Civic loses power in 3rd gear?

Adjusting gear ratios on six-speed auto?

• When I floor the gas pedal on my '10 RX 350 (with 6-speed automatic), full-throttle, I notice that when the 1st-gear shifts into 2nd, the initial "drop" observed in the tachometer-needle during the transition (torque-converter?) is quite steep. The needle drops to about 4,000 RPM where it stops from falling any further, picks back up from there to lift straight back up into the peak torque range (higher RPM revs). These engines are impossible to get anywhere closer to redline as a result of the electronic limiter, courtesy of Toyota. Contrary to most rev-happy Honda units, it also doesn't help that I can hardly feel the (dual) VVT-i system ever working, whereas I can almost always feel Honda's VTEC systems kick in to provide a "lifting" sensation, even during feather-light acceleration. Anyway, from 2nd to 3rd, the needle drop is around 5,000 RPM (as opposed to 4,000 from 1st to 2nd). Aside from the higher RPM, the difference in feeling at this point is that the needle "drop" is more like a needle "bounce" because the temporary loss of power and wasted time during the gear-shifting (due to the torque converter) is much less here than between the first 2 gears. The smoothness in shift quality between 2nd and 3rd gear is no worse than between 1st and 2nd, if at all. I would rather have the equally smooth and quicker-/lighter-feeling shift quality between 2nd and 3rd, as opposed to the barely smoother and much slower-/heavier-feeling between 1 and 2. In order to produce more linear acceleration, I feel that readjusting the gear ratios so as to have the automatic transmission to somehow use up all 6 of the available gears much earlier, should do the job of reproducing that "bouncy" feeling exhibited from shift 2 to 3 in between all 6 gears. The electronically-limited top maximum speed limit of a 100 something which I will never end up using, can be sacrificed to dial down to about 90 MPH, let's say, to help with this. I believe the ECU can be left alone for this, as it would have nothing to do with this particular goal. I would even prefer it if the revs would only fall down to around 6,000 RPM before rising back up, but that might be pushing it. I liken the concept of shifting smoothly to let engines take the time to breathe like people need to, but what about CVTs then that feel like an impending explosion at the end of the line? I want to make the most out of this 6-speed automatic "slushbox" that it already is, the current gear ratios are perfect for a Camry. I think the project would improve acceleration performance no only during full-throttle, but for both normal and light throttle acceleration likewise. What I am not sure is about how downshifting would change as a result, because there is already plenty of "hesitation" issues concerning downshifting for this gearbox, which I have since learned to live with, but if it gets worse?

• Answer:

  What you are talking about is a close ratio gearbox, some cars you can get these off the shelf for 5K, but for your thing i think it might cost a wee bit more, why not try having the gearbox re-mapped and see how it goes, its way cheaper.