How does "Universal" CVT fluid work?

[CharBaby]

I'm in the other camp.
I've been using the Castrol Transmax CVT fluid in my daughter's 2015 Honda Civic(crashed/totaled) and in my 2015 Nissan Altima(2X) with wonderful success. Both trannys operate/operated flawlessly. I will use the Castrol CVT fluid in the 2022 Civic in my signature(which replaced the 2015 Civic) when the time comes as there is only 9000 miles on it currently.

I have to say that I am ONLY concerned about CVTs but because of the internet. IDK anyone who has owned/ownes a vehicle with a CVT(~200K mile) that has any issues with them, only from what I read. YES, I know the horror stories that are out there.

I actually like CVTs for their specific applications. NO, I don't want a CVT in every vehicle nor do I think a CVT should be in every vehicle. But I think they have their place. Most people will think that place is in the trash heap but I like'em.

I mean, I've owned regular stepped automatic trannys that "bit the dust" early in their life even in Toyota's. And in my lifetime I've had at least 4 bad stepped auto trannys. And all were properly maintained on a regular basis using the proper ATF. Some were total disasters(TOYOTAs) and others were savable with repairs/repair cost.

So, there you have it!

 

[02zx9r rev2]

No matter what anyone says there is no one size fits all automatic or cvt transmission fluid.

Castrol seems to think otherwise

 

[MolaKule]

I have a '17 CR-V, and like all current Hondas, the CVT fluid is Honda's HCF-2 and NOT the older HMMF/"Honda CVT Fluid". Honda states that the two fluids are specifically neither forward nor backward compatible.

With that in mind, how can there be "Universal" CVT fluids that claim to meet both specs at once? One claiming you can use it as a substitute for, say, Jeep and Nissan fluid, I could understand. But how can a single fluid claim to work with two (unpublished) specs from the same company that the manufacturer states are in conflict?

I'm not due for a CVT fluid change any time soon, but I'm curious...

I have to assume the OP is speaking specifically to the after-market replacement CVT fluids, and NOT the Castrol Step-Shift/CVT fluid.

When the specification is unpublished one does a Forensic analysis of the fluid in question, formulates test fluids, and then tests these fluid in the actual hardware.