CVT System Description - Power Flow
Power Flow
P Position
Hydraulic pressure is not applied to the forward clutch and the reverse brake. Power is not transmitted to the secondary drive gear. The driven pulley is locked by the park pawl interlocking the park gear.
N Position
Engine power transmitted from the torque converter drives the input shaft, but the hydraulic pressure is not applied to the forward clutch and reverse brake. Power is not transmitted to the drive pulley shaft.

D and S position, at low speed range, and L position (six-position transmission)
Hydraulic pressure is applied to the forward clutch, then the forward clutch engages the forward clutch hub/sun gear with the drive pulley shaft.
Drive pulley shaft drives the driven pulley shaft and the secondary drive gear, and secondary driven gear.
Power is transmitted to the final drive gear, which in turn drives the final driven gear.
At low speed range; pulley ratio high, the drive pulley receives lower pressure than driven pulley received pressure, the drive pulley applies the small-pulley-diameter to the steel belt.
D and S position, at high speed range
Power flow to the final driven gear is the same as at the low speed range in the D and S position/mode.
Vehicle speed is increased, the drive pulley pressure is increased by the CVT drive pulley control solenoid valve, and the driven pulley pressure decreased by the CVT driven pulley control solenoid valve.
At high speed range; pulley ratio low, the drive pulley receives higher pressure than driven pulley received pressure, the drive pulley applies the large-pulley-diameter to the steel belt.
R Position
Hydraulic pressure is applied to the reverse brake, and the planetary carrier locks with the reverse brake.
The ring gear joined with the forward clutch drum and input shaft drives the sun gear via the planetary pinion gears.
The sun gear rotates in the reverse direction from input shaft rotational direction, and drives the drive pulley shaft.
Drive pulley shaft drives the driven pulley shaft and the secondary drive gear, and secondary driven gear.
Power is transmitted to the final drive gear, which in turn drives the final driven gear.