Will I blow my CVT?

[ConnerFC3]

Hello all I’m new to civicx and after months of searching for my answer I couldn’t quite find it so here I am asking the question.

I own a 2017 civic coupe ex-t it’s automatic (yes I know very disappointing) Im currently running these current mods,

-Ktuner with TsP stage 1 specific race maf
- Prl Short ram (race)

The car is pretty quick I can’t complain but at the end of the day “MORE POWA BABEH”,
I want to add the PRL downpipe to that mod list but I’m concerned for the longevity of my car and more specifically the Cvt.

I guess my main question is has anyone done what I’m looking at doing and how’s your car managing?

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[mforcino]

Hello all I’m new to civicx and after months of searching for my answer I couldn’t quite find it so here I am asking the question.

I own a 2017 civic coupe ex-t it’s automatic (yes I know very disappointing) Im currently running these current mods,

-Ktuner with TsP stage 1 specific race maf
- Prl Short ram (race)

The car is pretty quick I can’t complain but at the end of the day “MORE POWA BABEH”,
I want to add the PRL downpipe to that mod list but I’m concerned for the longevity of my car and more specifically the Cvt.

I guess my main question is has anyone done what I’m looking at doing and how’s your car managing?

Gtman’s tuned reliability thread is all you need. It’s like 97% or so in terms of reliability. The CVT is weaker than the manual but stick with a base tune and some bolt ons and you will be fine. Love the Donut reference btw.

 

[fkseven]

Change cvtf fluid, filter, and cvtf warmer filter 5k-10k miles if you going for more power.

 

[SiR]

Hello all I’m new to civicx and after months of searching for my answer I couldn’t quite find it so here I am asking the question.

I own a 2017 civic coupe ex-t it’s automatic (yes I know very disappointing) Im currently running these current mods,

-Ktuner with TsP stage 1 specific race maf
- Prl Short ram (race)

The car is pretty quick I can’t complain but at the end of the day “MORE POWA BABEH”,
I want to add the PRL downpipe to that mod list but I’m concerned for the longevity of my car and more specifically the Cvt.

I guess my main question is has anyone done what I’m looking at doing and how’s your car managing?

TSP stage 1 is pretty safe if it's made for that vehicle, I used to run it on my Si.

That being said, anything done to the car can affect the longevity of the car, just more or less. CVT is still new, and for my understanding, it's not really good for tuning, and adding horsepower. More of a commute car for most owners. My Si was plentiful fast at 240whp for daily and i stopped there.

If you are still looking for more power than the TSP stage 1, you probably got the wrong car to begin with, and with more $ spent on modding it, you add more risks, and the cost may well worth trading it for a different car. Fun isn't all about horsepower, and sometimes too much can have the reverse effect. know the limit, and be satisfied, or just go for a V8

 

[gtman]

CVT is still new, and for my understanding, it's not really good for tuning, and adding horsepower. More of a commute car for most owners.

I wish folks would read more about the CVT in the 10th gen turbo and it's possibilities with tuning. I've literally written many hundreds if not thousands of posts on the subject.

Sure at it's heart, a continuously variable transmission is used by automakers because of it's tremendous fuel efficiency. But, because of it's ability to keep the engine in the right power band for any given situation, CVT's were banned from F1 racing for having an unfair advantage.

That's not to say our CVT is race inspired but it adapts quite well in a tuning scenario. I've been tuned going on about 3 years and currently make about 220-ish whp and 240-ish wtq with a customized TSP1. The difference from stock is startling. The car just goes.

The key to bumping up power yet preserving the CVT is simple. At lower rpms (under 3500rpm or so), limit torque a bit and don't brake launch it. It safely mates very well to tuning as long as you don't bump torque up too high. My tuning survey thread has tons of tuned CVT success stories.

OP, I know you said you searched but found no threads. Try these:

https://www.civicx.com/forum/thread...ence-reliability-thread-for-all-models.42361/

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/hands-on-with-tsps-stage-1-tune-for-the-1-5t-non-si.39135/

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/have-a-turbo-and-a-cvt-considering-a-tune-read-this.31242/

 

[mforcino]

I wish folks would read more about the CVT in the 10th gen turbo and it's possibilities with tuning. I've literally written many hundreds if not thousands of posts on the subject.

