So I love my 2004 TL and every now and then enjoy running through the 6MT. But recently have a realy weird problem...

When going to redline in 2nd gear it feels like the rev-limiter kicks in at 6100 RPM. I felt it while merging onto the freeway in 2nd (just thought I wasn't paying attention and hit the limiter) and then a few more times until I confirmed the symptoms.

That's the only way I can describe it. It feels and sounds exactly like hitting the rev-limiter...car pulls very strongly through RPMs and then abruptly loses power - like there is no fuel/spark. Otherwise car works great. 1st gear acts normally and so does 3rd - I'll probably confirm that today (that it only affects 2nd)

Any ideas or more things to test before I take it to the shop? thanks in advance.

 

Test it again. It was never a problem before?

 

never a problem before...just noticed it about a month ago (just thought I was hitting the limiter) and confirming it yesterday (only in second)

Its not sporadic either. reproducable everytime. I'll provide more info after today, but like I said it is definately consistent.

 

well I confirmed it. doesn't happen in 1st gear but does in 2nd.

Could be any number of things so I'll just take it to the shop. ECU should tell them what is up. something is telling it to stop fuel/spark.

 

Well this is embarassing...

I was low on oil. Problem solved.

I started communting 150 miles a day instead of 30 and just didn't realize how many miles I was putting on the car.

ECU must have picked up low oil pressure and backed off the throttle.

 

Interesting. Perhaps this is a stupid question. Why would the ECU pull back only in 2nd and not in 1st? Did you have an opportunity to check in 3rd (although redline in 3rd is well above any speed limit...)

 

as I began more testing it happened in 2nd and 3rd. This would make sense as there would be a pretty strong load on the motor (higher gearing)

Nice to know the car was looking out for itself. "DUDE! I ain't gonna put that much stress on me...no throttle for you!"

 

Why were you low on oil?

 

because I'm an idiot and didn't realize it had been so many miles since an oil change...1000 miles a week will do that to ya (started new job, had a lot going on, was negligent)

It was completely my fault.