Nissan Repair: NISSAN 2001, cvt transmission, nissan prairie

Question
I HAVE A NISSAN PRAIRIE HYPER CVT IN MY SHOP. I'M HERE IN LAOS SE. ASIA, WHERE THERE IS NO HOPE IN HELL TO GET ANY INFORMATION ON THIS MODEL. THE PROBLEM - ENGINE SPEED - VEHICLE RESPONSE NOT SYNCHRONIZED PROPERLY  AS I DRIVE THE CAR  SOME TIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS THE VEHILES SPEED DROPS OFF EVEN THOUGH THE THROTTLE IS DEPRESSED.  ALSO SOME TIMES THERE IS A RED WARNING LIGHT IN THE TOP LH. CORNER OF THE DASH COMES ON ( SPORT ) WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO SLIP   SIMILAR TO A SLIPPING CLUTCH IN A MANUAL TRANSM VEHICLE. I HOOKED UP MY SCANNER GOT THE FOLLOWING CODE - PULLEY SPEED INPUT, CAN YOU SHED SOME LIGHT AS TO WHERE THIS SENSER IS LOCATED. & OR WHAT YOU MAY SUGGEST WHERE TO GO FROM HERE.

RTEGARDS

M.(MIKE C. MURPHY  

Answer
Mike,

I am in Las Vegas, Nevada and have not worked on this specific vehicle.  The CVT transmission is a simple design out of Yugoslavia.  They are known for failure.  The square wave generator is located on the timing cover and it is a simple replacement.  There should be two sensors on the timing cover and the one you are interested in is the lower one.  The transmission will slip when it is fed erroneous data like that sensor that is sending bad data.  

I would like you to say if the engine is cutting out or the transmission is slipping?  Sounds to me like the CVT is going out and this is where the RPMs are going nuts and it seems like a slipping clutch on a manual.  Replace the sensor we discussed and change the fluid and filter on the transmission.  If this does not work I would be looking at a rebuilt transmission.  If you take the CVT a part you will be amazed how few parts it has.  Two cones, a chain, a servo, a pump and a torque converter.  A very simplistic design.