Changing the oil of the CVT variator Mitsubishi Outlander XL

This photo instruction describes how to change the oil in a CVT variator on a car. It is worth noting that in the course of this work, the fine filter of the variator was also replaced and the gasket of the variator pan was changed. This process is not complicated. For convenient work, you will need a garage with a lift or pit.

As you know, the variator is not particularly sensitive to the purity and quality of the oil poured into it. You can simply use the drain and fill method. The second option is more complex and it is recommended to do it in a complex , namely:

• removing and washing the variator housing pan;
• washing or replacing the coarse oil filter;
• removing and washing the CVT variator cooling radiator;
• replacing the fine filter.

It is the second method that is discussed in this photo report .

Replacement frequency

Like an automatic transmission, a CVT requires periodic maintenance, which boils down to replacing the lubricant. But this procedure is not carried out very often.

Official dealers indicate that the oil should be changed only at TO-6, which is equal to 90 thousand kilometers or 6 years of operation of the car.

But at the same time, there is a small amendment indicating that the frequency of replacement depends not only on the mileage, but also on the characteristics of the use of the car.

If the Mitsubishi Outlander XL is heavy, replacement may be required much earlier, so the mileage range between replacements varies from 45 to 90 thousand km.

Interestingly, the automaker itself indicates that replacement is not required and the lubricant life should be sufficient for the entire life of the vehicle. But this is not entirely true, so you still need to change the oil.

There are certain signs that indicate the need for CVT maintenance:

• Vibrations and extraneous noise in the transmission;
• Jerks when moving the selector between modes;
• Deterioration in the dynamics of speed gain;
• Jerking of the car when starting to move;

Well, of course, the lubricant itself may indicate that it needs to be replaced.

Severe darkening of the oil and the appearance of a burning smell indicates the exhaustion of the resource, so it should be changed.

What kind of oil is in the Mitsubishi Outlander XL variator: let’s find out point by point

To ensure the operation of the transmission, it must use high-quality lubricant. Below are instructions on how to change the oil in a Mitsubishi Outlander variator and recommendations regarding the timing of this task.

Features of the Outlander XL CVT

Cars of the Outlander XL series (Mitsubishi Outlander XL) are equipped with a CVT (this is the marking of a variable speed transmission) produced by the Japanese brand JATCO JF011FE series. This box, due to its positive qualities, is very popular among such branded car manufacturers as:

• 
  Nissan;

• Citroen;
• Suzuki;
• Renault.

Even taking into account all the vagaries of maintenance and operation, and other shortcomings, CVT gearboxes are generally considered more reliable than, for example, a conventional automatic transmission. In order to accurately determine that it is time to replace the variator, you should pay attention to the following factors:

• 
  Noticeable slippage on smooth and hard surfaces;

• Constant or periodic vibrations in the gearbox area;
• The car begins to noticeably “trip”;
• The dynamics and power of the car deteriorate;
• Unpleasant sounds from the gearbox, grinding;
• Gear shifts began to shift much worse.

How often should you change your oil?

First, let's look at the mileage at which car owners change the lubricant and filter in Mitsubishi Outlander 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 model years.

The official operating instructions do not indicate when or how often the transmission fluid needs to be changed.

The manufacturer does not provide for the replacement of consumable fluid; it is poured into the car for the entire service life of the vehicle. But this does not mean that the lubricant does not need to be changed.

Lubricant used, quantity required for replacement

If you nevertheless decide to carry out maintenance of the Mitsubishi Outlander XL variator, you should first find out the information on the oil itself.

So, this type of transmission uses a special CVT fluid - DIA QUEEN CVTF-J1.

It is this oil that is required for the operation, since it is recommended by the variator manufacturer itself.

Note that this is not the ATF used in automatic transmissions, and they should not be confused. Attempting to use ATF may damage the transmission.

A total of 7.8 liters of the specified fluid is poured into the variator. But when replacing, it will not be possible to completely drain the lubricant and some of it will still remain in the box. Typically about 6.0 liters of lubricant is drained.

