Hello,
i have a 2014 with the sports package. i bought it brand new, and I now have 165,000 on the car. I love the car.
I had some alarming transmittion "bangs" on a 3 hour drive yesterday. So i think its time to start thinking about my options.
I'm thinking: if i have to replace/rebuild the tranny, i might as well consider the engine as well. or not
Can someone provide some options/ideas on a new or rebuilt CVT and a new (crate-engine?) or rebuilt engine?.........or should i lay her to rest?

thx

 

Trade or sell your car now, while it is still worth more that what you would spend on a CVT and engine replacement.

 

Honestly; i'd like to keep it.
Does anyone have a guesstimate of how much it would be for a new (or rebuilt) engine and tranny?

thank you

 

I am considering the same. I really like my 2014 too, so when the tranny gave it up last year I replaced it. The engine has 125k on the clock and frankly I am considering replacing that when it quits. The tranny was $3,800 and the engine I priced will be about the same. In the meantime, I am going to rebuild a good portion of the under carriage, those parts more suspectable to failure and perhaps easier to find as sourcing parts may be come harder to find.

Let us know what you decide!

 

Sorry to hear about your CVT problems.

1) Always retrieve whatever codes have been thrown.

2) Before you replace the entire CVT.
Try replacing the Valve Body.
All the electronics for the CVT are located on the Valve Body. In many cases replacement of the Valve Body will solve CVT p2roblems. Valve Body replacement
is a relatively strait forward procedure. Shouldn't take longer than three hours for a competent mechanic.

3) if you do replace just the Valve Body
make sure that you also have an external Transmission cooler installed.


If you take the path I laid out above.

You're looking at between $500-$600
parts and labor.












​

 

Hi aholloway17,
thank you for the reply. I love the car, so i was hopping replacing the tranny (and maybe the engine) would be a good option. And you confirmed this
Can you share your plan for the under carriage? i will probabaly start to work on that this summer.

thx!

 

Hi maxipriest777,
thank you for the reply.

No alalrms have poped up, but i will check with my code reader.
Great advice on the Valve Body, i was not aware of this option.
Can you add some more information about the external transmission cooler?
-Is there a third party that sells them, and do you just mount it near the main radiator?

thx!

 

Hi Mwalshjrma,

So let me be clear, I am not a mechanic or expert on CTV's but I've been wrenching on cars since my first car a 67 Barracuda. A good friend of mine was a Nissan senior tech for over ten years and assisted me on my tranny issues. After getting the codes out of the tranny, nothing conclusive enough to suggest a clear problem, he advised just replacing it and saving time and money. It runs perfectly so long as I don't beat on it. That said, I will look at the entire front end and replace components that are worn including but not limited to the rack and pinion assembly, tie-rods, idler arms, Pitman arm, drag or center link, rear differential, sway bars, and stabilizers. I hope that helps!

Cheers,

 

Highly unlikely both the cvt and engine are failing ! Will be far cheaper to fix whatever needs fixed then to go to the market and get something new. I have a 2010 with 211k miles and it’s probably only worth 2k to trade in but I’d happily sink a few grand into it to keep it running! Wouldn’t be able to get anything equivalent for a few grand if I were to trade in!

 

Hayden 679 Transmission cooler

​​​​​​2014 Nissan Maxima Valve Body

Here are the links to the Valve Body
and Transmission cooler that I had installed in my 2014 Nissan Maxima.

My car has been running perfect since

I hope this helps you.

 

I was in a similar situation late last year. The CVT tranny was failing and with the price of used cars, let alone ew ones, I replaced the tranny and its runs great. Total out of poct was roughly $3,500. The motor is still strong at 124k. If the car market comes down to someting more normal when the motor starts to fail, I will replace that too for about the same cost of the CVT.

Cheers

 

The engine is almost bulletproof.

You would have to replace the Tran x2 or 3 before anything major occurs on the engine to drop. …. As long as you perform your intervals and run good gas…

Trans about 4k average on rebuilt or transplant

 

So again, with the help of a former Nissan Master Mechanic, I will look at the struts & coil springs, shocks, rack and pinion & boots, control arms & ball joints, tie rods, sway bars, and anything that looks worn. My idea is, I've replaced the tranny, with the increases about to hit us because of the new tariffs, dig in and replace what exhibits wear so I don't have to do it again because I missed somthing. The motor has 125k, I suspect that will last long enough to recover from the work on the suspension! Let us know what you ďecide!

 

My drivetrain on my 2012 Max totaled the car. Needed new block and CVT at the same time.

 

Stepper motor 💯

 

If your issue is just electronic
there is a strong possibility
that replacing the Valve Body will
fix your problem.

A brand new Valve Body on eBay
cost from $175.00 -$200.00.
DO NOT BUY A USED Valve Body.


A Mobile mechanic can install the Valve Body For roughly $200.00. But. Prices may vary depending on where you're located.

If you install a new Valve Body. Make sure to install a heavy duty transmission cooler as well.


The engine. you do not have to make any changes to.

The 3.5L V6 engine is bullet proof with normal maintenance.

If your problem is mechanical.
You are looking at thousands.
Mostly for the labor. I wouldn't do it if I were you because your looking at the exact same problems occuring with the CVT.

I would go out and buy a newer Chevy
Malibu, which BTW has a nearly identical
Body signature and profile as the 2009-2014 Nissan Maxima, minus the CVT
problems and maintenance issues.

 

I thought my transmission was going out and after many hours of Googling I replaced the stepper motor for less than $50 and it fixed it. I'm still having slipping issues but I believe it's because of the wrong CVT transmission fluid

 

nice

 

Go to NISformance.com and do the swap from CVT to 6 MT.

 

I couldn't find it on NISformance.com

 

From what I have read about the type off conversion that you're referring to. It's not work the time
and effort.

But. Thanks for the input