Additive For Loud ECVT

[stratosurfer]

All,

I have been monkeying with vehicles for 35 years now. I have posted elsewhere that now at 122K miles my ecvt is getting louder on REGEN and on EV mode. Fluid dropped and looked very good. Transmission functions as normal. Any thoughts on dropping in the tranny a 'friction modifier' like Lucus Oil or similar, maybe only a pint or less, to see if it quiets down some?

Just asking hopefully for some experienced one on this topic.

Thanks

[plus 3 golfer]

If it's a friction modifer that increases friction to prevent clutches / bands from slipping / chattering, I wouldn't think one would want to dump that in the C-Max transmission.  I would think one would want a "friction reducer" additive.  Most are likely "snake oil".  

 

If your noise is related to the traction motor load (either EV or Regen), the gearing on the transfer shaft is likely wearing away / not meshing properly likely due to "play" developing in transfer shaft (IIRC, a batch of bad bearings in MY 2013) referenced in "thumping" TSB in recent thread.  I doubt whether any additive will stop this process.

[cr08]

Also I wouldn't trust putting anything other than Ford recommended fluid in the eCVT. Since this fluid comes in direct contact with the motor windings for cooling purposes, anything that can potentially eat away at the enamel on the wiring WILL eventually cause shorts in the motor windings.

[stratosurfer]

Thanks all for the input. I was investigating maybe a 1/2 pint or so of 75w90 synthetic gear oil. I don't believe that could possibly eat off the enamel of the motor windings.

Just reviewing 'experimental' options while I try and source a transmission.

[fbov]

You're thinking like it's a shifting transmission. Plus 3's right about your approach perhaps helping a conventional "hydromatic" transmission. From everything I've read, if we have the bad bearing, it's just a matter of load on the bearing and time in service. I'm at 62K miles, so I've got you on the latter. A noisy bearing might respond to a viscosity increase, but an under-lubricated bearing won't. 

 

Mine is 10/2012 vintage, so nearly certain to have the bearing issue. The 2014 PCM update added a cold start ICE drive shut-out. The car is EV-only for a short time after cold starts. Driving out of my driveway, engine speed is low, and independent of throttle position, and I've got lots of EV oomph. By the top of the hill, the engine speed is up and we're driving normally. This change gives the problem bearing a chance to get some oil before it gets load. It's another reason you might want to rethink the 75w90. 

 

For the record, I have found one engine oil additive with positive benefits, Moly-Slip. Adding molybdenum disulfide when it's not already present will reduce fuel consumption. I drove Volvo wagons for decades. Adding Moly-Slip gave me 5-10% improvement in mileage, a couple MPG/tank. Of course, my C-Max's oil analysis shows a consistent level of Mo in base oil, and no change through life, so oil companies have figured this out.  

 

Best of luck,

Frank

[stratosurfer]

Thanks for the share on Molyslip, I surfed there site, I wonder if the manual gearbox lube would be more appropriate for an HF-35 tranny as there are no clutches?

Thanks