Honda Jazz Juddering Problem and CVT Fluid Flush

My wife drives a Honda Jazz.

When you stop and start again (e.g. at a traffic light) it judders for a couple of seconds as you accelerate.

After speaking to a Honda Mechanic I know (along with some googling), it turns out this is a common problem! Some people have suggested trying to get this done by Honda as it was a known issue and Honda extended their warranty on it. The only problem with this is that Honda will charge you to diagnose, and if (BIG if) they find it’s due to the CVT factory fault, they will fix and refund for your diagnosis cost. I decided not to go down this route as I don’t trust dealerships as a rule.

From my research, the first course of action to fix this yourself is a ‘proper’ CVT Fluid Flush. (CVT stands for continuously variable transmission, something which Jazz’s have, so beware when changing/topping us your transmission fluid – it’s not your normal atf fluid!)

So back to the CVT Flush. The honda mechanic mate advised me once is not enough and you need to drain the fluid, fill and then drive and ‘burn’ the clutch; not to death but enough to get those crappy particles out. How you burn the clutch on this automatic jazz i am not so sure, but i think it’s a case of hitting brake and accelerator together at around 20-30mph.

After you’ve done the first change, do it again. then drain, and then fill the fluid.

I’ve not had my mechanic do this yet, so will keep posted and I’ll let you know how it went!

UPDATE: My mechanic changed the fluid twice and tried the above but it did not cure the problem. So, I took it to my local Honda dealership in Nottingham…

Honda were great. They initially gave me a price of £200 but I managed to haggle it to £150. They picked my car up from my work, and picked me up when it was ready and best of all?

It fixed the Juddering problem. So my advice if you have a juddering Honda Jazz? Bite the bullet and get Honda to fix it. (not often I say this, but sometimes it’s better to go with the dealer)

 

 

 

BMW E36 M3 Spark Plugs

The BMW E36 M3 produced between 1992 and 1999 had two different six cylinder engines fitted during its lifetime:

  • a 3.0L version S50 B30    (1992–1995)
  • a 3.2L version S50 B32    (1995–1999)

OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Spark plugs used by BMW in these engines were of two different types:

  • NGK PKR7A plugs fitted in the S50 B30
  • Bosch FGR8KQE plugs in the S50 B32

Original BMW part number for spark plugs: 12129069048

Upgrading to Iridium spark plugs

Some M3 owners, especially those who race or use their M3 on the track frequently have upgraded from the original spark plugs to Iridium plugs, with the NGK IX Iridium BKR6EIX being particularly popular among performance enthusiasts.

The main advantages in using Iridium plugs are that they last longer than normal copper or platinum coated plugs. They also have a finer tip which allows a hotter spark to be produced using the same current, which provides increased conductivity and improved anti-fouling of the plugs, leading to better fuel efficiency and better overall performance.

Changing spark plugs on a BMW E36 M3

The BMW M3 service manual recommends plug changes every 30,000 miles or 24 months as part of the Inspection II maintenance program.

How to replace the spark plugs on your BMW E36 M3:

  • First, remove the 2 round caps on the engine cover to access the 2 X 10mm nuts holding it in place
  • Remove the 2 X 10mm nuts and unscrew the oil filler cap in order to take the trim cover off
  • Put the oil filler cap back on – to avoid any contamination of the oil
  • Remove each ignition coil by prising up the flat metal clip and removing the two bolts which hold each electrical lead in place
  • Each coil is specific to each cylinder, so make sure you reinstall them as they were originally
  • Remove each plug with a spark plug wrench or socket wrench – check each plug for wear or abnormal residue
  • Before inserting the new plugs you can apply some anti-seizing compound on the thread