[nisheel]

Hi Everyone,

I have Honda ZX CVT automatic.

I read somewhere that because a CVT is different from a regular auto-box the oil is also different a CVT specific oil needs to be used for replacement.

Of course the service centre guys seem clueless and talk about manual synthetic gear oil only.

any tips suggestions on what oil to get ?

[vikram_d]

Have you checked the car's owner manual? The manual will have the specifications of what type of oil needs to be used.

[d_himan]

Use ONLY genuine Honda CVTF (Continuously Variable Transmission Fluid), not Honda ATF Z1 or DW1 (For the normal torque converter Automatics)

Any reputed Honda A.S.S. should be able to do it -my personal recommendation would be Linkway Honda Andheri(E)

[GTO]

A Honda expert mechanic has this to say:

- Very important for CVT oil changes to happen at 20,000 kms tops! Honda recommends a change every 40,000 kms, but that is NOT recommended due to our driving conditions (continuous stop-go traffic, heat, dust). This is one of the primary reasons you see so many bust CVTs on 75,000 km Honda Citys.

- Some Indian Honda dealers wrongly use EP80 oil for transmissions. This is apparently not well-suited to CVTs. AS d_himan posted, genuine Honda CVTF is your best bet.

- If you want to buy from the after-market / online, he recommends Idemitsu's CVT-specific oil.

[enkash]

I recently had an incident where the CVT Unit had to be replaced as the previous owner hadn't ever changed the oil once in >40,000 kms. The system had jammed up the car wouldn't go past 1st gear. I did, however, manage to find a refurbished unit to fit in.

Honda CVT Oil costs about 400 Rs/Litre when I last checked (Dec 2012) and in Mumbai it seems to be available only with Honda. (I also highly reommend Linkway Andheri (E)). You will need about 4-5 litres for the model you specified. They charge about 1500 more for filter/labour.

[filhosdegoa]

Originally Posted by enkash

I recently had an incident where the CVT Unit had to be replaced as the previous owner hadn't ever changed the oil once in >40,000 kms. The system had jammed up the car wouldn't go past 1st gear. I did, however, manage to find a refurbished unit to fit in.

Honda CVT Oil costs about 400 Rs/Litre when I last checked (Dec 2012) and in Mumbai it seems to be available only with Honda. (I also highly reommend Linkway Andheri (E)). You will need about 4-5 litres for the model you specified. They charge about 1500 more for filter/labour.

Could you let us know as to what was the estimated amount given by Honda to replace/repair the CVT box and how much did you end up spending on purchasing the refurbished CVT box??

Your info would help us compare maintenance costs of a CVT with that of a DSG as we've seen many instances where people have to shell out a fortune over DSG repairs.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by GTO

A Honda expert mechanic has this to say:

- Very important for CVT oil changes to happen at 20,000 kms tops! Honda recommends a change every 40,000 kms, but that is NOT recommended due to our driving conditions (continuous stop-go traffic, heat, dust). This is one of the primary reasons you see so many bust CVTs on 75,000 km Honda Citys.

- Some Indian Honda dealers wrongly use EP80 oil for transmissions. This is apparently not well-suited to CVTs. AS d_himan posted, genuine Honda CVTF is your best bet.

- If you want to buy from the after-market / online, he recommends Idemitsu's CVT-specific oil.

This is quite an eye opener. Slightly OT perhaps but is there comparable critical oil change advice for the Honda torque converters as well? I'm asking from the standpoint of the Civic ATs.

[greendream]

Hello Everyone,
Honda City has had both the Torque Converter and CVT transmission in India.
The oil grade is different for both.
Can Respective owners list out the grades and Brands available in the open market.
The ASC normally wouldn’t sell it over the counter. Their labour charges are certainly on the higher side.
It will be beneficial for many of us.
Thank you in advance.

[fossilalan]

Good info, about changing CVTF every 20000 KM's.
After buying the new vehicle, can we delay the second free service, till we get to 5000 km, if more than the stipulated 6 months time. Or is it a must that we need to get "time- bound" servicing schedule. . for BRV-AT
. ?

