Transmission shutter at 40 MPH while maintaining speed?

Tiny
OCTANE1Z
  • MEMBER
  • 2014 INFINITI QX60
  • 3.5L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,600 MILES
My car is starting to shudder at 40 MPH while maintaining speed. I know it's a lot of miles so no flush just drain and fill. How much do I put back and know when it's full as Nissan quit putting dipsticks in this year. Also will this help stop the shudder quit?
Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 AT 3:43 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,060 POSTS
A shudder at a sustained speed in a CVT is usually a sign of a failing internal chain as it slips on the sheaves of the variator drive. However if you wish to do a fluid change it is a bit involved and you need the proper charge pipe KV311039S0. With that you raise the vehicle up level so you can get under it, then you need to remove the drain plug from the pain. Let it drain. Then you install the charge pipe in place of the overflow plug. Install the drain plug. Next you insert the hose into the pipe and add 3 liters of CVT fluid. Now remove the pipe and install the overflow plug. Now you start the engine and shift through each gear while holding the brake. Keep it in each gear about 5 seconds. Shut the engine off. Now you repeat the drain and fill process, except this time once it's drained you replace the gasket on the plug and reinstall it. Now you reinstall the charge pipe and add 3 liters of fluid. Now reinstall the overflow plug and start the engine and run it through the gears again. You want to get the transmission barely warm. Now remove the overflow plug and let the fluid drain until it stops. Replace the gasket and install the overflow plug. Clean up and you are done.
Your vehicle has the RE0F10E CVT in it and there are a few videos on that unit and the shudder they develop from the variator.
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Thursday, February 27th, 2025 AT 10:46 PM
Tiny
OCTANE1Z
  • MEMBER
  • 40 POSTS
It has the tube that would normally hold the dipstick however this year and model onward is a plug, that's the charge pipe, correct? I've gotten the plug out with a flathead and a lot of cusswords. I've ordered 6 quarts online and should be here Wednesday. I have read that I can drain the trans while warm and just replace the drained plus any until it starts to dribble out of the overflow plug, not a steady flow and not a drip but steady dribble, I guess? I'm super appreciative but if its FUBAR I guess it can't hurt. Is there any way to tension said chain or is the engineered to fail transmission doomed? So, I can't add through the dipstick tube?
It's sad because I just got the clock to hit 200k.
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Saturday, March 1st, 2025 AT 9:57 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,060 POSTS
CVTs don't have any adjustments other than fluid changes. I'm actually surprised it has made it that far on the original unit. They commonly fail before they hit 100K (many under 80K) The charge pipe is a tube that screws into the overflow port on the underside of that transmission, not where the dipstick went. What most of the online videos tell you is the dump and measure method. Basically, drain out the fluid. Put the drain plug in, measure the amount you removed and then add back that amount. That will work, but you won't know if it's actually full.
This video shows the overflow being checked at around the 7.5-minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1bZiTNvT7k
That is where you would use the charge pipe. Normally you use the pipe so that you can fill the trans and check the level at the same time. However, you can fill through the dip stick hole if you wish.
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Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 AT 7:07 AM

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