The Jatco JF015E hybrid variator is designed for installation on vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines with a volume of up to 1800 cm³ (torque up to 180 N*m). A 2-stage planetary gearbox was introduced into the design of the unit, which made it possible to reduce the dimensions of the gearbox housing. The equipment appeared in the plant’s production program in 2010.
CVT Jatco JF015E.
Where is it used?
The box is found in the following cars:
- Nissan Juke, Micra and Note, equipped with engines with a displacement of 0.9 to 1.6 liters. Mounted on Qashqai, Sentra and Tiida cars equipped with gasoline engines up to 1.8 liters.
- Renault Kaptur and Fluence with a 1.6 liter engine.
- Mitsubishi Lancer 10th generation with 1.5 and 1.6 liter engines.
- Small cars Suzuki Swift, Wagon R, Spacia and Chevrolet Spark with petrol power units up to 1.4 liters.
- Lada XRAY cars with a 1600 cm³ engine.
What kind of oil should I fill in the JF011 variator?
Nissan CVT Fluid NS2 oil code - KLE52-00004
Mitsubishi DIA QUEEN CVTF-J1
: code
S0001401
- 20 l barrel code
S0001610
- 4 l canister code
MZ313973
- 1 l canister
Mitsubishi DIA QUEEN CVTF-J4
: code
MZ320185
, capacity 1 l code
MZ320261
, capacity 1 l Genuine CVT Fluid Eco J4 code
MZ320262
, capacity 4 l Genuine CVT Fluid Eco J4
Nissan NS-3
, CVT type, CVT NS-3, mineral (for cars 2013-2013) Nissan
NS-3
replaced
the NS-2
and in terms of characteristics corresponds to
DIA QUEEN CVTF-J4
.
The oil is the same and interchangeable. (According to information) code KLE53-00004
, capacity 4 l code
999MP-NS300P
, capacity 1 l code
KLE53-00002
, capacity 20 l
ELF ELFMATIC CVT oil
MOPAR CVTF + 4 oil
packaging 0.946 l (quart), article number
05191184AA
, packaging 3.785 l (gallon), article number
05191185AA
, packaging 1 l, article number
68004937EA
, packaging 4 l, article number
68004942EA
When carrying out service work, it is recommended to use original spare parts and lubricants that approved by the manufacturer. Attempts to save on oil quality will invariably lead to problems when operating the car.
Design and resource
The transmission is equipped with a V-belt mechanism consisting of adjustable conical pulleys and a lamellar belt. Due to the synchronous change in the diameters of the pulleys, a smooth adjustment of the gear ratio is ensured. A push-type belt is installed in the box, and a hydraulic coupling is located between the motor and the box. To ensure the circulation of working fluid in the variator, a high-pressure rotary pump is used.
Constructor jatco jf015e.
The design of the box includes a 2-speed hydromechanical automatic, which is necessary when the car is moving at speeds over 100 km/h. The introduction of an additional gearbox made it possible to avoid the operation of the variator in unfavorable conditions (when the lamellar belt is placed at the outer edge of the cones). Switching to reverse gear is performed in the hydromechanical part of the box; the variator is not involved. Using the unit, the driver switches gear ratios manually (from a series of fixed values).
The manufacturer estimates the resource of the box at 120-150 thousand kilometers. The declared figure is achieved with regular oil changes (every 30 thousand km) and gentle operation (warming up before driving, smooth acceleration and driving at speeds of up to 100-110 km/h). Boxes produced before 2014 have a reduced service life due to a number of components. Subsequent series of boxes have a modified pump and bearing supports, as well as an upgraded version of the software.
Design and features of the box
Peculiarities
Russian traffic police official website
Jatco is the main supplier of automatic transmissions for the Nissan automaker. If we talk about CVTs, then Jatko acts as the undisputed leader: approximately half of the CVT transmissions come out of the company’s workshops.
The Jatco JF015E gearbox belongs specifically to the CVT family. Its scope of application is compact passenger cars with engines up to 1.8 liters. In the Russian Federation, this box can be found in popular car brands Nissan Juke and Qashqai. It is in many ways similar to its “big brother” JF011E, but differs in maximum torque:
- JF011E: up to 250 Nm;
- JF015E: up to 180 Nm.
It can be seen that the new CVT transmission transmits less torque and is designed for more economical and weaker engines. Older Qashqai models with powerful power units are equipped with a “large” JF011E gearbox. The term “large” is often used by specialists in car services to distinguish one box from another: the JF015E variator is commonly called a “small” box.
In addition to Nissan, this box is installed on a number of Suzuki models (Swift, Alto, etc.), some Mitsubishi cars, etc. The list of vehicles equipped with this CVT is constantly growing.
Device
The main part of any CVT gearbox is the V-belt mechanism. It consists of cone pulleys and a belt that transmits torque. The gear ratio of the box changes due to the approach and separation of the pulleys.
