Whats the process step by step for finding a used CVT, getting the junkyard to pull it out, and finding a shop to put it in? How does that work if you have no mechanic skills at all?
Whats the process step by step for finding a used CVT, getting the junkyard to pull it out, and finding a shop to put it in? How does that work if you have no mechanic skills at all?
Lots of junkyards will pull items beforehand and have them stored inside, on racks. You pay more but the convenience and knowledge the item was safe inside more than offset the extra money.
Nowadays, doing anything short of surgery is well covered by good old youtube. there's probably a video out there detailing all the steps and from what I've seen many folks are happy to answer questions and help others out via the comment section. The only problem I see with this is having a place to do the work and owning or having access to the necessary tools.
Swapping an engine/CVT in my mind is easypeasy. Undo things in the right order, remove the bad part, redo things in the right order. It's not like rebuilding a complicated part where things like end clearances, bore sizes, play, all need attention.
Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.
Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)
Dirk Diggler (10-21-2019)
Yea in the old days you could just pull parts off junker cars yourself. Bring the right tools with you!
These days they don't even let you walk in and look around, let alone negotiate price. Well I am sure there are exceptions, but I think the junkyard car industry isn't what it once was
I took this photo many years ago getting parts for my buddy's old Nissan suv
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)
Dirk Diggler (10-21-2019)
Dirk Diggler (10-21-2019)
I don't see people answering your specific question. Someone telling you that they can easily change a CVT isn't all that helpful. I doubt someone, who isn't willing to do their own oil changes, will find replacing an engine or CVT to be that easy to do.
I don't have the answer to questions, but I would talk to places that work on &/or replace CVT & automatic transmissions. I'm sure many of these places use rebuilt or used parts. It may cost you more getting the part through them, but you need them to do the service anyways.
Along with that I would ask them - How do you treat customers that bring in a broken car (bad CVT) & their own used CVT replacement? You'll get a sense of how well they may or may not embrace that!
Since your CVT isn't broken, I wouldn't go overboard with questions. If ran a transmission business, I would gladly answer your questions. At the same time, I wouldn't spend to much time dealing with the hypothetical.
Dirk Diggler (10-20-2019)
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)
If a person with no mechanical knowledge feels the need to ask how difficult it is to replace a transmission, then they probably shouldn't try it. It is not a good way to 'get your feet wet' when it comes to automotive repair. I can't say it is difficult, but it is time-consuming and rather tedious without a nice dry garage and an array of tools at your disposal.
Most self-serve yards will not have late model cars. But if you can find one that does, it is VERY instructive to be able to remove the transmission from a wrecked car you don't care about before pulling the transmission out of your own UNwrecked car that you do care about. Best to practice tearing apart someone else's car!
Most full-serve yards that have late model cars either have their own on-staff parts pullers (of varying skill levels) who will pull the transmission after you call, or will have the transmission already pulled out and sitting on the shelf.
Self-serve yards are usually cheaper, full-serve yards are easier and often offer a warranty. All you really need to do is call around, or you can go to car-part.com and use their database to find a CVT near you. Then, just give them a call. I'd peruse Angie's List or the like to find a reputable indy mechanic to do the swap.
I'd expect to spend $500-ish for the trans, and another $500-ish for the swap.
Dirk Diggler (10-20-2019)
Look, if you are going to pay someone to perform the swap, let them find the donor/replacement transmission. They will have to service any problems with it down the road, and may have their own list of trusted sources anyway. If I ran a shop, I wouldn't provide warranty for a part that someone else brought in, so why expect another shop to?
Call a transmission shop and pay them take care of it for you.
This whole CVT paranoia is getting old and beat to death.
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)
Listen, Im trying to learn here. Ive done the basics like call transmission shops too see if theyre willing or able to put in a CVT I got from a salvage yard and all I got was no after no aftet no. "We only put in brand new transmission." or "We dont do CVT." Or "Your best bet is to go to the dealership, we dont have the tools to do CVTs." Its frustrating. Im simply trying to find links to shops that are willing to do the job. If this is boring you, then feel free to not post on a thread I f@cking started Eggman. Or unfriend me so you dont have to deal with a layman such as myself in your emails. I dont have the option to sell it and buy something else. Im not 60 years old, retired, living on a pension. Im working 3 jobs, living check to check, I am that avg American that is one $1000 emergency from being on the street so how about cutting me some goddamn slack.