I am looking to sell my 2009 Honda Fit Sport and am looking at a 2016 or 2017 Fit. Some history to explain myself.... When younger my street car was a VW Sirrocco with a detune Super Vee motor, dual side drafts, Nitrous Oxide, 12 point roll cage, Bilstein coil overs, and a fuel cell. I am hard on cars and have no issues digging into changing stuff to add to a better design for my use case.

Now 53, and liking the Fit for utilitarian hauling stuff for work and not spending money on gas, and while enjoying average handling scooting around. The Fit, Fits me perfect. I actually like the softer shock valving on the 2015 I am using, then my 2009 for comfort believe it or not. Getting older, I don't like my insides shook up on a daily basis by stiffer shock valving.


I am very hard on transmissions. I run a mixture Redline D6 and lightweight racing and regular racing ATF in my 2009 to keep the viscosity close to D6 specs while pulling out the slip agents I feel are too high in just the D6 alone for longevity on a hard used weak transmission.


I have spent about 20 hours researching CVTs and in fact am driving a Honda loaner 2015 Fit because of the air bag recall while mine sits.

From all my research it appears ALL CVTs run at high temperatures and if pushed in ANY way need additional cooling. I see NO cooling appliance or radiator cooling points on my loaner 2015 and am wondering if there are any fluid pick up points on this Fit's CVT transmission that are sealed and can be accessed for a CVT trans cooler? Such as a "in" and an "out" that have a bolt cap and copper washer installed for OEM and that I can access to tap off of?



Also, while not wanting to use Honda OEM CVT fluid and having the "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act" stating I COULD use another oil and not voiding warranty I feel I will still get screwed if I push up against Honda by using another oil during warranty. They can drag their feet a lot longer then I can push back. SO I have to use their crap Group III CVT oil. I plan on dumping at 3,000 miles on the first factory fill and at 20,000 max intervals after that. I will have to see if I can buy bulk from a local dealer.


From my research ALL CVTs have a particulate filtration issue and Honda does not address this issue at all. With this access point I would like to also add a low micron by-pass filter to address this problem. A Magnafine Filter would be a bare minimum, but I question their 3 micron spec in a direct line filter as far as long term "safe" flow rated being so small of a filter. I think it is a higher micron level. Still way way better to have this then basically nothing that all that CVT car manufacture are using or Jatco to be more specific. I have seen this in many of postings of CVT oil analysis particulate counts that I can find on the net.

Sorry for the long wind, but better to have more info and babble then less.


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Buy one with a manual trans.

 

Nope, done with a manual with a couple of bad knees and heavy traffic.

I thought I would never want an auto..... age and issues change the way you think.

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Ok...Honda doesn't use JATCO. Honda makes this CVT trans.

This car has a "second generation CVT" which is quite different from Hondas previous design CVT trans. This style has only been in use since the introduction of the 13 Accord 4 cylinder. It's still dang new for the Fit (started use in 2015).

This design uses HCF2 fluid (yellow), previous design used CVTF (pinkish).

This design uses a real fluid filled torque converter with lockup (TCC) just like every other modern automatic transmission, between crankshaft and input shaft.
Previous design used a "start clutch" wet clutch pack to couple the trans to the engine and many were prone to shudder during clutch apply.

Both CVT designs use a variable pitch pulley drive system though.

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Before modifying anything....see if it is really necessary first. I'd plug in my high-dollar scanner so I can monitor the fluid temperature (yes it has a sensor for this) while driving before deciding anything.


There is a liquid/liquid heat exchanger mounted to the trans case (fluid warmer). Trans fluid enters and exits through ports in the case, no easy way to tap into them (but I've not looked for another way either).
My first thought was to consider modifying the water side of that heat exchanger with a dedicated small electric water pump and radiator (heater core?) and fan setup if you REALLY need to keep it cooler than stock design.

Good luck DIY building something more reliable than stock design. Every part you add becomes another possible failure point.




Re: Magnuson-Moss: SURE, you can use whatever you want in there.....but don't cry when it doesn't work as planned......... and it costs you a transmission out-of-pocket.

Honda and most other manufacturers these days are using application engineered fluids. AFAIK nobody in the aftermarket is making a compatible fluid yet for this trans, though I'm sure you can find many claims if you don't read the fine print.

