My wife and I recently purchased a 2005 TL 6-spd with 77,000 miles. I have owned several manual transmissions before ('91 300ZX, '88 300ZX, '87 300ZX, '01 Altima, '03 G35) and never had any problems adjusting. I am having problems with the power per throttle curve at low speeds - it seems like the power kicks in very quickly. I talked to an Acura service advisor today, and he told me it is very normal for new TL drivers to get use to the manual transmission, even if they have driven manual transmissions a lot in the past. They drove my car and said it is behaving normal for a TL and to give it a month or two, and I would adjust -- thoughts?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

everyone will agree here that the TL's clutch is one of the hardest clutches to figure out.
took me 3 months to get silky smooth shifts.

 

Here is a popular mod that we do to help our shifting.
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/113-removal-slave-cylinder-check-valve-734300/

we take out the check valve in the clutch slave cylinder.
the check valve modulates fluid.
without it, the clutch operates how a normal clutch should operate.

 

here's a thread to support, that you aren't alone in your MT frustrations...
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/6mt-owners-815100/

the TLs clutch is a bit touchy to get used to, but not nearly as bad as my 91 civic Si HB where the engagement point was freakin' small. so i guess for me, having driven my civic way back when, muscle memory kicked in for the TL so my learning curve was a few days.

give it some time, once you get used to it, you'll enjoy the car a lot more.

 

Im finally getting used to the clutch in my 08 TL-S 6mt. I was starting to get worried that I wasnt going to get used to it and not like the car. I have had many stick cars including the C6 Z06 in my avatar amnd no car was this difficult to figure out. However now its becoming pretty easy to master and im enjoying it now. As people are saying you literally just have to give it time and youll get it.

James

 

Thanks for the input. Got out and drove quite a bit today - getting use to the feel more. The biggest issue is getting out of my neighborhood - the speed limit is 20 MPH and road conditions are hilly and curvy. If I put it in 2nd gear, it requires very light throttle and it seems this where the ride is a bit jerky. But once I on regular roads (30 MPH+), no issues at all.

 

he's not used to the throttle.

You'll learn that Honda throttles in general are the most responsive out of many manufacturers. I see this is your first manual Honda. I've noticed this fact from civics to odyssesys, and the TL when I test drove it. In comparison my friend's sienna and the toyotas i've driven are definitely not as responsive.

 

Ya the throttle is hard to get used it its very touchy, I've had my TL for 3 weeks now and still iffy.

 

The only car I had that had an even more twitchy throttle was my Scion tC. That car was impossible to drive smoothly through a parking garage or anywhere else where you left it in first or second. In the neighborhoods with my TL, I usually end up in 3rd poking along so it doesn't jump around so much.

 

I did some testing while driving today. If I go to a flat road, hold a constant speed (say 30 MPH) in 3rd gear (2000 - 2500 RPM), I still get some jerkiness in the speed (holding a constant position on the throttle). However, if I put cruise on at the same speed, the jerkiness goes away. This would indicate to me a either a noisy throttle sensor? What am I missing here?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

I just ordered the APP sensor - if $100+ fixes this issue, well worth it to me. I'll let you know the results.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

I didn't think the cruise control would work at such a low speed but I think that a constant gas feed would be more smooth than a foot. The TL os very jerky in low gears if you are not used to it.

 

Bender - I'll let you know. On a flat, smooth, road and constant gear, I should be able to hold a constant speed without jerkiness. I bought this car $3,000 below retail with a brand new clutch, 4 new tires, and a 6 month warranty. I have no issue investing $125 into this - I love the dynamics of the car when not trying to hold a constant velocity!

Kevin

 

Let us know if this solves it. Good luck.

 

Welcome and congrats!

 

I will also be waiting to hear how this works. You may have seen my other thread relating to a similar issue with my 08 Type S 6mt. Mainly in 3rd gear and sometimes in second the car has a jerky acceleration. Sometimes its worse than other times but it doesnt feel normal to me. The dealership says nothin is wrong even though I got the car to jerk easily for a couple techs and they both acknowledged feeling it. Normal acceleration in 3rd gear is pretty annoying to me because its not smooth. The car lurches a little as if its pulling timing then reapplying it. No help from the dealership so im on my own with this one. I was thinking of purchasing a tool called Autotap and run it with my laptop plugged into the car to see what all the sensors are doing such as the 02's and knock sensor. Maybe I can see something goofy going on while going through 3rd gear.

 

I noticed that with the lw pulley, a lot of the on/off throttle jerkiness went away at low speeds.

 

While the "cruise control" is merely the ECM controlling the throttle actuator (which of course does not rely on an APP sensor input), I'll be surprised if replacing the APP sensor solves the issue.

If the new APP sensor doesn't work, I'd check your throttle cable adjustment:



Other than that, it may be just getting used to the DBW system...

 

Hello, new owner here. Have a strange question. I have the six speed. In gear, when I am cruising and give more throttle, the rpms drop like in an automatic and then climb. What does this mean? Thanks in advance!

 

They drop? Or they just spike upwards?

 

It actually drops about 500 rpms then accelerates. It feels like how an automatic downshift then goes. It's weird. It's not rough at all... It's a smooth transition but it definitely drops.

 

Any other hesitations or jerks when accelerating? If the tach moves up/down without an appropriately equivalent amount of acceleration/deceleration, then the clutch is slipping. My tach never drops or changes unexpectedly if the clutch is engaged. The only time my tach has ever been jumpy was when my APP sensor was on the fritz and it became nearly impossible to drive smoothly.

 

It was the clutch. Went out a few days later. Now, in the shop getting fixed. 1400 dollars later.

 

$1400?!?!? OUCH!

The OEM replacement parts without the Honda name on the package can be had for around $380 from rockauto INCLUDING A NEW FLYWHEEL. Something you should also be replacing with the clutch kit because as these dual mass flywheels go, they're closely related to the wearing of the clutch disc. Kind of like brake pads and rotors. Take it from 1st hand experience, replace the flywheel too! You'll be a lot happier down the road, no pun intended.

Then be sure to fill the transmission with the GM Syncromesh Transmission fluid - FRICTION MODIFIED. Although I believe it's been replaced with an AC Delco version now - available at most Chevy dealers.
.
.

 

Not everyone can change their cars clutch themselves nor everyone wants to when they can. This is why shops exist and that is a good price to do a clutch job. No need to be so dramatic.

 

My thoughts exactly. I am hoping I will be able to get my clutch replaced for under $1500 when the time comes....I have 155K miles on the original clutch...it is just a matter of time.