Honda’s 1.5L 4 Cylinder VTEC Turbo & CVT

[gaijin]

Just like the title reads. If you know this drivetrain, how’s it?

[The Tortoise]

In cold climates the 1.5 L has suffered from fuel dilution of the oil.

They implemented a software fix to address this but the jury is still out if it fixed anything.

[gaijin]

Cheers. I’ll research a bit more.

Hmmm...

[gaijin]

Yeah, it seems that dilution problem was mainly with the CRV and the Civic in the US... as well as a lawsuit.

I'm contemplating the Stepwagon in Japan and can't find any dirt on it. I wonder if it's the same drivetrain. It has to share 90% of the same technology but there is nothing reported over here.

Will likely pull the trigger in the next few days if I can't find any real red flags. So many of these on the road out here. It drives like a dream.

[Falcon3]

I just helped a ladyfriend on her purchase of a newer CR-V with that engine/trans.

Called a couple Honda dealers, and they were very adamant about servicing the CVT every 30k, I asked about what if someone hadn't serviced in 90k (the mileage the rig was at, with a hard time finding records) and multiple service advisors said "it's gonna have problems down the line, I'd look elsewhere"

I appreciate this honesty, compared to Toyota (I'm a huge toyota fan otherwise) saying their transmissions are good for "lifetime" on the stock original fluid.

The 1.5T is a newer engine, but it's a proven design turbo- i believe it's a mitsubishi and has been on cars successfully for a long time. Otherwise, Honda makes a great engine, yes they had fuel dilution, but so does everybody else with Direct Injection.

Make sure you keep up on CVT and Oil changes and it'll likely last longer than you want to keep it.

[Cocximus]

but so does everybody else with Direct Injection.

Ah fuck so my audi 3.2 in not the unicord that I thought it is for not having top it's oil.

[AKbruin]

I have a 2018 CR-V with the 1.5l turbo with maybe 60k miles. I have no complaints. I don't need massive power, but I commute over a high pass (8,900') that requires a lot of climbing and the turbo is great. The CR-V is so much better than my previous experience with 2.0 Subarus and still gets excellent gas mileage.

That said, as someone who doesn't know dick about cars, should I be doing anything beyond what my CR-V tells me to do? By that, I mean that the CR-V literally tells me when to get oil changes (which ends up being like every 9,000 miles) or other services. That was the advice of my local dealership's service department, although it's possible they were trying to do the least amount of work under my service plan.

[El Chupacabra]

That said, as someone who doesn't know dick about cars, should I be doing anything beyond what my CR-V tells me to do? By that, I mean that the CR-V literally tells me when to get oil changes (which ends up being like every 9,000 miles) or other services.

If that motor does have fuel dilution issues (gas getting into the oil), then I'd change the oil a lot earlier than every 9000 miles. You could do a used oil analysis and see what's actually in your oil.
www.blackstone-labs.com

I'd change it earlier than that regardless. I do 5K intervals on full synthetic.

[Falcon3]

Yup agreed 5k is easy to remember and way safer. It only takes once with bad oil go ruin a turbo. Don’t go off the light. I’d go 5k oil, 25k transmission fluid so you’re always on easy to remember intervals.


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[AKbruin]

Thanks, gents.

FWIW, Bill Pearce Honda in Reno is terrible in many regards.

[gaijin]

Interesting to research CVTs for the first time. I feel I’ve been out of the loop. I now understand why “downshifting” the paddles to slow the vehicle didn’t jerk the vehicle. Theoretically even safer in icy conditions.

Will I miss “the feel” this winter? Or will it ultimately be even more predictable once I get used to it?

[Falcon3]

Interesting to research CVTs for the first time. I feel I’ve been out of the loop. I now understand why “downshifting” the paddles to slow the vehicle didn’t jerk the vehicle. Theoretically even safer in icy conditions.

Will I miss “the feel” this winter? Or will it ultimately be even more predictable once I get used to it?

