Honda CVT transmission

[QUOTE="I How're you liking the Redline CVT in the Honda trans?
[/QUOTE]
As mentioned before, it gets paired with Hotshots Shift Restore. It's pretty good. Already over 300k. Another alternative, change it more often and use BG CVT 303 additive.
 
Driving the car in a spirited manner shouldn't be considered abuse but apparently, it puts more strain on the fluid than if it was driven more gently.

Honda HCF-2 went from 7.06cSt to 6.3 cSt in under 6k miles on a new transmission.

I've done 16k miles since then and have a UOA of red line CVT on the way to Polaris so it'll be interesting to see how it compares
Just remember, you only got ~around half out. So, it's going to be a semi-tainted report. I've changed my fluid over 27 times. Once oe the day I bought and then Castrol CVT with BG additive till the last half dozen or so using Redline CVT w/ Shift Restore.
 
Just remember, you only got ~around half out. So, it's going to be a semi-tainted report. I've changed my fluid over 27 times. Once oe the day I bought and then Castrol CVT with BG additive till the last half dozen or so using Redline CVT w/ Shift Restore.

I wouldn't say this specific UOA was semi-tainted as:
-It was a new transmission with a fresh fill of oil
-Official procedure is to only get half out. So far, I haven't heard of anyone deviating from it. Data wouldn't be comparable to others otherwise.
-The viscosity level of the oil, at the time the CVT was being used, is the main data point we're looking for

If we look at UOAs from the old transmission (mix of amsoil and red line), we see the lube time as low miles (mosly 6000 miles OCIs) and viscosity that has sheared.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...efore-honda-hr-v-transmission-failure.368942/

Maybe getting half out isn't the best idea if frequently putting the pedal to the floor and not changing it often like you (27 times!! wow).

Recently came across this post which inspired a double drain for the first time. So now future UOA's should be accurate.
Screenshot 2023-12-02 at 7.19.03 AM.png

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...weight-when-its-viscosity.374325/post-6647954
 
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Once oe the day I bought and then Castrol CVT with BG additive till the last half dozen or so using Redline CVT w/ Shift Restore.

I want to say you have guts using additives but your mileage speaks for itself.

Someone recently sent me a few pages about CVT additives.

I have no knowledge in the subject but they say at the bottom low ratio friction coefficient is the most important.

Shift restore mentions a friction reduction which would make me worry about it messing with the additive package:
Screenshot 2023-12-02 at 7.57.36 AM.png




Screenshot 2023-12-02 at 7.50.50 AM.png
 
I want to say you have guts using additives but your mileage speaks for itself.

Someone recently sent me a few pages about CVT additives.

I have no knowledge in the subject but they say at the bottom low ratio friction coefficient is the most important.

Shift restore mentions a friction reduction which would make me worry about it messing with the additive package:
View attachment 191152



View attachment 191151
well I had to sit on it for a bit and just think. so I sent a few emails out and made a few phone calls and I got to talk to somebody very high up at Hotshots. I had made up a list of about thoughts and questions in various situations and so on and he answered every single one of them and I learned something from it all. just to summarize it because I don't have the time it or energy to try to translate my short hand chicken scratch into words was that the Hot shots shift restore has less friction reducing going on in it compared to the Pao/Ester from Redline CVT fluid. another key question was did I accidentally add too much and he explained to me how much would be too much and I wasn't even close and it's main objective was more on detergency/polarity and explain to me that I had to use the whole gallon up in roughly a year give or take because of its attraction to moisture which would make it cloud up. I found out if it did get to that that it was essentially biodegradable and would cause no harm just to throw away in the trash can which I was just shocked. we had a good discussion on the telephone that lasted for almost 45 minutes and some of these things that I asked and that he asked of me had never been answered or spent much time answering. so, this pamphlet came with the free analysis kit that they sent for me and they even paid the shipping to return. I will get back to everybody when I get results but I havent got to the point of having it serviced yet.
 

