Question....

I need advice on whats best for my CVT engine. Every 2 weeks I drive up to Huntsville, a good 50 minute drive one way and load up on groceries, I mean food for 3 teenagers/2 adults and 1 big German shepherd sized load. Aprox. 300 to 400 lbs.

Coming out of Huntsville I have to climb a very long, somewhat steep hill with said load and I want to be sure I am not gonna harm my tranny.

What is the best plan of action?

 

When I went to MME last summer in Frederick, MD, I had to go thru some mountains in WV. I was driving the Cooper [CVT]. I noticed the "D" drive was really anemic, so I switched to the "SD" drive and, while it still took awhile to get up and over the long grades, it was a lot better and the engine didn't seem to have suffered. BTW, I'm a big and heavy guy and my car was packed for the weekend with suitcase, tools, and other stuff like a cooler, and, of course...cigars, so we are talking about the same in weights, I think.

 

i would have to agree. i've never taken my cvt mini into mountains, but if the engine feele like its struggling, just downshift in sd mode. you'll be fine.

 

Yes and keep up a constant speed. The engine has to work very hard to move the car up those steep grades. And then the tranns will most likely drop a gear on the way down the hills to compensate.

 

400lb is only like a 2-3 person load, and the mini is rated for far more. Heck, it can tow 1000lb! I wouldn't worry about it, downshift to SD if you need, and enjoy the drive.

Now, for heavier duty towing I've installed transmission oil coolers (most recently in our Honda Odyssey). They're not expensive, pretty straightforward for a shadetree mechanic to install, but they are aftermarket and so may have a warranty effect. Discuss with your Mini dealer if it makes you feel more comfortable, but "just" a big load of groceries shouldn't be much of a burden at all.

Drive on!

 

Bore Da Ffrind!, minifreak, mdsbrain and DixonL2,

Thanx so much!

So far what I have done is shift into "SD" at the bottom of the incline and maintain a steady speed til I level off at the top. I only tried to shift into "M" once, bad idea. I just wasn't doing it right or holding my mouth right But I'd rather not mess with the "M" anyway , I still haven't got that right yet. But I have mastered the "SD".
I have always had automatics so the manual mode doesn't come natural to me. I really appreciate any advice you CVT Pro's can offer.
I'll keep workin' it. Thanx again guys.

 

The "SD" just gives a bit more boost and in a good way [without lagging the engine]. I also have an MCSa and I use the "SD" when I track my car...I just cannot think of a better way to concentrate on driving while my foot and the engine do the rest.

The "M" is great in its own right...for me, it's on curvy roads. I just don't enjoy "going thru the gears" on long uphill or downhill grades, and THAT'S why the "SD" is important to me.

 

As others said above, SD is fine, and it's what I normally use on inclines. You *will not* harm the engine or transmission. I now have 81k on my '04 CVT, and I routinely hammer it. So far, knock on wood, I've had absolutely *zero* engine/CVT problems.

Just keep an eye on the coolant level. I find that I need to top it off every few months or so.

(Oh, and when you have a chance to play on some twisty roads, be sure to try out the manual mode! You *can't* harm the transmission, and it's virtually impossible to redline or stall the engine. Once you get the hang of it, and give yourself a good couple thousand miles, you'll see what the CVT is capable of! )


-Paul!