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Description
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is an electronically controlled automatic transmission with drive and driv
en Oullevs, and a steel belt. The CVT provides non stage speeds forward and one reverse. The entire unit is positioned in
line with the engine.
Transmission
Around the outside of the flywheel is a ring gear which meshes with the starter pinion when the engine is being staned.
The transmission has four parallel shafts: the input shaft, the drive pulley shaft. the driven pulley shaft, and the secondary
gear shaft. The input shaft is in line with the engine crankshaft. The drive pulley shaft and the driven pulley shaft consist of
movable and fixed face pulleys. Both pulleys are linked by the steel belt.
The input shaft includes the sun gear. The drive pulley shaft includes the forward clutch which mounts the carrier assem-
bly on the forward clutch drum. The carrier assembly includes the pinion gears which mesh with the sun gear and the ring
gear. The ring gear has a hub-mounted reverse brake disc.
The driven pulley shaft includes the start clutch and the secondary drive gear which is integral with the park gear' The sec-
ondary gear shaft is positioned between the secondary drive gear and the final driven gear. The secondary gear shaft
includes the secondary driven gear which serves to change the rotation direction. because the drive pulley shaft and the
driven oullev shaft rotate the same direction. When certain combinations of planetary gears in the transmission are
engaged by the clutches and the reverse brake, power is transmitted from the drive pulley shaft to the driven pulley shaft
to provide E, E, E, and El.
Electronic Control'96 - 98 Models:
The electronic control system consists of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), sensors, three linear solenoids, and a
inhibitor solenoid. Shifting is electronically controlled under all conditions'
The TCM is located below the dashboard, behind the kick panel on the driver's side.'99 - 00 Models:
The electronic control svstem consists of a Powertrain Control Module (PCM), sensors, three linear solenoids and an
inhibitor solenoid. Shifting is electronically controlled under all conditions. A Grade Logic Control System to control shift-
ing in E position while the vehicle is ascending or descending a slope.
The PCM is located below the dashboard, under the kick panel on the passenger's side.
Hydraulic Control
The lower valve body assembly includes the main valve body, the Pressure Low (PL) reguiator valve body, the shift valve
body, the start clutch control valve body, and the secondary valve body. They are positioned on the lower part of the
transmission housing.
The main valve body contains the Pressure High (PH) control valve, the lubrication valve, and the pitot regulator valve.
The secondary valve body contains the PH regulator valve, the clutch reducing valve, the start clutch valve accumulator,
and the shift inhibitor valve. The PL regulator valve body contains the PL regulator valve and the PH-PL control valve
which is ioined to the PH,PL control linear solenoid. The inhibitor solenoid valve is bolted on the PL regulator valve body.
The shift valve body contains the shift valve and the shift control valve. which is joined to the shift control linear solenoid.
The start clutch control valve body contains the start clutch control valve, which is joined to the start clutch control linear
solenoid. The linear solenoids and the inhibitor solenoid are controlled by the TCM or PCM. The manual valve body which
contains the manual valve and the reverse inhibitor valve, is bolted on the intermediate housing.
The ATF pump assembly is located on the transmission housing, and is linked with the input shaft by the sprockets and
the sprocket chain. The pulleys and the clutch receive fluid from their respective feed pipes, and the reverse brake receives
fluid from internal hydraulic circuit.
Shift Control Mechanism
Input from various sensors located throughout the vehicle determines which linear solenoid the TCM or PCM will activate.
Activating the shift control linear solenoid changes the shift control valve pressure, causing the shift valve to move. This
pressurizes the drive pulley pressure to the drive pulley and the driven pulley pressure to the driven pulley and changes
their effective pulley ratio. Activating the start clutch control linear solenoid moves the start clutch control valve. The start
clutch control valve uncovers the port, providing pressure to the start clutch to engage it(cont'd)
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Description
(cont'd)
Gear Sel€stion
The shift lever has six positions: @ pARK, E REVERSE, E NEUTRAL, E DR|VE, g SECOND, and El LOW.
Staning is possible only in E and E positions through the use of a slid6-type, neutrafsafety switch.
Automrtic Transaxle {A/T} Gear Position Indicltor
The A-lT gear position indicator in the instrument panel shows which gear has been selected without having to look downat the console.
PoshionDe3cription
E PARK
E REVEBSE
E NEUTRAL
D DRIVE
E SECOND
E LOW
Front wheels locked; park pawl engaged with the park gear on the driven pulley shaft. The startclutch and the forward clutch released.
Reverse; reverse brake engaged.
Neutral; the start clutch and the forward clutch released.
General driving; the transmission automatically adjusts to keep the engine at the best speed fordriving conditions.
For rapid accelsration at highway speeds; the transmission shifts into a lower range of ratios forbetter acceleration and increased engine braking.
For engine braking and power for climbinO; the transmission shifts into the lowest range of theralros.
l-
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STEEL BELT
START CLUTCH
INPUT SHAFT
DRIVE PULLEY
ATF FILTER
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Page 876 of 2189

Description
Clutches/Reverse Brake/Planetary Gear/Pulleys
Clulches/Reverse Brake
The CVT uses the hydraulically-actuated clutches and brake to engage or disengage the transmission gears. When
hydraulic pressure is introduced into the clutch drum and the reverse brake piston cavity, the clutch piston and the reverse
brake piston move. This presses the friction djscs and the steel plates together, locking them so they don't slip. Power is
then transmitted through the engaged clutch pack to its hub-mounted gear. and through engaged ring gear to pinion
gears.
Likewise, when the hydraulic pressure is bled from the clutch pack and the reverse brake piston cavity, the piston releases
the friction discs and the steel plates, and they are free to slide past each. This allows the gear to spin independently on its
shaft, transmitting no power.
