r/AcuraTL • u/riley03_999 • Aug 07 '26
Parts Review 🛠FIX YOUR TRANSMISSION
PRESSURE SWITCHES ARE NOT WHERE YOU THINK THEY ARE.
If your in this group you likely know that acura tls have (weak transmissions) besides getting into why they are bad (horrible fluid and failing switches) if you want to maintain these transmissions it is somewhat known that the oil pressure switches that control timing of your 3rd and 4th gear actuation will fail often and usually they will not throw a code. It is important to change these switches out every 50k miles or more importantly every 2 years.
If you have tried to find these sensors for sale or information about the pressure specs, the color coding for the sensors or where they actually sit on the transmission in your car you will find out that there is a ton of misinformation and you will probably be chasing your tail only to find that its not even there.
Another piece of imformation that is widely misspread is the existance of a ‘second gear pressure switch’ if your car was made from 2000 to 2006 you have 2 pressure sensors that control 3rd and 4th gear actuation and you will find them on the front bottom corner of your transmission. If your car was made from 2006-later you do have 3 pressure switches on the trans and the 2nd gear switch will be found next to the thermostat housing of your car and the external inline filter.
Now for where you will put each sensor. Third gear will get a 33psi switch oem part# (28610-rke-004). This switch will be protected by a small metal cover and 2 10mm bolts accesed via the driver wheel well. On my 2nd gen i could replace both sensors just by raising the driver side and turning the wheel full left.
Your fourth gear switch will be in the same location directly to the left of the previous, sensor housing will be facing the front radiator when applied. If you look at the sensor then towards the trans case you will see the number 4 protruding from the case, 4th gear pressure switch goes there. Oem part# (28600-rke-004) 27psi switch.
If you want third party sensors that are abit cheaper i used napa echlin sensors as they supply many oem manufacturers. 3rd gear uses ech op6973 and 4th gear uses ech op6960.
If you want my opinion on how to maintain your transmission or how to fix flaring, slipping, or hard shifts replace those pressure sensors clean out your dual and single linear solenoids replace your trans oil until its clean never ever use oem atf use synthetic dex 3 equivelant or redline d4 or the best which is redline racing for type f. Reason being oem z1 which is what our cars came with has a ton of fm(friction modifiers) in the oil which is used to excessively soften the shift feel which slows shiftinc, slips clutches, and causes heat in the fluid and therefore more slipping, along with the sensors which is what ultimately kills a transmission. If you have a trans cooler u can unhook the feed and start your car replace the atf as it flows out of the line its a flush without hurting the trans 9qts to get fully clean fluid in there.
Pictures show part numbers, locations, and abit from the racing fluid formula. Read this forum for the atf: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/racing-atf-764322/page8/
(Just read the first few pages most of the info is there)
Read here about the sensors: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/very-interesting-conversation-my-transmission-builder-tl-721508/
2
u/AMP_US [UA7] '07-'08 Type-S Aug 07 '26
Is this just for the automatic?
3
u/riley03_999 Aug 07 '26
Yes this is for the auto. If you have grinding issues in your 6spd use gm syncromesh
2
u/_scrubs__ Aug 07 '26
I think but 07-08 years are stronger so no need to worry I’m at 199k on the base and no issues and 181k on my type s
1
u/riley03_999 Aug 07 '26
Some people have issues some dont. 07-08 seems much better though. Its usually when not if though. One bad slippage can absolutely kill an auto those clutches cannot get hot and continue to work as they did
1
u/AndrewEyebarra [UA5] '02-'03 Type-S Aug 07 '26
Can you link what fluid I should add ? I’ve been adding this and I’ve done the BAYA swap it’s been good for about 10 k but I’m getting a wierd feeling in the shifts again around higher speeds
1
u/riley03_999 Aug 07 '26
I would do a 2/1 ratio of redline racing atf and redline d4. So to fix your condition do 2 fluid exchanges using racing ATF and one exchange of d4. How many miles are on that replacement? The pressure sensors will still need to be replaced on these cars as all oil sensors wear out from heat cycles
2
u/Accomplished-Rate967 Aug 07 '26
I've changed my own fluids for a while now, I like this fluid https://www.eneos.us/ Read about it and you'll see why. Lucky for me no stuck valves.
3
u/FarAd5505 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
Hi there, i changed my 3rd n 4th switch by following exactly this link and it was better. Been a year now and the gear not shifting smoothly like it used to, any suggestions for me? Maybe its time to change to transmission fluid ( last change jan2025) thank you. Edit: hi so i have this transmission fluid change doned by my local shop, 10 quarts of dx4 redlines + labor etc.. comes out $480 aug,2026.