 

op - i think ure over thinking things. just drive the cvt normally and follow factory maintenance schedule. u are 53, no need to drive like some teenager. u should be fine. and at the end this is a Fit. if u want a performance oriented AT, i would look elsewhere.

 

/subscribe

I am very interested in any findings around this. I was looking into this about a year and a half ago but got sidetracked.

You mentioned there is a sensor to monitor transmission fluid temperature? I'll have to look into this. Thanks!

 

OP, this guy is drag racing on his CVT trans and hasn't blown it up.
Yet. LOL

Yes, it is mounted internally.

 

Do you mind sharing what this high dollar scanner you use to monitor transmission tranny temperature? Can you post up?

I just checked my vehicle and there are no transmission temperature info being sent to the ECU. I checked my Torque app and had options 'Transmission temperature sensor, method 1' and 'Transmission temperature, method 2' to choose from. Neither one were active as far as my app shows, meaning it's not available. I added them to show that nothing shows temp wise. Give us a visual from your side if you can please.

 

The TFT parameter does exist in the datastream, even if your app does not have the ability to display it.


Stand by for a PM

 

Thanks for the PM! I stand corrected and need to look much deeper than what I have. Continue on......

 

Thanks for the loads of added info. Are you talking about this pickup point. No issue on making it work, I have a TIG welder and can fabricate something to work. Plus I plan to use a thermostat setup because I live in Minnesota. The last thing I would do is not have anything to do with altering the water to water unit, but grab the CVT fluid to a common

FIT : PIPE, COOLER | 2016 Honda OEM Parts @ Honda Parts Cheap

I disagree on OEM oils being the best. Honda CVT oil is a Group III and Redline is speced for this tranny and it is a combo of Group 4 and 5. Too many times have OEMs done just average with their oils. Case in point Honda Z1, really a bad uninspiring oil that was sub standard even when newly developed. Why is it Amsoil, or Redline can't make a better fluid then the OEM, I just don't see it. I do have to agree with you on the risk factor at this time as far as Honda CVTs until there is more anecdotal evidence third party oils are as good or better in the Honda design.

Also, changing a CVT at the 30,000 to 60,000 mile interval the factory wants when I have seen oil analysis with a high particulate count at 13,000 makes no sense. You can do it with your CVT, I won't with mine. "They" have told "us" lifetime ATF fluid when there is no way that is true. Sorry I don't believe car manufactures on their change intervals.

There are many posts on the Subaru forums where Amsoil has fixed shutter and other issues even when new OEM Subaru CVT oil was used and would not help the symptoms and there have been "some" long term use that says the Amsoil anecdotally is doing as good or better long term then the Subaru oil. There is even very good results with Valvoline Full Synthetic CVT fluid with Honda CVTs. There was more info on Valvoline CVT fluid then Redline

We have a ton of evidence Redline and Amsoil and the high end ATFs are better then Honda Z1 and DW-1 in a conventional Honda ATF pumper. Even though Honda fan boys think Honda ATF has some magic Mojo to it and you have to use it to or you will have problems.

I work with a retired Allison auto transmission oil engineer who now owns an oil lubrication testing business that is affiliated with Polaris Labs. I use them for my rotary screw air compressors at work and had long conversations about ATF. If fact he helped Castroil to design their high end synthetic ATFs. He is also on a dept. of defense and GM auto trans oil spec committee. He told me there is zero issue Amsoil and Redline can't be used in conventional Honda ATF transmissions and would likely be superior to Honda's OEM in many ways. He does not have any expertise on CVTs. So I don't have his 35 years of experience there.

So as for driving a car hard, and preparing it to take the use better is not allowed with a Honda Fit, maybe I should get a 911 Turbo?

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Pipe, cooler: #6 in the parts catalog pic is internal, not external.


Which of Hondas CVT fluids are you talking about?
Your own trans?

Honda??
The shop I work for still recommends 30k trans services for automatics and CVTs.

I do trans services more frequently than that on personal and family Hondas.

and would likely be .......


Honda changed to DW1 about the same time GM changed to Dexron VI.
How similar or different are these two fluids?
Same base stock, similar friction modifier and additive packages?

Some people dog the crap out of the cars just keeping up with traffic LOL.

911 Turbo, while an amazing car, might be anything but economical.

The Fit is a babe magnet.