[agentl074]

I was wondering... how do the 4th and 5th gen CR-Vs transmission and AWD systems get cooled? Is there a line connected to the radiator? I so saw that they make trans coolers for the 4th gen, but not the 5th gen. Transmissions like to be cooled, and apparently, so do electronic AWD systems.

 

[crv383]

The USA CVT does not get a provision to easily add an auxiliary tranny cooler to the CVT. CRVs in some other countries do get the provision along with a Honda stacked plate tranny cooler. The CVT runs toasty compared to traditional auto trannies. I've observed temps well north of 200F.

 

[agentl074]

That's what I heard about the CVT as well. I wonder if they will make it easier to add an external cooler at some point, or a more heavy duty radiator. Keeping things cool is good -- even if you're not doing a lot of towing/hauling It sounds like Honda has a few things to work out yet.

 

[crv383]

Honda thinks CVT temps are perfectly normal (nothing to "work out").....if Honda is good with it, I'm good with it. All I'm saying is, the CVT (our 1st) runs toastier than traditional auto trannies I've monitored in past vehicles over the years. Also, this is the 1st vehicle we've owned that has no tranny cooler at all. It has a so called "warmer", but not a cooler.

All of our other past vehicles, with traditional auto trannies, had the factory tranny cooler located inside the cold radiator tank.....making it very easy to install a secondary auxiliary tranny cooler inline with and after the factory cooler.

 

[agentl074]

From what I was reading, both the old trans and the new CVT have trans warmers which are connected to the radiators. If it's getting radiator flow, then it should also be getting cooled as well. Still, they make heavy duty trans coolers and engine oil coolers for the 4th gen... just not the 5th gen. The Honda Ridgeline uses a heavy duty trans cooler, but a cooler is only as good as the radiator feeding it I can understand that CVTs need warmed up more than they need cooled, but it would still be nice to see an all season trans oil cooler for the 5th gen. The newer trans oil coolers have bypasses that engage until the fluid gets warm, so you don't have cold fluid going through the trans cooler.

 

[crv383]

The CVT is not not connected to the radiator in any, form or fashion. Not on the Gen 5 1.5L CRV anyhow. The Gen 5 CRV, has a so-called "warmer". What the warmer does, I don't have a clue. The tranny temp can easily be 100*F below coolant temp for quite a while after the engine coolant has reached/holds at +/-180*F. Eventually the tranny temp will reach engine temp and continue to climb well past engine temp........by +/-40*F from what I have observed/monitored. Others have as well.

The so-called tranny "warmer" in/out connects to the engine block, or maybe the head......kinda hard to tell just looking. Does not connect to the radiator, which makes sense. The radiator is totally out of the cooling system "loop" until the engine coolant t-stat opens.

 

[agentl074]

So, in other words, get ready for a lot of trans repairs unless someone can figure out a way to get it cooled. They make all season trans coolers with bypass so the trans fluid doesn't get cold fluid until it needs it, but I guess Honda didn't really care.

 

[crv383]

I thought Honda has some of the best CVTs out there.......and has for quite some time now, no?

 

[agentl074]

So I've heard, but with no way of keeping these things cool, I am concerned about long term reliability.

 

[crv383]

Time will tell.