Just have to say that almost every day I am amazed at the virtually unlimited power of the motor in my 6MT. I mean, BMW always promotes powerful engines as the way to avoid accidents. Let me tell you, someone from BMW should drive the TL, because this engine has allowed me to quickly get out of several sticky situations!

 

I miss my torque.

 

My friends BMW 330i with 'only' 225 horsepower is as quick as my TL. I think they underrate their motors. I only start to reel him in at high speeds.

 

Get a supercharger when available

 

Thats a suprise? I had no problem beating a 330i. I almost felt bad for the guy.

 

That's my only complaint about this engine. Honda engines in general have crappy torque numbers But man it is smooooothhh...

 

I love the way mine sounds, especially when the VTEC changes the cam profile. And the 6MT shifts every so smoooth.

 

I plan on it

 

I have to say that my 02 TL-S seems to have more low end torque than my 04. The TL-S also has a more obvious VTEC change over and a meaner sounding VTEC (even before I added an AEM CAI). However, the 04 engine is smoother and more "seamless" than the Type S motor. It seems like a refined type S motor made for high speed cruising.

 

the reason the 330 seams as quick is power to weight ratio ...... pretty obvious ... that and the fact that the gear ratios are probably different as well

 

Your right they have great gear ratios and their cars seem to put alot of their power to the ground.

 

I agree w/ 2k2 .. my TL-S had more "snap" down-low .. off-the-line torque than does this '04. Perhaps it has something to do w/ the ECT, dunno.

I like the throatier stock exhaust on this '04 .. over time, I've noticed more of a deeper pitch to the exhaust at lower rpms.. i like it... b/c i do not plan on replacing this exhaust system.

This engine is definitely smoother at idle than my TypeS was.. perhaps this is due to better engine mounts or steering mounts..

 

If the TL was about 300lbs lighter.. you'd all notice a big difference in low-end snap...

 

rear seats and spare tire will bring you close

 

Peter,

I agree with you.....i really like the throaty exhaust on the 04. There are times and certain RPMs where the throatyness really comes out.

 

In a nerdie mood - it is not a motor - it is an engine. This is the thing the profs and upper classmen at Thayer School of Engineering loved to beat up on us freshmen knowitalls.

P.S. Your windshield wipers have a motor.

 

I love the wiper motor. It has so much more torque than my 00 Altima... :blaze:

 

Yeah, if it froze on the windshield, the car would flip!*

*off topic anecdote from the RR memory dept: when I was 16 I was admitted to an Ivy League college, and as a reward for being a nerd, my Dad, who had no idea of my thirst for power, offered to buy me a car for "no more than $4000", which was real good coin back then. So I bought a new 1968 $2800 Road Runner with plaid bench seat, and a little engine option called the Street Hemi, at $1200 - ergo, $4000. How I survived the first week I do not know, but the tires were gone in a month, and by month 2 I had a magneto on there, slicks, hi rise/duration camshaft, open exhaust cutouts, pushing over 500 HP. Anyway, at the strips, a bunch of gearheads, Mopar vs Chevy, were discussing "whose was bigger", torque wise - the Hemi or a 427 big block? I got instant teenage legend status by rolling up with that hoggin engine blamp-gurlgla-blapping with that cam causing a wonderful lumpy idle, and I rolled down the window and said "Guys, I am about to drop the hammer on this sucker, and when I do, God willin' and the slicks hold, I will cause the Earth to stop spinning".

 

I've chirped 2nd and 3rd....on brand spanking new blacktop to boot. Yes...this car hauls.

 

To Roag Rage;

My daddy taught the difference between motors and engines when I was.. maybe 6 years old? I virtually never refer to the engine in an automobile as a "motor" but I know a bunch of people who do.


As for the power of this engine, or the lack thereof, I would prefer more power.. read that as torque. What most people don't understand is that it's torque that you feel most of the time you are driving you car. While Acura did an outstanding job of tuning the engine and the ECU to deliver excellent throttle response, I would like to see more and torque and more horsepower. I should think that the drive train in the TL could comfortably handle 300 horsepower and perhaps another 30-40 lb/ft of torque.

That would be nice.

 

TL is torquey enough for daily driving. If you want to go hardcore wait for the Comptech S/C.

 

I think with the SH-AWD system, Honda/Acura will look to put that in as many platforms as possible to spread out its cost of development. So, you may just get 300 hp in a TL sooner, rather than later! Hopefully when my lease is up, a TL SH-AWD will be available! Or better yet, some sort of Acura sports coupe, a BMW M3 beater, to play off of its Formula 1 and Indy car racing programs...would be nice.

Honda has neglected the North American market's craving for Honda race inspired cars for too long! We want Type-Rs in all models...even a CRV!!

 

To Replublican_TL:

I'm not a fan of AWD.. too much of a purist, I guess. That's why I still prefer RWD over FWD. But the TL is a VERY good FWD car, in my opinion. Not as good as the Ford SVT Contour (but then, what FWD is?).. but darned good, that's for sure.

I do, however, very much like the throttle response with this engine. Somehow because of its sensitivity and immediate response, I am not as apt to nail the throttle as much as I might otherwise.

 

OK. First...think of the Brits....second take a look at this webstie http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=motor

 

The Brits!!! They do use the Queen's English across the pond!

 

Good one! I was just tying to make a pointless point. That's all.