Is there any way to fit a CVT transmission to a B20B engine? I hate the auto in my 96 Stepwagon and I love CVTs!

 

Not aware of any B-series compatible CVTs. I'm positive none were available in North America, at least.

 

Thanks - that link looks like you know Honda. The Honda Stream with K20B engine had CVT but can't find out whether that cd be made to fit. Or even replace the hi-miles B20B with a K20B in my 96 Stepwagon.

 

No K series transmission will ever work with a B series. The engines are completely different, right down to the direction of rotation. K swaps are common, that may be your only option if you are really committed to a CVT.

This thread should go here: https://honda-tech.com/forums/hybrid-engine-swaps-18/

 

Thank you - I can now rule out that CVT option. Will start looking at K into B swap, one for the future.

 

Don't limit yourself to the K series. The L and R series both had a CVT option out of Fits and Civics. Would be more than enough power and people toss these drivetrains in the trash.

 

Wow this is good stuff, looking at L and R on Wiki. L a bit small/weak, R a bit late as in i-VTEC and ECU-intensive incl the CVT I guess, but will look further. Even at 1.6L sohc, is stronger than my B20B dohc.

 

Any of the CVT swaps are going to be ECU intensive. No way around that with the CVT. Would require a complete swap, harness and PCM included. And being a CVT there won't be any aftermarket support for tuning or mounts or other general swap parts. It can all be done but the details will all need to be one off.

And I believe all the CVT stuff that Honda has is going to be CAN bus to drive gauges and AC and any of the other body to engine communications. Not impossible but certainly not the same as the old days of swaps.

 

Why do you love CVT's ???

 

Weren't the earlier ones electro-mechanical? So I thought but I'm seeing confirmation that all, after the original DAF/Volvo CVT, are more or less electronic.
Why not? On Honda forums people hate them because unreliable, but mainly because they don't have that familiar stepped gears feel, in fact later CVTs artificially simulate that. Look on Audi forums, Multitronic CVT on big engines (fore-aft FWD) since 1999, they have a great reputation.
"performance and economy similar to, and in some cases better than, the equivalent five-speed manual gearboxes, and superior to the traditional automatic transmission. Particular performance advantages are noticed with 'in-gear' seamless acceleration times over equivalent manual transmission cars"
says it all, for me.

I have hated all conventional autos, from Daihatsu to Mercedes and now my 96 Stepwagon, for power waste, wide ratios, slow response, hunting in and out of, under and over, the right gear, and loved the CVT in my wife's Toyota IQ which gets phenomenal performance, for 999cc 3cyl in a heavy but aerodynamic body, off the line and up to 90mph. The continuous flow of optimum power, when needed, is it.

Esp when towing, with the Stepwagon, the auto only gets into top gear on the level or downhill, otherwise is screaming in 3rd, terrible fuel consumption on a trip, even on LPG - was supposed to be more economical than the old Merc ML320, not so. I can get a manual conversion for £1500 - maybe settle for that, less than a CVT conversion obviously.

 

Not really fair to compare an old 4 speed Honda automatic to a modern CVT. The old 4 speeds were and are junk. Like you said, wide ratios and never in the right gear. Also on the B series they were not very reliable and a poor match to the narrow power band and low torque production.

Have you had a chance to drive something with an 8ZF transmission? Those are pretty nifty (for an automatic) and stuffed in all kinds of things from 2 liter turbos to 6.4 V8s.

I have owned 2 Honda CVTs and they were not over the moon for me. They work but Honda has programmed them to be rubberbands. Very unresponsive and very tuned for economy. The one thing they did get correct is stepless shifts just as a CVT should be.

I have driven a few rental cars with CVTs that have shift steps. Very annoying knowing it is a CVT and it is "shifting". And not just like 6 gears, oh no, they have like 20 gears and they want you to feel each of them.

I guess all of that to say the CVT is probably not the enemy but the general public that doesn't know what a CVT is and just want an appliance that still feels like their old appliace. Yay for cars designed by committee.

 

Too right.

Thanks to all for great answers - I am much better informed now, on what I couldn't find by search.

For sure the Stepwagon's auto is nearly knackered and I can get a fair used one put in for £350, will go with that first, then consider the manual conversion, or get rid of the whole shebang - a pity because I do like the car, which also came with 3 giant solar panels on the room, as well as LPG conversion.