Sure at it's heart, a continuously variable transmission is used by automakers because of it's tremendous fuel efficiency. But, because of it's ability to keep the engine in the right power band for any given situation, CVT's were banned from F1 racing for having an unfair advantage.

That's not to say our CVT is race inspired but it adapts quite well in a tuning scenario. I've been tuned going on about 3 years and currently make about 220-ish whp and 240-ish wtq with a customized TSP1. The difference from stock is startling. The car just goes.

The key to bumping up power yet preserving the CVT is simple. At lower rpms (under 3500rpm or so), limit torque a bit and don't brake launch it. It safely mates very well to tuning as long as you don't bump torque up too high. My tuning survey thread has tons of tuned CVT success stories.

Spot on! Anyone who disagrees and says go buy a V8 is clearly not in this forum for the right reasons. It’s a Honda Civic, sure it’s a commuter car but tuned safely it can be a blast for just about anyone.

 

[SiR]

I wish folks would read more about the CVT in the 10th gen turbo and it's possibilities with tuning. I've literally written many hundreds if not thousands of posts on the subject.

Sure at it's heart, a continuously variable transmission is used by automakers because of it's tremendous fuel efficiency. But, because of it's ability to keep the engine in the right power band for any given situation, CVT's were banned from F1 racing for having an unfair advantage.

That's not to say our CVT is race inspired but it adapts quite well in a tuning scenario. I've been tuned going on about 3 years and currently make about 220-ish whp and 240-ish wtq with a customized TSP1. The difference from stock is startling. The car just goes.

The key to bumping up power yet preserving the CVT is simple. At lower rpms (under 3500rpm or so), limit torque a bit and don't brake launch it. It safely mates very well to tuning as long as you don't bump torque up too high. My tuning survey thread has tons of tuned CVT success stories.

That's something new for me. I'm no tuner myself, I get my info from local shops and other cars guys mostly. We had a few cases of CVT failures after getting tune to handle more horsepower. Then there were also driver complaints about sluggishness and power delivery gap with their tuned CVTs. That's how I got the feeling. But maybe like you said, it's about the car shop and the modifications done to the car. But, I will wait and see more successful high horsepower CVT to make up my mind about Honda's CVT on normal vehicles

 

[SiR]

Spot on! Anyone who disagrees and says go buy a V8 is clearly not in this forum for the right reasons. It’s a Honda Civic, sure it’s a commuter car but tuned safely it can be a blast for just about anyone.

Relax dude, It's open discussion, no need to be so defensive. I wouldn't be here if I think V8 are all better than honda. My first car was a 2002 civic AT.

But the fact is, there are lot of people who overestimate the Honda engine blew them up. The are enough stories of Si owners went for 300+whp with stock engine ended up calling the tow truck.
As good as those 1.5 and 2.0s are made, you can't really just easily slap another 100, 200hp like nothing. I see a lot of people buy those cars and thinking they can tune the hell out of it and drive like in a supercar. No. This WAS my Point. Sure, this is a civic forum, and we all love honda, but knowing the limits is also a good trait of a driver. I have seen professionals completely overhauled the Si to make just 500hp, but you see a lot more 1000hp+ Evo and GTRs. The fundamental difference and the purpose of car.

As for the CVT. Neither I can agree or disagree before I have seen a well tuned one. But, I know for fact the race car CVTs are made differently with much better material for their purpose. Normal honda CVTs can't compare to that

 

[mforcino]

Relax dude, It's open discussion, no need to be so defensive. I wouldn't be here if I think V8 are all better than honda. My first car was a 2002 civic AT.

But the fact is, there are lot of people who overestimate the Honda engine blew them up. The are enough stories of Si owners went for 300+whp with stock engine ended up calling the tow truck.
As good as those 1.5 and 2.0s are made, you can't really just easily slap another 100, 200hp like nothing. I see a lot of people buy those cars and thinking they can tune the hell out of it and drive like in a supercar. No. This WAS my Point. Sure, this is a civic forum, and we all love honda, but knowing the limits is also a good trait of a driver. I have seen professionals completely overhauled the Si to make just 500hp, but you see a lot more 1000hp+ Evo and GTRs. The fundamental difference and the purpose of car.

