
All on a car worth maybe $3000. If the kid wouldn't have spent $1k or so on tires 3 months before the trans went out, it would have been junk time. Oh and junk yard transmissions were in the $800. range, with the same miles that was on this car.
Never ever install a used CVT especially a Jatco, it is a gamble.

I could not just go pick up the new/reman transmission and expect to have the warranty, as most small print says that a qualified shop has to do the work, so that makes said transmission cost $8000. to then finance. All for a piece of crap 3k or less value car. Please explain the sense in that?
 
Last edited:
^^Exactly why not many transmission shops build CVT's.....Not worth the training & tooling expense. The same is almost true for FWD vehicles in general....The cost to have one built right usually exceeds the value of the vehicle.

A few outliers like Chrysler minivans (62TE), Ford Flex (6F35), & GM FWD V8 (4T65E-HD) but still a very stagnant part of the transmission building segment.
 
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Exhaustgases said:
Not for a person that can not afford a monthy payment on a transmission. Not everyone is in your financial position to do what you say.
Click to expand...
I'm not saying what to do, I'm suggesting that there are various costs involved when dealing with a CVT repair / replacement. Everyone is in a different situation, some have more money, some have more time, energy, resources available.

Exhaustgases said:
Never ever install a used CVT especially a Jatco, it is a gamble.
Click to expand...
I agree, in that I would never install a CVT without inspecting the belt & pulleys, cleaning the valve body, etc. If the fluid was black it's probably already toast.

Exhaustgases said:
I could not just go pick up the new/reman transmission and expect to have the warranty, as most small print says that a qualified shop has to do the work, so that makes said transmission cost $8000. to then finance. All for a piece of crap 3k or less value car. Please explain the sense in that?
Click to expand...
It doesn't make sense if you're going to resell or scrap it, no. If I'm working on one of my vehicles then it's probably going to stick around for another 10-20 years. If I can't find a decent parts car for $4k then maybe a reman CVT is a better route.
 
IndyIan said:

This guy seems to find subaru CVT's pretty repairable at least. I guess shops that do these aren't super common but they are out there.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

If anyone knows where I can buy an actual, new belt for a Jatco JF009E CVT1 it would be much appreciated. Last time I checked, eBay was all I could find and I'm pretty sure they were either used parts or incorrectly listed.
 
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