But we note that the replacement technology involves two stages, one of which is flushing.

Therefore, for the work you will need twice as much lubricant as it will be drained, that is, you need to have 12 liters of fluid for the variator.

The Myth of the Oil Aging Meter

At the end of the article, I would like to consider one popular myth among motorists, which concerns the oil aging meter. It lies in the fact that some drivers are convinced that this counter serves not only for the purposes described above, but also directly affects the operation of the variator. According to them, with high mileage, when the performance properties of the lubricant become worse, the meter transmits a command to adjust the pressure in the variator for better system operation.

There are two reasons to dispel this myth:

• The first is the small influence of pressure on the quality of oil performance. The lubricant loses its performance properties depending on how long it works. Analogies can be drawn between the lubrication of a variator and the oil in an engine engine. The duration of operation of liquids is influenced, first of all, by the quality of the additives used, and not by the pressure. And if the oil mileage is high, then its service properties are reduced, and no change in pressure will help here;
• The second is cost. What also should not be forgotten is the attempts of automakers to reduce the cost of the main parts as much as possible, which, of course, includes the variator. If you imagine that the pressure is adjusted depending on the information on the aging meter, it’s scary to even imagine how much such a device would cost. In addition, as noted above, pressure has virtually no effect on the operational properties of the mechanism, and there is no particular point in implementing such a system.

From all this we can conclude that the only real purpose of the oil aging meter is to inform technicians about the operating mode of the variator, as well as the time when consumables should be replaced in it.

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Operation methods

Changing the lubricant in the Outlander XL can be done in two ways - on a stand or manually.

The first method is used by official dealers. Its essence boils down to the fact that a stand is connected to the transmission oil channels, which simultaneously pumps out used oil and pumps in new oil.

In general, the method is quite convenient, but the work will require more oil.

As for the second method, it is used by car enthusiasts who prefer to service their car themselves.

In general, carrying out work in so-called “garage conditions” is quite possible, and its complexity is not particularly high.

It is worth noting that independent replacement can be performed in different ways. Some only change the lubricant, while others additionally wash the variator pan and clean the coarse filter.

Self-replacement, what is needed for this?

Let's consider both of these options. The first will be a replacement method without removing the pan.

In addition to the required amount of oil, you will also need:

• A set of standard keys;
• Gasket for drain plug;
• Two funnels;
• Volumetric containers for draining (bucket, basin);
• Measuring utensils (container with marks);
• Rags;

The main feature when replacing lubricant in a variator is to fill in exactly the same volume of oil as was drained.

In this case, before starting work, you should find out the oil level in the transmission using a dipstick. Moreover, this should be done on a warm variator.

Therefore, first we warm up the variator thoroughly. To do this, we make a trip of 10-15 km. Next, put the car on a flat surface and pull out the dipstick.

With the required amount of oil, the level should be located between the two upper marks (there are three of them).

The level shown during the check should be remembered, since the amount of oil will then be adjusted according to it.

Level control and required volume

To check the lubricant level in the transmission, use the dipstick located in the gearbox. The location of the meter is indicated in the photo. To diagnose the level, start the engine and warm it up to operating temperature. The oil will become less viscous and the testing procedure will be more accurate. Remove the dipstick from the variator. There are two marks on it - HOT and COLD. On a warm engine, the lubricant should be at the HOT level.

Location of the dipstick for level control

Work technology

And then, while the car is warmed up, we do this:

1. We put the car on the inspection hole, immobilize it;
2. We clean the surface around the variator drain plug from dirt and place a container under it for draining;
3. It is important that when draining there is no loss of waste as a result of its spilling past the container. Therefore, we hang a funnel under the drain hole;
4. We unscrew the plug and wait until all the lubricant is drained, then put it in place;

5. Using measuring utensils, we determine the exact volume of drained oil and prepare exactly the same amount of clean liquid;
6. Using the second funnel, pour new oil through the oil filler pipe;

7. We start the engine and let it run for 3-5 minutes at idle speed. Then, with the engine running, move the variator selector to all positions one by one, holding each position for 25-30 seconds. We turn off the engine;
8. We carry out the operation of draining the lubricant;
9. We measure the volume of drained liquid and fill in exactly the same amount. But during the second filling, you should periodically check the level on the dipstick (it must be brought to the level that was before the replacement);

After the first couple of trips after replacement, we check the level and, if necessary, bring it up to normal.

