AMSOIL 100% Synthetic ATV/UTV Continuously Variable Transmission Fluid

Product overview

Polaris STEELDRIVE is a continuously variable transmission that runs in oil rather than a dry belt housing, so the fluid has to manage belt friction and gear lubrication together. AMSOIL Synthetic ATV/UTV CVT Fluid is formulated for that system.

It runs 7.4 cSt at 100°C with a viscosity index of 182, so the fluid behaves consistently from a cold morning start through a hot afternoon of trail work.

What the formula does

• Protects heavily loaded, high-torque CVTs against wear in severe operating conditions.
• Prevents shudder for consistently smooth operation.
• Resists extreme heat to help cool transmission components and extend fluid life, and stays fluid in subzero temperatures.

Where this fluid fits

Use in:

• Polaris STEELDRIVE CVT transmissions

Which powersports CVT this fluid is built for

A continuously variable transmission uses a belt running between two variable-diameter pulleys to create unlimited gear ratios, and that belt has to stay in contact with the pulley faces without slipping. Holding that contact is a friction problem before it is a lubrication problem, so a CVT calls for a transmission fluid with frictional characteristics designed around it. AMSOIL Synthetic ATV/UTV CVT Fluid is engineered for that requirement, and its published application is Polaris STEELDRIVE CVT transmissions.

That application list is narrow, and checking it is the first step before ordering, because the letters CVT cover more than one kind of hardware in powersports. If the service literature for a machine does not call for a fluid in the CVT case, there is no fluid service to perform there and no product to buy for it. A passenger-car continuously variable transmission is a separate requirement covered by AMSOIL Synthetic CVT Fluid, which carries its own application list.

Belt friction and consistent engagement

Belt drive moves torque by friction against the pulley faces, so the frictional properties of the fluid decide whether engagement stays smooth or turns rough. The friction properties in this formula are tuned to keep shudder out of that engagement, which is what steady, predictable operation through a working day depends on. Friction durability counts as much as the starting friction level, because the fluid has to hold those properties across the service interval and not only when it is fresh out of the bottle.

Since the requirement is a friction requirement and not only a viscosity requirement, a driveline oil chosen on grade alone does not cover the job. That is also why two fluids with nearly identical viscosity numbers can belong in different compartments of the same machine.

Load, heat, and the four-ball wear result

Extreme pressure and high torque during severe-service operation can break a fluid down mechanically and cost it viscosity, which leaves components exposed to wear. Passengers, accessories, and cargo add weight that raises the stress on the transmission, and aggressive driving through tough terrain raises it again. This fluid carries the film strength to resist extreme pressure, so heavily loaded, high-torque CVTs stay protected in severe operating conditions.

The wear figure behind that comes from the four-ball wear test (ASTM D4172), run for one hour at 75°C, 1,200 rpm, and a 40 kg load, where the fluid left a 0.43 mm scar. A single laboratory result is a controlled measurement of film strength under a fixed load rather than a durability promise for a particular machine, but it is the number that allows two formulas to be compared on equal terms.

Cold-weather flow and the rest of the driveline

Heat is the other half of the load picture. Lubricants break down faster under extreme heat and can leave deposits behind that speed up wear, and this fluid is formulated to resist that heat, help cool transmission components, and extend fluid life. At the cold end it measures 9,150 cP in the Brookfield test at -40°C and pours down to -46°C (-51°F), so it still moves through the transmission when a machine is started on a subzero morning.

Change timing follows the original equipment manufacturer's oil change recommendation, since no separate interval is published for the fluid itself. It works as an alternative to the manufacturer-branded fluid for that application rather than as a general-purpose powersports oil. Other compartments on the same machine take their own products: ATV/UTV Powertrain Fluid covers Polaris applications calling for Demand Drive or AGL gearcase fluid, and ATV/UTV Transmission and Differential Fluid covers the transmissions and differentials that specify that type.

Service life

Follow the original equipment manufacturer's oil change recommendation.

Good to know

• The fluid is Warranty Secure, so running it keeps the factory warranty intact.

Typical technical properties

Typical properties published by AMSOIL, checked July 2026. These are representative values rather than a specification, and they change when AMSOIL updates a formula.

Package sizes and product codes

Select a product code to open that package size on the AMSOIL product page.

Product documents

AMSOIL publishes the full technical detail for this product in these documents.

• ATV/UTV CVT Fluid product data bulletin (PDF)
• ATV/UTV CVT Fluid safety data sheet (PDF)

Where to order

Confirm this formula is the match for the vehicle or equipment in the AMSOIL product guides, then order ATV/UTV CVT Fluid online. Existing members can sign in to apply the discount automatically.

Details and questions