V-belt block:
In addition to it, the box in question includes a hydraulic unit (torque converter) and a mechanism unusual for such boxes - a planetary two-stage gearbox. It somewhat complicates the design of the variator, allowing in return to achieve important goals:
- make the box smaller and lighter;
- increase the range of changing gear ratios of the box.
The latter can be done by modifying only the variator, but such a step will make the box larger and more massive, which is undesirable for small cars. Equipping the box with a hydraulic unit and gearbox became a solution to a technical problem without making the automatic transmission heavier. Physically, the JF015E is 13% lighter and 10% shorter than the JF011E box.
The pressure necessary for the operation of the variator is created by a special pump:
As already mentioned, the gearbox is a two-stage gearbox. To ensure movement in D mode, it has two stages that switch automatically, without driver intervention. The planetary mechanism is controlled by a friction clutch and brake.
Box oil purification is ensured by two filters:
coarse cleaning (325010A);
thin (325013A).
The first box filter cleans the oil with a metal mesh and is changed during major repairs or after extreme contamination of the oil; the second is a paper cartridge and is changed regularly during scheduled box oil changes.
Installation location of the filter cartridge according to the manual:
The manual for JF015E indicates that only original NS-3 oil should be used:
Service Jatco JF015E
You cannot start driving in winter on a cold box. To warm up the working fluid, a heat exchanger connected to the engine cooling system is used. You should start moving smoothly, avoiding sudden jerks. The working fluid is checked after 6 months of operation; clear oil is considered normal. If cloudiness is detected, the liquid is changed along with the fine filter element (located on the box housing). To extend service life, annual preventive oil and filter changes are recommended.
Service Jatco JF015E.
The design of the machine has a radiator connected to the box. The heat exchanger honeycombs become clogged with dust and fluff, which leads to overheating of the oil. Radiators must be flushed annually at a specialized service center.
If the design does not have a box heat exchanger, then you can install the unit yourself (together with a thermostat that regulates the intensity of oil flow through the cooling block).
CVT Jatco JF011E no reason to panic – CVT gearbox – DSGFIX
The thirst for knowledge is perhaps one of the most noble and useful qualities characteristic of the changeable and flighty human nature. It is the thirst for knowledge that allows us to replenish our intellectual luggage, which can play a positive role in the most unexpected situations that life so loves to throw at us. It is for you, my inquisitive friend, that this material was written. Therefore, sit back, dear car enthusiast, today I will tell you a story about one of the most famous and widespread automobile CVTs from Jatco - JF011E (CVT).
First, let's figure out what kind of beast this is - a variator - and what is the deep meaning of its mortal existence. If we really flex our muscles and stretch our assumptions onto the globe of objective reality, we can assume that the first sketches of a continuously variable transmission were shown to the world by Leonardo da Vinci back in 1490. Of course, his research had nothing to do with cars, however, the fact that there is engineering thought moving in this direction does exist. More or less real experiments and solutions came to us at the beginning of the 20th century - the Dodge company received a patent for a variator in 1935, and already in 1939 the first fully automatic gearbox based on a planetary gearbox was introduced into use.
So, variator. If you don’t bury yourself headlong in highly specialized technical terms that can bore the vast majority of ordinary people, then the main difference from traditional “automatic machines” can be called the absence of gears in the gearbox, in the usual sense. The most common CVTs operate using a pulley system, which allows the car to perform smooth acceleration throughout the entire operating range, without the jerks typical of other gearboxes. Also, thanks to the design features, the engine of a car with a continuously variable transmission is always in the most optimal speed range, which has a positive effect on both dynamics and fuel consumption. However, there are also some downsides here. So, again, thanks to their design, CVTs, in general, have a shorter service life than traditional automatic machines, and they will have to be serviced with enviable regularity - if your gearbox is equipped with a belt and not a chain, it will have to be changed every 50 years. 60 thousand, depending on the gearbox model.
The Jatco JF011E variator is perhaps the most popular and well-known unit among its brethren in the continuously variable workshop. The following boxes were installed on cars so beloved by Russians: Renault Scenic and Megane, Peugeot 4007, Citroen C-Crosser, Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail, Tiida and Teana
In principle, with proper care and timely diagnostics, this unit did not bring the owner a large number of problems and complaints, however, unfortunately, in our country people in our country do not like to service their vehicles correctly and, what is important, in a timely manner. disservice to you when buying a used car
However, as the famous saying goes: if you're afraid of wolves, you'll have to drive a manual all your life. You can carry out all the necessary diagnostic procedures with a car equipped with a Jatco JF011E variator in the specialized AUTO-FORUM service, located in Kaluga, on Zernovaya Street, 22A. For your convenience and in order to minimize the time that your car will spend outside your garage in the event of a breakdown, such important parts as the valve body, torque converter, cones and belts are always available in the service. In addition, if you have an urgent and unforeseen situation in which every minute counts, AUTO-FORUM specialists keep in stock fully restored JF011E CVTs designed for installation on front-wheel drive vehicles. That is, there is always an option in which the damaged variator is removed from your car, and in its place is installed the same one, but lovingly restored from the ashes and capable of serving you faithfully.