[rahulskumar]

Originally Posted by greendream

Hello Everyone,
Honda City has had both the Torque Converter and CVT transmission in India.
The oil grade is different for both.
Can Respective owners list out the grades and Brands available in the open market.
The ASC normally wouldn’t sell it over the counter. Their labour charges are certainly on the higher side.
It will be beneficial for many of us.
Thank you in advance.

Honda HCF-2 Transmission Fluid - This is from Honda Jazz CVT manual.

I recently changed transmission fluid for my Jazz CVT . Overall cost came around Rs.2028 ( Rs.1718 + Rs.154 CGST + Rs.154 SGST )at service centre. This was done ar 20k kms ( 24 months service ). Do not get it replaced with alternate fluids, Honda transmission is very sensitive.

Originally Posted by fossilalan

Good info, about changing CVTF every 20000 KM's.
After buying the new vehicle, can we delay the second free service, till we get to 5000 km, if more than the stipulated 6 months time. Or is it a must that we need to get "time- bound" servicing schedule. . for BRV-AT
. ?

You will lose warranty, but most of the time nothing happens within the first 2 years of ownership. Just make sure you change transmission fluid ( CVT) every 20-25k kms from service center.

[Prodigy07]

What's the correct interval to get the CVT Transmission oil replaced?

My Baleno CVT is due for its 40K service this week.

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

What's the correct interval to get the CVT Transmission oil replaced?

My Baleno CVT is due for its 40K service this week.

Quoting my post again.

My vehicle is at MASS for 40K service.

Please let me know if I need to replace the CVT transmission oil.

[d_himan]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Quoting my post again.

My vehicle is at MASS for 40K service.

Please let me know if I need to replace the CVT transmission oil.

Would strongly suggest. CVTs are delicate and fluid changes greatly help. I will be changing mine at 15k, 2 year SERVICE. It lives a horrendous bumper to bumper life

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Quoting my post again.
My vehicle is at MASS for 40K service.
Please let me know if I need to replace the CVT transmission oil.

Originally Posted by d_himan

Would strongly suggest. CVTs are delicate and fluid changes greatly help. I will be changing mine at 15k, 2 year SERVICE. It lives a horrendous bumper to bumper life

Have any of you changed the CVT fluid yet? Neither me nor BHPian Oxy below found anything concrete from the service center. I am still searching for a way to understand the check the fluid and plan for replacement based upon its condition. Can anyone suggest how to find out if the CVT fluid is going bad?

Originally Posted by Oxy

Apologies for the late reply. It looks like even the service folks don't have a clue when to change the transmission fluid for the automatic car. When I asked for it to be changed, I got a clueless response saying it is not needed until 1,40,000 kms. This applies for the manual variant is my guess.
I just did my third service and it was not changed. I was assured there will be no problems. I will make sure I get it changed in the fourth service.
Even the owner's manual does not have any mention of when the transmission fluid is supposed to be changed.

[d_himan]

Originally Posted by Researcher

Have any of you changed the CVT fluid yet? Neither me nor BHPian Oxy below found anything concrete from the service center. I am still searching for a way to understand the check the fluid and plan for replacement based upon its condition. Can anyone suggest how to find out if the CVT fluid is going bad?

From my experience of owning Automatics a little more than a decade, the Service Centre chaps hate doing work on ATs – only select mechanics receive training to work on an AT; fluid changes require a proper flush or ‘cycling’ to get rid of residual oil in the gearbox – much more time consuming than a normal gearbox change; In DSGs, there’s a mechatronics learning manoeuvre which needs to be performed in an open space – a time consuming job without much monetary returns per hour. I managed to get fluid changes done at Honda, Hyundai and VW – much before scheduled intervals. And the gearboxes love it. My VW, with it’s notorious DSG 7 speed is smooth as silk after 5.5 years. Slight roughness disappeared completely in my Honda and Hyundai.

With Maruti, the SA relented when I insisted – I anyway knew far more about Automatics than he did. However, there was no stock of CVT Green 2. They said you’ll need to order it in advance ...the 4 Speed Torque converter’s ATF was available though.

So, to cut it short, no haven’t done it so far. But I will in the next 5-6 months.