All go is gone!

[RRYUK]

Today, my recently purchased 2002 Micra SE+ CVT has decided to give up the battle to move under its own power. The engine is beautiful and runs like a watch but the CVT system seems to be having some kind of personality crisis, it drives then it squeals a bit and the drive fades no amount of shifting to low or sport makes any difference. At other times it will pick up and drive (not perfectly) but drive although it sometimes snatches savagely when setting off or it gets what feels like clutch slip, if it had one that is.
I have drained the fluid and changed the filter refilling with Dexron 3 to the right level. I have been told that cars of this year have a torque converter in place of the electro-magnetic clutch is this a possible problem area?
Is it possible to fit a manual box and clutch to this car, I would prefer the CVT, it being original, but there comes a point where commonsense must kick in and use an alternative?
The body and all mechanicals, bar the obvious, are very good top and bottom, the trim is worn but tidy just ready for renovating IF I can get it running properly.
Any and all sensible ideas will be very welcome.

 

[plmval]

This could be complicated. You know on the first one I crashed and burned. It's not looking good so far.

How much Dexron quantity did you get out of it & what colour & smell was it?

How much Dexron qty did you use to flush it all out untill it drained as new colour & smell?

 

[RRYUK]

I got about 2 litres out of it as it had been filled up when I had the engine serviced, the oil looked fairly clean with no odd smells of burning etc. I drained the box a couple of weeks later and replaced the filter putting about 3+ litres into the box. I left the old oil to settle out to see if there were any odd bits in it and only found some fine black dust had settled out nothing gritty almost a fine powder consistency and not too much of it. I overfilled it and had to draw some out and this came out fairly clean after about a 10 miles run. I thought it might be varying oil presure as the gearbox behaviour suggested the shaft were not operating as they should and oil pressure seemed the obvious answer. Any help will be gratefully received. Thanks Rob

 

[plmval]

As you state recently purchased & quickly found the auto cvt unserviceable, then the retail dealer is legally responsible to sort it under UK Sale of Goods Acts law.

Check Haynes manual / owner’s manual as I suspect the post year 2K torque convertor auto may require up to 5 lts atf. Dexron until it drains clean as new ATF.

After that the next option is to get it to a Auto Transmission Specialist to diagnose but I suspect remedy repair may not be economically viable for such an old vehicle.

References;

https://www.micra.org.uk/threads/changing-cvt-fluid.26240/#post-453802

Failing that then further research is required as follows.

https://www.micra.org.uk/search/204421/?q=K11+++torque+converter&o





Good luck

 

[RRYUK]

Do you know if it is possible to convert from CVT to a manual box?

 

[plmval]

Anything is possible with unlimited budget & expertise but most unlikely to be DIY economically viable in terms of overall costs & time wasting. Too many bear trap pitfalls in bypassing the ECU coms with the removed auto box electronics ECU & wiring.

Much cheaper & a lot less hassle to write it off to experience & simply buy a cheap as chips manual K11 or similar such as an early Toyota Yaris/Corolla with FSH & no on-going problems in order to quickly move on & get back on the road back to work as a daily run around.

Try to avoid the K12 as its prone to long term on going expensive reliability issues as follows on HJ.co.uk/K12 Micra/Good/Bad.
Read all of the Good/Bad section.

Reference; https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/nissan/micra-k12-2003/good/

Good luck

 

[RRYUK]

I thank you very much for all your comments, the car is of little cost and importance, it is the challenge I want. I know it sounds daft and costly but I am a mechanic of many years but I have never touched this type of system, they don't come on trucks. Money is of course a consideration, as it is to anyone with a brain, but I really would like to sort it into a good runner, all the car is sound, no rust and all good suspension, brakes, tyres, and so on. I had it pre MOT'ed before I got it and know this to be valid as I use the same garage for our work vehicles. So come on if anyone has reasonable ideas on fixing the CVT (preferred) or for bunging in a manual let me know I love a challenge and maybe the outcome could benefit some other poor fool with the same itch!