To summarize the above, I would like to note that there is no point in being afraid of cars with a continuously variable transmission, especially one as unpretentious and widespread as the Jatco JE011E. If you don’t consider the fact that cars with these CVTs need to be looked after, serviced on time and by competent specialists as a minus, the scales with the “+” sign will be confidently pressed to the ground. And if something goes wrong, come to AUTO-FORUM, the optimal solution to your problem will be quickly found taking into account your wishes and capabilities.
Problems with this model
The disadvantage of the box is that the oil is contaminated with metal particles formed during abrasion of the cones and the push belt. Jammed valves interfere with the normal circulation of the working fluid, which leads to immobilization of the car. An additional problem is the rolling bearings, which are damaged by metal shavings. If problems arise with the variator, further movement is prohibited. The car is delivered to the repair site using a tow truck; towing is not allowed.
Refusal to switch
The design of the box uses a hydraulic unit with solenoids, which is located in the lower part of the crankcase. If chips get into the valves, the supply of working fluid is disrupted, the box operates in emergency mode with a fixed gear ratio. Do not drive the machine as there is a risk of permanent damage to the cones by the belt.
Dirty oil
Contamination of the oil in the box occurs due to wear of the belt and bevel pulleys. Particles are captured by magnetic inserts and filters, but when the elements become clogged, dirt remains in the working fluid. The hydraulic unit becomes dirty, which leads to jerking when the machine moves. Continued operation of the vehicle with degraded oil leads to fatal damage to the block valves and V-belt drive components.
Oil contamination.
Bearing failure
Wear of the bearing supports of the primary and secondary shafts of the variator is rare. If the rolling elements or treadmills are damaged, the relative position of the shafts is disrupted, which can cause belt misalignment and noise during operation. With further operation of the box, the volume of metal shavings increases, which additionally wears out the friction surfaces and damages the bypass valves of the oil pump and the hydraulic unit.
Pump failure
The gearbox uses a rotary pump, unified with the unit from the previous variator model 011E. Metal particles or dirt getting into the pressure reducing valve can cause the unit to jam. In this case, the variator operates in emergency mode with a fixed gear ratio. The defect is observed on boxes of the first years of production; later the manufacturer modified the valve design.
Sun gear failure
The destruction of the sun gear, which is located in the hydromechanical unit, occurs due to sudden acceleration and prolonged movement at speeds above 140-150 km/h. Damage to the gear is a consequence of vibration loads that occur during sudden acceleration. If a gear is destroyed, the vehicle cannot move forward; the reverse gear remains operational.
Sun gear.
Features of Jatco automatic transmission Jatco
So, Jatco is the largest manufacturer of automatic transmissions (AT) and continuously variable transmissions (CVT). Today, the majority stake is owned by Nissan, meaning Jatco is actually a subsidiary of this Japanese automaker.
It's not surprising that Nissan universally installs Jatco automatic transmissions in its vehicles. Also after the merger with Renault (Renault-Nissan Alliance), Jatco automatic transmissions also appeared on Renault models. It should also be added that Jatco also supplies its boxes to the assembly line of Mitsubishi, Honda, Suzuki, GM and even AvtoVAZ.
As you can see, the Jatko assault rifle can be found on many popular models. The transmission manufacturer itself specializes in the development and production of compact and inexpensive automatic transmissions for installation in small and medium-class cars.
In other words, Jatco automatic transmissions are found everywhere both in budget small cars and in C/D class sedans, city SUVs, etc. For example, the domestic Lada Granta model has a Jatco JF 414E 4-speed automatic transmission, the popular Daewoo Matiz or Kia Picanto has a Jatco JF 402/405E gearbox, etc.
In practice, automatic transmissions from this manufacturer are distinguished by their compact dimensions, relative simplicity and reliability of design. Many Jatko gearboxes additionally have the Tiptronic manual gearshift function. Experts note that the Jatko automatic transmission is quite easy to maintain; in case of repair, there are no special problems with spare parts.
Also, even taking into account the compact dimensions, Jatco engineers managed to achieve increased transmission reliability thanks to a number of unique technical solutions and their own technological developments. This means that Jatko boxes have a long service life, and these units are well prepared for severe operating conditions.
At the same time, the manufacturer offers its automatic transmissions at an affordable price, as a result of which the final cost of a car with automatic transmission is reduced. However, a more affordable price does not mean that Jatco machines are a cheaper option.