As for the CVT. Neither I can agree or disagree before I have seen a well tuned one. But, I know for fact the race car CVTs are made differently with much better material for their purpose. Normal honda CVTs can't compare to that

Yeah I agree, there’s been a few cases recently where people burn the hell out of their CVT. And companies like Nissan ruin its reputation. Preferably I would rather have a dual clutch but Honda chose the CVT route. TSP and Ktuner have done a ton of testing in the CVT Tunes so I’m confident it’s safe with just a base tune.

 

[CivicPR0]

Ive had my 18 CVT for 3 yrs now and tuned for over 2 1/2. No issues but I do not race/track it. It’s my Daily Driver with the occasional spirited drive. Details below:

Vehicle: 2018 Sport Touring CVT

Total tuned time: 2+ Years

Total tuned mileage: 16,500+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Current Tune Used: Custom Tune from DRob/IMW
293whp/257wtq | E28
262whp/238wtq | 93 Octane

Previous Tunes used:
-Custom Tune from DRob/IMW (Stock Turbo @ 231whp/234wtq)
-KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2

Fuel used: E28 or 93 Octane

Additional engine mods: 27Won W1 Turbo, 27Won Race MAF, 27Won Turbo Inlet Pipe, 27Won Air Intake, RV6 Front & Down Pipe, Mishimoto Intercooler Kit, Mishimoto Oil Catch Can, PRL Flex-Fuel Kit, GReddy SP Catback Exhaust, SiriMoto Oil Cooler, CTR RMM w/ Perrin Inserts

Problems/issues: N/A

Driving style: Normal Driving

Tuning Experience Notes: I used KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2 for almost 2 years. Then I got a Custom Tune from DRob/IMW and the car instantly felt better than before. Now, I have Re-Tune from DRob for the updated parts installed.

 

[SiR]

Ive had my 18 CVT for 3 yrs now and tuned for over 2 1/2. No issues but I do not race/track it. It’s my Daily Driver with the occasional spirited drive. Details below:

Vehicle: 2018 Sport Touring CVT

Total tuned time: 2+ Years

Total tuned mileage: 16,500+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Current Tune Used: Custom Tune from DRob/IMW
293whp/257wtq | E28
262whp/238wtq | 93 Octane

Previous Tunes used:
-Custom Tune from DRob/IMW (Stock Turbo @ 231whp/234wtq)
-KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2

Fuel used: E28 or 93 Octane

Additional engine mods: 27Won W1 Turbo, 27Won Race MAF, 27Won Turbo Inlet Pipe, 27Won Air Intake, RV6 Front & Down Pipe, Mishimoto Intercooler Kit, Mishimoto Oil Catch Can, PRL Flex-Fuel Kit, GReddy SP Catback Exhaust, SiriMoto Oil Cooler, CTR RMM w/ Perrin Inserts

Problems/issues: N/A

Driving style: Normal Driving

Tuning Experience Notes: I used KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2 for almost 2 years. Then I got a Custom Tune from DRob/IMW and the car instantly felt better than before. Now, I have Re-Tune from DRob for the updated parts installed.

This is what I mean. Even with a basic tune the car was already more than enough for daily at 230whp, then all the extra mods and professional tune from Drob added another 30whp. But it feels like people expect just with a few simple mods and bang, the car has 300+hp. Honda has always been about good handling, steering, drivability, with just enough horsepower, not straight line American style muscle. People shouldn't expect to mod one just to be super fast with loads of horsepower. I stick to my words. If I wana go drag race, or feel the thrill of pure acceleration on the road, I go grab a V8 or V10 in AWD for that purpose.

 

[ConnerFC3]

I wish folks would read more about the CVT in the 10th gen turbo and it's possibilities with tuning. I've literally written many hundreds if not thousands of posts on the subject.

