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Variators - what wears out?

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variators wears
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853 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  symon  
#1 ·
Hi,

I took apart some old variators yesterday to see if I could spot what wears on them. Apart from understanding them better, and discovering the difference between very old, old, and newish ones I'm none the wiser.

None of them showed any signs of wear, so I can only assume that it's the oil seal that wears on them.

Anyone know different?

Cheers,

Iain
 
#2 ·
Didn't someone post up that it is the solenoid under the engine cover that is the cause of lack of oil to variator?
Wears out and allows the oil to drain back.
 
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#3 ·
If that were the exact case, then the solenoid would require changing each time the variator is changed. But it is not. So this cannot be the whole reason, although it is quite possible for the solenoid to deteriorate and then fail completely. Lack of oil would then rapidly cause the variator to wear.
 
#4 ·
As far as I am aware, the seal wears making the variator unable to hold the correct oil pressure to operate, as well as allowing the oil to drain back out when the engine is stopped.

Also the gear teeth inside can wear.
 
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