The automatic transmissions of this company are high-tech, equipped with a complex electronic control system, have improved hydraulic units, reinforced clutch packs, etc. As a result, the unit shifts gears smoothly, which allows you to achieve a high level of driving comfort characteristic of a hydromechanical automatic transmission.
At the same time, the developers increased the efficiency of the transmission and achieved improved fuel efficiency. The software is also constantly being improved, and unique algorithms for the operation of the electronic unit are used.
Also, Jatco automatic transmissions use solenoids that are less demanding on the quality of the ATF transmission fluid and have better characteristics compared to many analogues. This solution allows you to change the oil in the automatic transmission less often, that is, in practice, it was possible to increase the service life of the automatic transmission fluid and filters.
As the manufacturer himself points out, in Jatco automatic transmissions, the transmission oil needs to be changed every 60-80 thousand km. mileage, the automatic transmission filter is changed at the same time. In this case, no other additional actions are required as part of the service.
Device diagnostics
Primary transmission diagnostics are carried out using a computer connected to a connector on the car. The technique allows you to find out problems associated with the oil pump and belt slipping on the pulleys. To determine the condition of the parts, you need to drain the oil and then separate the oil pan.
If a layer of chips is found on the magnets installed in the pan, then the variator needs to be rebuilt. It must be taken into account that if the sun gear breaks, no additional chips are generated.
Reviews about the pros and cons of the JF015E variator
If you study reviews of the popular Japanese CVT, you can form an objective opinion about the box. Users note such advantages as a relatively low price when compared with older versions, a range of spare parts and “donors” on the secondary market.
Negative reviews about the JF015E transmission occur regularly and contain a number of complaints about its reliability. Car owners note the insufficient service life of the variator and the need for frequent oil changes. People often complain about the problem of bearing noise.
Valery: “It’s a normal gearbox for a 1.6 engine, I’ve already run 150 thousand kilometers. I don’t think that the engine is moving much more, so I don’t see any reason to worry. Now at 2.0 there will be questions, because the engines there last 500 thousand with proper care, and changing the variator three times during this period - well, that’s it.”
Sergey: “I have a JF015E in Renault, a rather weak box of course, the old Nissan with JF011E is a different matter. Well, at least it doesn’t kick and howl like all sorts of machine guns assembled on the knee, that’s good.”
Perhaps your car also has a JF015E, share your impressions of its operation in the comments.
CVT repair
During a major overhaul of the JF015E variator, the hydraulic transformer is serviced with the replacement of gaskets and seals. The standard heat exchanger has a reduced volume, the internal channels become clogged with dirt. If the car owner complains about the box overheating, then instead of the heat exchanger, an adapter is inserted to allow the installation of a radiator. To check the operating temperature, it is practiced to apply special stickers that change color when heated to 120°C.
To rebuild the box, you need to purchase a set of gaskets and seals and a set of clutches. Together with the friction blocks, the pump valve is often replaced (original or repair) and new input shaft bearings are installed. For the box, belts with 8 or 9 tapes are used; it is allowed to use an element from Honda CVTs (Bosch 901064), which is equipped with 12 tapes. If, upon opening the box, damage to the working surfaces of the cones is detected, then the elements are replaced with parts borrowed from a disassembled used variator.
How to properly operate the JF011E variator
The manufacturer imposes the following requirements for the use of the F011EJ transmission:
- The fine filter cartridge must be replaced every 30,000 km. During prolonged use, wear products from the belt and cones clog the pores of the part and reduce operating efficiency.
- It is forbidden to sharply accelerate or brake before the working fluid warms up to 65 degrees. At low temperatures, motor oil does not lubricate belt plates and cone surfaces. If the car accelerates sharply, the surfaces wear out, which negatively affects the service life of the working fluid, filter units, and gearbox.
- It is necessary from time to time (once every six months) to carry out a visual check of the quality of the motor oil. If the lubricant has darkened, it must be replaced.
- Some cars use a standard gearbox radiator, located in front of the cooling system heat exchanger. To reduce the contamination of honeycombs with dust particles and fluff, a mesh with small cells is installed - it is installed in the air intake window.
- If the car is used in urban conditions, you need to add an additional heat exchanger to the gearbox design, which will cool the car oil. The radiator design includes a thermostat, which serves to prevent overcooling of the liquid in winter. The radiator is installed in front of the heat exchangers of the engine cooling system and the air conditioner. To install an additional radiator, an improved adapter with 4 pins is used, located on the transmission housing.
- It is undesirable to drive for a long time at speeds exceeding 150 km per hour.
- It is forbidden to try to drive out of snow or mud by abruptly switching the transmission from forward to reverse mode. When moving the selector, you need to pause, waiting for the car to stop. If this requirement is not observed, the splines located in the planetary gear coupling connection will be destroyed.
