CVT is sh*t

[TJ's CJ]

Hey guys. I posted before about a turbo upgrade and was told its kind of pointless etc.. I bought a standard cj lancer for the fuel effiency and for a safe car for my new born to get around in and that. But now that my misses has finally got her license was just wondering if there is any way to help the cvt transmission with the slow take off and all that it just lags to much and im finding the drive in my lancer is just becoming unejoyable.. any suggestions please.. want to upgrade it to be a bit quicker and im really growing tired of the high and long revs just to take off.

[ReeceCozaa]

Unfortunately that’s the nature of a CVT, sometimes I too wish I got a manual instead due to how laggy it can be Or how rubber bsnd like it can be. Honestly my best solution is tune, I believe it isn’t entirely a tranny problem but also the engine catering for the tranny, most days off launch its hesitate but some days I’ve found the car LOVEE to launch itself off the line, not often but it happens, I believe this has to due to the ECU because I don’t know why else the car would do it

[Mooman]

Yes the CVT is made to a price point that is aimed at economy/fuel consumption and comfort rather than performance. Nothing you do to the engine will change that as the engine isn't in control, the transmission is (it tells the engine what RPM to run).

You could add paddle shifters (plug and play) or use the floor lever and drive as a pseudo manual with fixed ratios, but it will still struggle 'off the line' as the 1st gear ratio and final drive are quite short. Interestingly enough the Eclipse Cross has an 8 fixed ratio CVT so the standard smooth operation seems to have been ditched by Mitsubishi (and others).

Note how in the following graphs that 1st gear isn't linear, even in sports mode.









But at the end of the day you have to accept that you bought an economy car fitted with CVT, and if that isn't something you can live with best advice is to trade it in even though CVT is becoming more commonplace over traditional autos (or manuals).

[ReeceCozaa]

Thing is how does the launching off the line change so much if it’s purely tranny and not software related, I understand why it would be purely the tranny to decide the off the line launch but there hace been times where my 2.4 cvt pulls me into a seat a bit when I just mash the pedal but MOST times from the get go the car is a slug, nearly all the time, it’s just confusing

[sarusa]

You will find that slow hesitancy at launch, isn't the CVT but just the inlet snorkel, its too restrictive!
The high revs: on acceleration is a great idea, keeps your engine at maximum torque while the CVT
does its thing.

Just a RA inlet snorkel $175 new from dealer will give you joy, add a Merlin tune and maybe
a 2.25 or 2.5inch muffler or cat back. Then enjoy!!! Certainly no RA or EVO but!!!!!
HMMMM softer, quieter! more relaxed ride???

Not sure what the dealer did on my last (third) service but engine now races all the way up to
Max revs depending on how hard I hit the go pedal. No more only up to 3500 - 4000rpm and steady
which I believe was done to take full advantage of Mivec specs:

Alternative use the alternative and go through the gears, manually?

[Lancer1993]

Buy a manual and...

[ReeceCozaa]

Hahah I’m wishing I did!

[Mooman]

With that stick shift arrangement I'd be forever trying to put it in 6 and hitting reverse, used to do it all the time after going from 6 to a car with 5. Makes a horrible sound and no doubt causes damage.

That said I've joined the dark side and now much prefer auto over manual, particularly with paddle shift, as slow traffic, hills or traffic lights are no longer an issue and have me worrying about clutch wear or missed/grinding gears + bunny hopping etc (all skill issues I know).

Plus with an auto you can change 'gears' mid corner and not have the worry of coordinating arms and legs and just concentrate on taking the turn, and with hills if you get it wrong there is no risk of 'bogging down' when you have to down shift all in all fool proof.

Auto gearboxes (sequential) can be fun and fast, just look at any major motorsport (Supercars, World Rally etc.).

But as they say horses for courses and our aims and goals when driving will differ so no solution is right.

[ReeceCozaa]

This is true, which is why as much as I thought manual would be awesome I have put 35k kms on my car since defemekber 2016 due to job change and boy is the traffic horrible, which is where auto just strives for me so much! If I had a weekend warrior or didn’t do as much traffic driving I think a manuals engagement would be more fun for that particular environment, for now my CVT has saved me subconsciously from losing my mind xD

[Mooman]

Randomly stumbled upon this article:

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/mitsubishi-recalls-cvt-transmission-for-hesitant-acceleration-110531.html

Basically US CVT had a software glitch that made it hesitate on take off. Wonder if it is also in Aus cars.

[ReeceCozaa]

I have a 2016 cvt lancer, uh oh 0.0

[aspir3]

I personally think the cvt is a fantastic transmission. It's very economical, cheaper then the manual and excellent power where you need it. Yes it takes a bit to wind up from take off but it very quickly makes up for it holding the engine at maximum performance for power, speed or economy

[ReeceCozaa]

Is your care tuned aspir3? Might be experiencing the best of the best of the transmission, I think once tuned and tinkered the transmission is absolutely amazing, like said when I get those rare days where the ecu goes full power mode, the car doesn’t mind launching itself off the line at all, SLIGHT hesitation as to a none cvt but all in all once it kicks in it MOVES, but like I said that’s really rare, normally she slugs like a boat xD

[aspir3]

Yes my cars tuned.
The secret is to start in manual mode and then switch it to automatic or D when you reach around 4000rpm

[aspir3]

The main issue it's ratio is very high down low. My car does 90km/h when in 1st. It is was around 50 it would take off really fast.
The constant speed of the engine and transmission whine is something our ears are not use to so we naturally feel it's wrong.