Aftermarket CVT Fluid Question

[tekman78]

So I did a CVT service at 120K over the summer. Felt an odd shutter/bucking on RH turn when I left the shop that day, and didn't feel it since then. Figured fluid was just making its way around the trans body. Then, this winter, I started feeling this again when the car was cold, on RH turns. Took it back to the shop. And after all kinds of BS, come to find out they used Fram CVT fluid. According the Fram, it's supposed to be in spec for my 15' Legacy, but it sure didn't like it. Seems the pumps/pickups just couldn't handle it when it was cold, so I'm sure it was getting starved when I felt this. I could also hear a hissing-type noise when I'd make that RH turn and experience that bucking/shutter.

So we swapped it back to Subaru fluid. Issue is gone. Now, I'm concerned about longevity and what issues this may have caused long term.

Fram fluid looked was a pinkish color when new, not green like the Subaru fluid. And it looked like shit when it got drained, and it had only about 15k miles on it. So now we've added the green back in. And I've got a "lifetime powertrain" warranty on it, from the dealer it was bought from.

I tried to explain my concerns to the shop in getting this back to a state where, if I had to take it in for warranty work, that they couldn't question the fluid. This dude tried to tell me the green wouldn't stay green and it's just additives and nobody would be able to tell once I got some miles on this green fluid - that it would end up looking more pinkish/translucent, and I just don't buy it.

Should I keep pushing these turds to keep flushing it until it's all green? And how does the green fluid hold up over time, from a color perspective? I need this info because it's my only way of knowing whether or not I got this shop to fix their mistake in the first place, and then go tell them to fuck off. And I want to keep making sure I shove as much proper info back in their face, instead of them keep trying to pull the wool over my eyes on their stupid decision to not use OEM fluids. They always had in the past for drivetrain, so I never bothered to ask. Because if this CVT got screwed up by them and my warranty won't cover it, I want some leverage back with this shop with the emails I'm sending/recording with them.

Appreciate any information you can provide on how I should continue to handle this with the shop. Thanks!

[silverton]

I'd recommend finding a shop that specializes in subaru if you have one locally, unless this place is...then shame on them for not using OE fluids.

You should push them to flush it. a drain and fill is just shy of half the fluid, so there is likely still  a 75/25 mix of green/pink in your CVT, another drain and fill might get it to a 87/13 mix... It really should be properly flushed with a machine.  the CVT fluid does NOT change to a completely different color with use.  It gets darker.  so... green gets dark green, blue gets dark blue.... wish I'd taken a picture of the middle of my CVT-HT drain, as that was dark orange.

That being said, my cost on a 5 gallon bucket of CVT-HT was $430 so I can see a shop trying to save a buck.

[tekman78]

8 minutes ago, silverton said:

I'd recommend finding a shop that specializes in subaru if you have one locally, unless this place is...then shame on them for not using OE fluids.

You should push them to flush it. a drain and fill is just shy of half the fluid, so there is likely still  a 75/25 mix of green/pink in your CVT, another drain and fill might get it to a 87/13 mix... It really should be properly flushed with a machine.  the CVT fluid does NOT change to a completely different color with use.  It gets darker.  so... green gets dark green, blue gets dark blue.... wish I'd taken a picture of the middle of my CVT-HT drain, as that was dark orange.

That being said, my cost on a 5 gallon bucket of CVT-HT was $430 so I can see a shop trying to save a buck.

Thanks. Exactly what I thought, with the color.

But regarding a flush - it always seems like everyone recommends against flushes, and just stick with D&F's. I know that is the case for automatic trans, but is that the same for a CVT? Are there the same risks of flushing a CVT as there are with an AT?

[silverton]

I think 'everyone' advises against flushes because by the time someone thinks to do a flush, it's already too late to save the transmission and is a waste of time/money/fluid.

I want to flush mine, but our transmission flusher is from 1999 and has only ever had ATF in it. our BG rep says that it's okay to go back and forth as the remaining fluid in the machine is minimal after the service, but I'm still on the fence about pouring my liquid gold in to even a small puddle of ATF.

[DougKelly20]

FWIW my local dealership, which has always done right by us, recommended a full flush when I asked them which Subaru said between D&F and flush. 

I flushed proactively at 48K while having a CVT cooler installed because mine sees track duty. It was fine before but even smoother after.  

If I were you I'd bite the bullet and have it properly flushed by a dealer and hopefully they will still honor the warranty if something goes wrong before 100k because you took it in in good faith to have it done properly.

[NORULZleggy]

I flushed my CVT at 110K miles it was running fine. I am a hardcore Amsoil guy and I sell it a lot. the shop that built my LGT said NO, and did my full flush and retuned all my fluid lol  Needless to say I have a smooth running CVT at 147K miles now.