Start Clutch
The start clutch, which is located at the end of the driven pulley shaft, engages/disengages the secondary drive gear.
The start clutch is supplied hydraulic pressure by its ATF feed pipes within the driven pulley shaft.
Forward Clutch
The forward clutch, which is located at the end of the drive pulley shaft, engages/disengages the sun gear.
The forward clutch is supplied hydraulic pressure by its ATF feed pipe within the drive pulley shaft.
Reverse Brake
The reverse brake, which is located inside the inte.mediate housing around the ring gear, locks the ring gear in E posi-
tion. The reverse brake discs are mounted to the ring gear and the reverse brake plates are mounted to the intermediate
housing. The reverse brake is supplied hydraulic pressure by a circuit connected to the internal hydraulic circuit.
Planetary Gear
The planetary gear consists of a sun gear, a carrier assembly, and a ring gear. The sun gear is connected to the input shaft
with splines. The pinion gears are mounted to the carrier which is mounted to the fo.ward clutch drum. The sun gear
inputs the engine power via the input shaft to the planetary gear, and the carrier outputs the engine power. The ring gear
is only used for switching the rotation direction of the pullev shafts,
In E. E, and E positions (forward range), the pinion gears don't rotate and revolve with the sun gear, so the carrier
rotates. In E] positjon {reverse range), the reverse brake locks the ring gear and the sun gear drives the pinion gears to
rotate. The pinion gears rotate and revolve in the opposite direction from the rotation direction of the sun gear, and the
carrier rotates with pinion gear revolution.
Pulleys
Each pulley consists of a movable face and a fixed face, and the effective pulley .atio changes with engine speed. The
drive pulley and the driven pulley are linked by the steel belt.
To achieve a low pulley ratio, high hydraulic pressure works on the movable face of the driven pulley and reduces the
effective diameter of the drive pulley. and a lower hydraulic pressure works on the movable face of the drive pulley to
eliminate the steel belt slippage. To achieve a high pulley ratio, high hydraulic pressure works on the movable face of the
drive pulley and reduces the eifective diameter of the driven pulley, and a lower hydraulic pressure works on the movable
face of the driven pulley to eliminate the steel belt slippage.
b
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ATF PUMPDRIVEN SPROCKET
RING GEAR
FLYWHEEL
DRIVE PLATE
ATF PUMP
DRIVE PULLEYREVERSE BRAKEPISTON
FORWARD CLUTCH
BEVERSE BRAKE
CARRIER
RING GEAR
PLANETARYPINION GEARS
INPUT SHAFT
ATF PUMPDRIVE CHAIN
ATF PUMPDRIVE SPROCKET
START CLUTCH
DRIVEN PULLEY
STEEL BELT
SECONDARY DRIVE GEAR
PARK GEAR
DRIVEN PULLEYSHAFT
FINAL DRIVE GEAR
SECONDARY GEARSHAFT
a--
i___
il
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Description
Power Flow
E Position
. Start Clutch: released
. Forward Clutch: released
. Reverse Brake: released
Hydraulic pressure is not applied to the start clutch. forward clutch, and the reverse brake. Power is not transmitted to the
secondary drive gear.
E Position
. Start Clutch: released
. Forward Clutch: released
a Reverse Brake; released
Hydraulic pressure is not applied to the start clutch, forward clutch, and the reverse brake. Power is not transmitted to the
secondary drive gear. The secondary drive gear is locked by the park pawl interlocking the park gea..
FI-YWHEELFORWARD
INPUT SHAFT
SUN GEAR
START CLUTCHORIVEN PULLEY
FINAL ORIVEGEAR
PARK GEAR
FINAL DRIVEN GEAR
D
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E, E, and E Positions {Forward Rangel
. Sta rt Clutch: engaged
. Forward Clutch: engaged
o Reverse Brake: released
1, The hydraulic pressure is applied to the forward clutch and the start clutch, and the sun gear drives the torward
clutch.
2. The torward clutch drives the drive pulleV shaft. which drives the driven pulley shaft linked by the steel belt.
3, The driven pulley shaft drives the secondary drive gear, via the start clutch.
4. Power is transmitted to the secondary driven gear, which drives the final driven gear.
NOTE: The working hydraulic pressure on the movable face of each shaft depends on the throttle opening position.
DRIVE PULI.f YFLYWHEELSTEEL AELT
CLUTCH
INPUT SHAFT
START CLUTCH
SECONDARY DRIVENGEAR
(cont'd)
FINAL DRIVEN GEAR
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Description
Power Flow (cont'd)
E Position
. Sta rt Clutch: engaged
. Forward Clutch: released
. Reverse Brake: engaged
1. The hydraulic pressure is applied to the reverse brake and the start clutch. The sun gear drives the pinion gears, and
the pinion gears revolve around the sun gear. The carrier assembly rotates in the opposite direction from the rotation
direction of the sun gear.
The carrier assembly drives the drive pulley shaft via the forward clutch drum, and the drive pulley shaft drives the
driven pulley shaft linked by the steel belt.
The driven pulley shaft drives the secondary drive gear via the start clutch.
Power is transmitted to the secondary driven gear, which drives the final driven gear.
3.
4.
2.
DRIVE PULLEYSTEEL EELT
DRIVEPULLEYREVERSE BRAKE
CARRIER ASSEMBLY
INPUT SHAFT
SUN GEAR
PINION GEAB
RING GEAB
STABT CLUTCHDRIVEN PULLEY
SECONDARY DRIVEGEAR
FINALGEAB
SECONDARY ORIVENGEAR
FINAL ORIVEN GEAR
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