Weird when engaging in 2ND Gear.Does anyone have any idea whats wrong?or is it normal

[handydandy]

i just started driving my first manual car, and i seemed to have noticed something different. i cant tell if its the tranny, engine, or just my mind playing with me. I did however seem to notice this "change" today. i dont know if this is normal.

well heres the thing:

when im accelerating forward in 1st gear and then upshift to 2nd and i press down clutch and then engage into 2nd gear, the rpm drops by 1.5k.
B/c it drops so much, when upshift to 2nd gear too early (even at 3.5k), the rpm goes way down and stutters a little, making it a NOT so smooth transition. Therefore, in order to make it smooth, i have to let the rpm drop by at least 1k and then engage into 2nd and let go of clutch so that its smooth...

for example: im driving in 1st gear and press clutch at 3.5k and engage into 2nd gear. once i let go of the clutch and finally fully engages into 2nd gear, the rpm drops to 2k. its not smooth either, b/c it kind of jerks.

so what do you guys think is wrong? is this normal? or is something wrong with my tranny or engine? or is it just my mind (i mean it is my first manual car)?

[Peregrine]

lol... sounds like you need to practice driving the manual. It's hard to know exactly what you're talking about without actually seeing it, but from your explanation, it seems to me that when you're releasing the clutch, you're doing it too quickly and you're not pressing the accelerator pedal enough at the same time. I am actually pretty sure that that is your problem. And if you do that all the time, it is still only mostly noticeable when shifting from the 1st to the 2nd gear.
Don't worry, practice makes perfect :grinno:

[hoOnzABPtsX]

When my friends try driving my car they always seem to jerk it. You just need to practice, GL

[IranBT]

the shift from 1st to 2nd in a TSX is one of the hardest to master. I've driven nothing but manuals in my life(10 years now) and I have a lot of trouble finding the perfect way of shifting from 1st to 2nd in a TSX.

However, you said this just started happening, so I would be concerned. A drop of 1500rpm is too much in my opinion. I don't think the drop is that much when the car is all healthy and sound. I could be wrong.

I've noticed, changing the gear at a higher rpm(like 4000-4500) helps smoothen the shifts a lot.

Anyone know why this is?

The Drive-By-Wire acceleration pedal doesn't help either. I find it one of the cons of this car.

[Peregrine]

I never drove the M/T TSX, but I've driven many different M/T cars in my life, and the shift from 1st to 2nd is the most sensitive of all gears in all cars, not just the TSX. It was always a hassle changing from one car to another when the clutches were adjusted on them differently. Always took me a while to get used to the change.

I have a rough idea why that is (most likely because the car is at a relatively low speed), but I never really thought about it much, so I'm not gonna speculate. Perhaps someone with more mechanical knowledge could chime in and explain it thoroughly.

[ebell]

I had trouble with 1-2 shifts as well. The car felt too jerky/jumpy especially at lower speeds. I kind of fixed the problem by adding gas a bit earlier as I let out the clutch pedal.

Also, I noticed a surge in RPM right after when I released the clutch at 1st gear and a relatively faster drop afterwards (1.5K rpm drop maybe? can't remember exactly).

Why at lower speed the jerk is more prominent? I have no idea.

Neway, I think your car is perfectly normal.

[handydandy]

okay now im determined to master the 1-2 shift.

thanks guys!

[GeneralCho]

I think it is normal. I don't think there is anything wrong with your car. First and second gears are kinda tricky. Especially the long throw from 1st to 2nd and sometimes it feels notchy too.

I think the reason you noticed this change "today" is because you are probably trying to drive a little bit more agressive than compared to when you initially start driving it. I bet you drove like a grandma the first week of driving the car and you probably notice AUTO Civics out-accelerating you.

The car shuddering is because you are shifting too slow and you need to add little bit of gas while releasing the clutch into 2nd gear. The car is jerking is because you are releasing the clutch too fast and you need to press on the accelerator pedal at the point where you feel the clutch engages. You just need to practice getting use to the clutch and know how much gas to press at various RPMs. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. The engine in the 06 TSX is so smooth (although there are ppl who will argue this point), I have people tell me that my shifting is so smooth... they can't even feel me shifting gears and they think I'm driving an AUTO. Unless I'm driving agressively, I see my passengers head banging against the head rest each time I shift gears and hitting the VTEC range. Good luck.

Oh yeah...driving your first manual car is probably the most frustrating thing in the world. For me, I almost regretted buying a manual and I wanted to buy an AUTO instead. I stuck it through and at the end.... driving manual is the way to go for the TSX. Eventually you will love driving the TSX.

[EDM-TSX]

lol.... that's called driving a car.
:Popcorn:

[afici0nad0]

shifting to 2nd @ 4000rpm can help with the jerkiness.

[hoOnzABPtsX]

Its definitely one of the tougher M/T to master but once you master it its such a sweet transmission. Compared to most manual cars out today TSX is much tougher to master probably the combination of low torque and drive by wire but if you can master the TSX others cars are seems like cake

[narci]

Moved to correct forum

[TSXDude]

Its definitely one of the tougher M/T to master but once you master it its such a sweet transmission. Compared to most manual cars out today TSX is much tougher to master probably the combination of low torque and drive by wire but if you can master the TSX others cars are seems like cake

I completely agree. After learning MT on my TSX, i've driven a Mini, Mazda 3, and a few other MT cars, and all the other one seem much easier to drive.