My experience with CVT and AWD was that it drove like a tank. So predictable and steady.

[splat]

Thanks, gents.

FWIW, Bill Pearce Honda in Reno is terrible in many regards.

Thanks. I have to take mine in for a full spectrum of maintenance and an airbag recall. Is there somewhere other than Bill Pearce to go?

[gaijin]

My experience with CVT and AWD was that it drove like a tank. So predictable and steady.

That’s good to hear. I only test drove a short distance but acceleration didn’t suck and “downshifting” to slow down was weird. I didn’t even feel it but could tell it was working.

Sometimes smoothness equates to a dead/mushy feeling with vehicles. But on the flip side— every time I have to downshift my Toyota’s automatic in icy conditions I have to prepare for the initial slip by ensuring I’m going straight and don’t need the brakes for a second.

The more I read here, and the more YouTube videos I watch, the more I get stoked on buying.

AWD, Turbo, and CVT is all way more tech than I’m used to. My current Yota is 15 years old (and rad— the coolest thing I’ve ever had) but this Stepwagon is really amping me up as a Papa-mobile.

[El Chupacabra]

Thanks. I have to take mine in for a full spectrum of maintenance and an airbag recall. Is there somewhere other than Bill Pearce to go?

There's a different dealer in Carson City, but no idea if service experience is better or worse there.

[Dantheman]

CVT has zero fun-factor compared to a MT or high-end geared AT, but they're way better than an average slush box. I would imagine that programmed well they'd pair nicely with a small turbo motor.

[MultiVerse]

Worth mentioning that some oil dilution is normal and it only becomes a problem in cold weather combined with lots of short trips when the engine isn't allowed to completely warm up. Short trips are fine as long as longer trips, where long just means the engine reaches full temp, are mixed in. Honda also says they've fixed the issue with a software update.

[AKbruin]

Thanks. I have to take mine in for a full spectrum of maintenance and an airbag recall. Is there somewhere other than Bill Pearce to go?

Again, I don't know anything about anything, but I've been satisfied with the service I've gotten at Tanager Street Auto in Incline (for smaller things) and Motor Menders in Sparks (for bigger things). Both are honest and have never tried to upsell me on expensive services. They also charge significantly less than Bill Pearce for the same services. Davey McCoy's brother's place in Mammoth also did right by me when a deer killed my Tundra's radiator (and itself) a few years back.

[gaijin]

Pulled the trigger on this Step Wagon.

1.5L Turbo & CVT. Been driving it a week now.

Dope.

It’s insanely efficient and smooth. I can set the cruise and let the computer pull the car up to cruising speed at 70mph and the tach will never go above 1200 rpm.

Or, I can floor it and it goes fast.

Or, I can “downshift” a few ratios with the paddle shifter and get immediate feedback from my engine. No pauses. Just immediate torque to the wheels.

And Honda’s suspension & chassis game is strong these days. No van should handle this well. Never did I think the family car would be such a rockstar. The tightest of its class, for sure.

Buy one. They’re hot as shit in JP right now.

I’ll spend the next couple of years debating an upgrade to the turbo. I don’t know if I need that much Go right now.

[gaijin]

More pics, because TGR.




35mpg advertised. I’ll report back on real life after a winter of idling in parking lots and warming up.

All winter idling aside— that CVT is dope as fuck. That thing makes the entire drivetrain. I might as well just say that I bought a new transmission. Unfortunately, the suspension is tight as shit and also deserves some recognition.

2020 is fucking cool. 50 years of tech versus my ‘72 K5 Blazer. I can’t believe how much vehicle this thing is.

In between is my 2004 Toyota Ipsum. It was a wagon/SUV crossover and truly rocked. The only reason I got rid of it and upgraded to this Honda is Japan’s car tax. It’s brutal.

[The Tortoise]

Sweet, I wish we got those mini people movers over here.

I had a Mazda5 with a manual for a few years when the kids were young. I loved the form factor, the interior space to footprint ratio was ridiculously high.