What is oil degradation and how to reset the meter

In the Mitsubishi Outlander 3 ECU with a CVT there is a so-called oil degradation counter. The official name is CVT oil degradation level. When calculating the parameter, only the temperature of the lubricant in the gearbox is taken into account.

During operation, the counter awards points according to the following principle:

• t, C less than 90 - no points;
• t, C between 90 and 99 - 1 point/min;
• t, C from 100 to 109 - 2 points/min;
• t, C from 110 to 119 - 4 points/min;
• t, C from 120 to 139 - 6 points/min;
• t, C from 140 and above - 8 points/min.

As soon as the temperature reaches 138 C, system information appears about gearbox overheating. If this parameter increases to 149 C, the variator operates in emergency mode.

This counter is intended only to inform the driver and does not send any commands to other elements of the car.

Information from the degradation counter can be obtained using a MUT-3 scanner or other similar devices. As an option, it is possible to use the ELM 327 diagnostic adapter with Android software such as hobDrive, Torque Pro or cvtz50.

When changing the oil in the variator, it is not necessary to reset the counter. It is advisable to do this according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, so service station specialists do not skip this manipulation. You can do the reset yourself using the cvtz50 software.

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You can analyze the meter parameters by comparing the received data with the information on the odometer. After pouring new lubricant into the Mitsubishi Outlander 3 variator, we take the odometer data as zero.

Next we do the following analysis:

The information from the degradation counter is three or more times less than the number on the odometer. Mitsubishi Outlander 3 CVT gearbox is in good condition. The temperature is normal. There were no overheats. The parameters of the degradation counter and odometer differ by less than 1/3 or are almost equal. This indicates frequent overheating of the gearbox. It is recommended to change the oil and at first monitor the temperature of the variator using any of the software mentioned above. The number on the degradation counter is greater than the data from the odometer. This indicates severe overheating of the transmission

It is important to contact specialists as soon as possible to resolve the problem.

Many car owners have a “0” on their degradation meter. This is normal, because if there is no overheating above 90 degrees Celsius, points are not awarded.

The likelihood of overheating is very low, thanks to the presence of a radiator, so the lubricant rarely heats up above 85 degrees Celsius. Older versions of the Mitsibisi Outlander (before CVT8) had an old type of radiator that did not do its job very well.

Judging by the information from the CVTz50 program, the oil temperature in the variator in summer and winter is in the range from 50 to 85 degrees Celsius (average).

To reset the grease degradation counter in the Mitsubishi Outlander 3, you will need:

• CVTz50 software;
• WiFi/Bluetooth adapter ELM327 bluetooth V4.

The CVTz50 program is paid and costs about 150 rubles.

Its capabilities:

• reading and resetting errors of the variator box and power unit;
• studying and setting the oil wear counter to zero;
• adjustment of XX speed and leading angle;
• control of transmission operation data;
• indication of temperature statistics (per month).

To reset the degradation counter on the Mitsubishi Outlander 3, do the following:

1. Install the latest version of CVTz50 from Google Play.
2. Install diagnostic connector adapter ELM
3. Wait for it to be detected by Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (depending on the type).
4. Start your device and check the connection. To do this, press the “Monitor” button of the variator operation.

If everything is done correctly, a log of information exchange between the adapter and the program appears on the display.

Next, find the oil degradation point and reset it to zero.

If desired, you can reset the data using MUT-3.

To do this, take the following steps:

1. Turn off the ignition (key position in the lock - Lock).
2. Connect MUT –III to the OBD diagnostic connector.
3. Turn on the ignition (key position - ON).
4. Use the special MUT-III option to reset. Go to CVT oil degradation level, and then to Clear CVT oil degradation level and click Clear.
5. Turn off the car ignition (Lock position).