Sure at it's heart, a continuously variable transmission is used by automakers because of it's tremendous fuel efficiency. But, because of it's ability to keep the engine in the right power band for any given situation, CVT's were banned from F1 racing for having an unfair advantage.

That's not to say our CVT is race inspired but it adapts quite well in a tuning scenario. I've been tuned going on about 3 years and currently make about 220-ish whp and 240-ish wtq with a customized TSP1. The difference from stock is startling. The car just goes.

The key to bumping up power yet preserving the CVT is simple. At lower rpms (under 3500rpm or so), limit torque a bit and don't brake launch it. It safely mates very well to tuning as long as you don't bump torque up too high. My tuning survey thread has tons of tuned CVT success stories.

OP, I know you said you searched but found no threads. Try these:

https://www.civicx.com/forum/thread...ence-reliability-thread-for-all-models.42361/

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/hands-on-with-tsps-stage-1-tune-for-the-1-5t-non-si.39135/

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/have-a-turbo-and-a-cvt-considering-a-tune-read-this.31242/

thanks bud, I appreciate the long reply and trust me I’ve never and will never break launch

 

[ConnerFC3]

Ive had my 18 CVT for 3 yrs now and tuned for over 2 1/2. No issues but I do not race/track it. It’s my Daily Driver with the occasional spirited drive. Details below:

Vehicle: 2018 Sport Touring CVT

Total tuned time: 2+ Years

Total tuned mileage: 16,500+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Current Tune Used: Custom Tune from DRob/IMW
293whp/257wtq | E28
262whp/238wtq | 93 Octane

Previous Tunes used:
-Custom Tune from DRob/IMW (Stock Turbo @ 231whp/234wtq)
-KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2

Fuel used: E28 or 93 Octane

Additional engine mods: 27Won W1 Turbo, 27Won Race MAF, 27Won Turbo Inlet Pipe, 27Won Air Intake, RV6 Front & Down Pipe, Mishimoto Intercooler Kit, Mishimoto Oil Catch Can, PRL Flex-Fuel Kit, GReddy SP Catback Exhaust, SiriMoto Oil Cooler, CTR RMM w/ Perrin Inserts

Problems/issues: N/A

Driving style: Normal Driving

Tuning Experience Notes: I used KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2 for almost 2 years. Then I got a Custom Tune from DRob/IMW and the car instantly felt better than before. Now, I have Re-Tune from DRob for the updated parts installed.

rad build!

 

[disgraced.fk8]

Ive had my 18 CVT for 3 yrs now and tuned for over 2 1/2. No issues but I do not race/track it. It’s my Daily Driver with the occasional spirited drive. Details below:

Vehicle: 2018 Sport Touring CVT

Total tuned time: 2+ Years

Total tuned mileage: 16,500+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Current Tune Used: Custom Tune from DRob/IMW
293whp/257wtq | E28
262whp/238wtq | 93 Octane

Previous Tunes used:
-Custom Tune from DRob/IMW (Stock Turbo @ 231whp/234wtq)
-KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2

Fuel used: E28 or 93 Octane

Additional engine mods: 27Won W1 Turbo, 27Won Race MAF, 27Won Turbo Inlet Pipe, 27Won Air Intake, RV6 Front & Down Pipe, Mishimoto Intercooler Kit, Mishimoto Oil Catch Can, PRL Flex-Fuel Kit, GReddy SP Catback Exhaust, SiriMoto Oil Cooler, CTR RMM w/ Perrin Inserts

Problems/issues: N/A

Driving style: Normal Driving

Tuning Experience Notes: I used KTuner 21 Dual Stage 2 for almost 2 years. Then I got a Custom Tune from DRob/IMW and the car instantly felt better than before. Now, I have Re-Tune from DRob for the updated parts installed.

Dude I love this 262/238 on 93 tune! That seems nice and safe for the CVT! I'm pretty sure the Phearable overshoots that on stock setup.

 

[Gruber]

With enough parts modded/replaced, a Civic can beat anything...... or as ancient Romans used to say:
CIVIC OMNIA VINCIT.

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