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well I had to sit on it for a bit and just think. so I sent a few emails out and made a few phone calls and I got to talk to somebody very high up at Hotshots. I had made up a list of about thoughts and questions in various situations and so on and he answered every single one of them and I learned something from it all. just to summarize it because I don't have the time it or energy to try to translate my short hand chicken scratch into words was that the Hot shots shift restore has less friction reducing going on in it compared to the Pao/Ester from Redline CVT fluid. another key question was did I accidentally add too much and he explained to me how much would be too much and I wasn't even close and it's main objective was more on detergency/polarity and explain to me that I had to use the whole gallon up in roughly a year give or take because of its attraction to moisture which would make it cloud up. I found out if it did get to that that it was essentially biodegradable and would cause no harm just to throw away in the trash can which I was just shocked. we had a good discussion on the telephone that lasted for almost 45 minutes and some of these things that I asked and that he asked of me had never been answered or spent much time answering. so, this pamphlet came with the free analysis kit that they sent for me and they even paid the shipping to return. I will get back to everybody when I get results but I havent got to the point of having it serviced yet.

good for you for trying to confirm so much info and good for them for answering it all.

glad it's all considered safe. i'm curious if the additional detergency/polarity is needed. kind of a tough question to ask them.. maybe someone here knows better?

here are some test results of a high quality CVT additive, probably the same one redline uses. Doesn't look like there's varnish or deposits but also the test mileage is four to eight times less than yours (60-120,000km compared to 486,000km).

can't really compare...

Screenshot 2023-12-09 at 7.20.12 PM.png
 
They do seem to be reliable.

But they are not "smooth and seamless". I rent Honda vehicles with CVT's all the time, sometimes 2 or 3 times per week. They all have a slight rubber-band feel. A fore-aft resonance that I find annoying as can be, as it feels like someone is just slightly and quickly pumping the brakes during slow speeds and modest acceleration. Can't stand it.

Once at highway speeds they are fine. Also, a bit more tolerable in "sport" mode.
Just thought of this.

in a traditional AT, a little braking can be programmed into the shift to smooth out the lurch as the engine dumps extra rpms as it enters the higher gear. The eTorque system does this electrically with the conventional transmission behind it, removing the need for braking. I suppose with any CVT, that rubber band effect could be dumped the same way, either by a bit of a brake or with hybrid programming. heck, some modulation to unlock the TC when doing a hot upshift might get rid of 50% of the lurch.

beyond that, the programming could easily mimic the smoothest AT, or go into pure variable ratio mode.
 
[QUOTE="I Our CRV does not
[/QUOTE]
Same on my 21 HRV. I do have the paddle shifters that if you put it into sport mode acts like you are shifting but you really are not...
 
Does the Honda CVT have fake shifts? Subaru does I hate them But it is a solid CVT

Some of them do. For example, the 9th gen Accord has paddle shifters on the Sport model, but even with the paddles, the fake shifting is optional. When not in sport mode, it behaves like a regular CVT. Other Accords without the paddles operate like a normal CVT.

Some Subarus have the fake shifting, and others don't. For example, on the SJ Forester, the turbos have it (and maybe some of the higher versions of the non-turbo), but most non-turbos don't. I've never driven a Forester XT, so I don't know whether the fake shifting is mandatory or not. On the non-turbo, there is no fake shifting, and it behaves like a CVT should.
 
I've seen a video of an interview with a transmission shop not in this country, and their failures are like 90% dual clutch and 10% CVT. Honda's CVT in the early 2000s Civic GX is not that reliable but those cars were not meant for durability (CNG tank need replacement at year 10 and that cost as much as a Prius battery). The other Honda CVT seems to be pretty durable, maybe not as durable as the ones in Corolla with already 10+ years of reputation outside of the US, but definitely much better than Jatco / Nissan. Even Jatco / Nissan would probably be ok if you avoid the most well known bad one (heavy vehicle and / or V6), and stay with the lighter smaller engine ones like Sentra and Versa.

The only Civic I've seen on YouTube that failed is a modified one doing street racing. Reving up with an aftermarket tuned engine slipped the belt during a drag race.
 
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