[ians]

Go try out other MT TSX and see is it the same thing since we can't tell how's your action is. But for my TSX, the 1st to 2nd is purly smooth especially on low-mid rpm. I only have jerk sometimes when I tried to shift at high rpm(such as 6000+) but it was because the high gearing difference and not coordinate the shifting fast enough.

[StevenRFrancis]

Well, I would have to agree with a few of you that the TSX is a bit different than other cars...along with every other Honda...I have driven at least six different MT Hondas ranging in types and years. The mechanics of honda transmissions make them very easy to drive...at times, too easy :jeffy: What do I mean by that? Well, you just don't expect it to drive soo easy. Most of my friends that drive other brand cars absolutly LOVE the way Hondas drive. The only thing that they complain about is how at times, it seems too easy. I just finished driving my friends WRX. Although fun to drive, it does take a bit more work to do so...pushing the clutch takes more work, even finding the gear is a little difficult. But at any rate, every driver has his/her preference, so I am not saying that everyone should go out n buy a honda :shiner: Just remember that all cars drive a certain way. And if it's your first MT, then it WILL take a while to find that sweet spot where it doesn't jerk. Took me about 3 weeks to find it in my TSX. Now it drives like an auto :rollsmile

[hoOnzABPtsX]

I agree with you, most honda M/T transmissions are very easy and sweet to drive. I drove tegs, s2k, civics and my former car the RSX-S. I thought that the TSX wasnt a typical transmission though and needed some getting used to thats all but once you get used to it its nice. Other cars I drove I was able to find the sweet spot in minutes of driving the car (g35, 350z, wrx, etc.) Just my experience

Well, I would have to agree with a few of you that the TSX is a bit different than other cars...along with every other Honda...I have driven at least six different MT Hondas ranging in types and years. The mechanics of honda transmissions make them very easy to drive...at times, too easy :jeffy: What do I mean by that? Well, you just don't expect it to drive soo easy. Most of my friends that drive other brand cars absolutly LOVE the way Hondas drive. The only thing that they complain about is how at times, it seems too easy. I just finished driving my friends WRX. Although fun to drive, it does take a bit more work to do so...pushing the clutch takes more work, even finding the gear is a little difficult. But at any rate, every driver has his/her preference, so I am not saying that everyone should go out n buy a honda :shiner: Just remember that all cars drive a certain way. And if it's your first MT, then it WILL take a while to find that sweet spot where it doesn't jerk. Took me about 3 weeks to find it in my TSX. Now it drives like an auto :rollsmile

[nachob]

the shift from 1st to 2nd in a TSX is one of the hardest to master. I've driven nothing but manuals in my life(10 years now) and I have a lot of trouble finding the perfect way of shifting from 1st to 2nd in a TSX.

However, you said this just started happening, so I would be concerned. A drop of 1500rpm is too much in my opinion. I don't think the drop is that much when the car is all healthy and sound. I could be wrong.

I've noticed, changing the gear at a higher rpm(like 4000-4500) helps smoothen the shifts a lot.

Anyone know why this is?

The Drive-By-Wire acceleration pedal doesn't help either. I find it one of the cons of this car.

EXACTLY. I have been driving manuals for over 20 years and the TSX was the most difficult car to get a smooth shift especially between 1st and second. The problem is the drive by wire throttle. You have to keep a little pressure on the throttle during the upshift. If you take your foot completely off, it essentially cuts the engine off, then hesitates coming up to gear speed. I never had this issue with any other car. I believe my 325 also has electronic throttle but I don't that issue with it, just the TSX. I have driven other Hondas in the past and didn't have that problem either. Give it some time, it takes practice. Just remember to never take your foot completely off the gas during the upshift. I eventually got worked out when driving normally, but even after a year with the car, if I lost my concentration like when trying to pass, etc., the car would buck on me.

Good luck and congrats on getting a MT, that is the only way to go.

IB

[afici0nad0]

^

i'd attribute the 1-2 shift to dbw and gearing

[StevenRFrancis]

EXACTLY. I have been driving manuals for over 20 years and the TSX was the most difficult car to get a smooth shift especially between 1st and second. The problem is the drive by wire throttle. You have to keep a little pressure on the throttle during the upshift. If you take your foot completely off, it essentially cuts the engine off, then hesitates coming up to gear speed. I never had this issue with any other car. I believe my 325 also has electronic throttle but I don't that issue with it, just the TSX. I have driven other Hondas in the past and didn't have that problem either. Give it some time, it takes practice. Just remember to never take your foot completely off the gas during the upshift. I eventually got worked out when driving normally, but even after a year with the car, if I lost my concentration like when trying to pass, etc., the car would buck on me.

Good luck and congrats on getting a MT, that is the only way to go.

IB

WOW! That was the ony issue I have with the TSX. I always wondered why it jerked sooo much when shifting from 1st to second at 7k :wiggle: I am going to try that out on my way to skoo 2morro. Letz see how it works out :mardi: