Un-Kut

i noticed that 1st ends around 38 mph, and when i do some spirited driving i take it to the red and drop it quickly and let the tires chirp, and gun it again but i get this noticeable lull right before it has to go back up to 5000-5500 rpm, and when its time for the 2-3 shift, it gets right into its powerband with no lag whatsoever since the 2-3 gear ratio is just a bit tighter..... and the time lost in the soft spot can't be recovered in a straight line race even though thats the last thing the TSX should be doing....

moda_way

I think we termed this the 1-2 thud/dump a long time ago. Though not good for the clutch, as you go from 1-2, slip in 2nd if at high revs or short the top rev by 500 RPMs and the thud is more manageable I have found out. This was a common thing for 04-05 TSXs, but I think it was managed better/disappeared in the 2006.

Newplay1

Uhh where have you been? Its been like that with all of Hondas/Acuras for the last 6yrs..

I heard getting short-shifter or installing clubrsx metal bushing helps..

gdcwatt

Nope, my 06 often has a problem with the 1-2 shift, and it's there at different engine speeds. It seems more a function of electronics (DBW?) than gearing, when there is a definite cut-out of power, at high rpm, even though my foot is on the gas.

The low-speed shift isn't nearly as annoying as my wife's wtf-are-you-doing look.

vacantlot3423

Is your VSA off? If you chirp with it on, it will apply the brakes to "stabilize" the car. No matter what though, there's always going to be a power dip at 5k. Unless you get Hondata

PittIsIt

I've noticed this for sure. Maybe it's the tech overcompensating?

Also, I skip 3rd gear very regularly on a fast acceleration from start to 70 mph. I'll go 1-2-4-6 on my way up. Anyone else do this?

cibs

my 06 has the same thing from the 1-2 shift... i thought i was the only one...

jdepasqu2

Metal Bushings......., Can Someone Explain How They Would Help....., Im Not That Familiar With, Or Not Exactly Sure What Your Refering To.

offset_98

My '06 does it too...I just don't rev the pee out of it. I plan on getting hondadata though.

waTSX

Discussed many, many times before, and moda_way, I think the '06 MT is exactly the same as previous models.

Black 6 speed rectified the problem by changing out certain gears, but I can't remember exactly what he did...installed RSX gearing? Something like that.

julyccc

do you guys notice the same problem at lower rpm?


i

curls

Beware that there was a bulletin in Honda News about this causing premature synchro wear, as the 4th gear synchro has to compensate for you not using 3rd gear.

It wouldn't shock me that your 4th gear synchro is getting worn a lot faster than the others.

vwong

Welcome to........2003???

Black_6spd

From the way the original poster described it, the "lull" during the upshift sounds like the DBW cutting throttle. If this is the case, I hate this as well.

Although my avatar says otherwise, I don't turn VSA off all the time. I'm thinking of getting the KPT mod for this. VSA was responsible for some close-calls where my aggressive decision needed some hard accelerating. At times, the darned thing would cut the throttle and traffic would almost hit me.

Unfortunately, not even my RSX-S gears compensate for this stupid thing. It might actually make this thing worse when VSA is on because I land higher on the RPM band (usually vtec ) There isn't a single day I've driven my TSX where DBW would actually benefit me outside of saving my tires and possibly clutch wear. I'll take a cable-throttle anyday.

rb1

Optimal gearing has been sacrificed for 0-60 times, and 2nd is geared too tall (overall for the transmission) so that you can hit 60 mph without requiring another shift.

The 1-2 gap is disproportionately large compared to the other gear spacing.

majormojo

I always figured the 1-2 gap was not to optimize 0-60 times, but to compensate for the (perceived) lack of low-end torque. That is, the car feels quicker off the line because of the low gearing of 1st. It's always felt to me like the 2-3-4 ratios were spaced about right, and that 1 was just too short.

Oh, and to complete vwong's 2003 flashback, how about I complain that the 5-6 gap is too small.

Jurisprudent

I noticed this for the first time yesterday actually. I didn't notice if the VSA light came on - I didn't see it (but was being thrown forward), but it felt like a cut. Very odd though, because I had never noticed it until yesterday (only had the car 2 weeks) - I don't drive it hard except on rare moments.

Is the consensus that this IS caused by the VSA cutting the throttle, or is it just a severe lug?

Interestingly enough, I did once take the car just shy of the rev limiter, and except for the VSA system kicking in momentarily to quelch wheelspin, I didn't feel as severe of a lug.

aaronng

Just try it with VSA off to see if it makes a difference.

Jurisprudent

come on... that's too easy

I'm trying to be gentle on the car (only 700 miles), but I'm not doing too well lately.

ILoveMyHonda

I know exactly what you mean haha