The Acura TSX offers a few engine choices across its two generations of production. Here are the details you need to know before you buy.
Though the Acura TSX is a relatively new vehicle, having made its debut in North America for the 2004 model year, it has been through two generational changes since it made its first appearance.
From the beginning, the TSX was available with a four-cylinder engine option. However, the introduction of the second-generation came with the 2009 Acura TSX, and alongside its updated looks came a more powerful six-cylinder option.
In the market for a pre-owned TSX? If so, which engine is right for you? Let’s take a brief look at the history of the TSX and go over the details you need to know about the engines under their hoods.
Is a Acura TSX a Good Car?
The Acura TSX is the more luxurious and performance-oriented version of the Honda Accord. Because of this, the TSX retains Honda’s notoriety for quality and dependable vehicles at a reasonable price. Like the Accord, it is a front-engine front-wheel-drive vehicle.
The first-generation Acura TSX debuted in 2003 and continued production through the 2008 model year. As mentioned, it was available only with a four-cylinder engine. They are available with both automatic and six-speed manual transmissions.
The second-generation Acura TSX debuted for the 2009 model year. Like the previous generation, they were available with either an automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
Although the base second-gen TSX still uses a four-cylinder engine, a V6 option was added to the lineup.
Furthermore, the TSX station wagon body style known as the Sport Wagon became available starting with the 2010 model year TSX. However, the Sport Wagon was only available with an automatic transmission.
Overall, the TSX is a great option for someone looking into a dependable sedan or wagon. It won’t break the bank but still offers some luxury features and a more spirited driving experience than a standard Honda Accord or another economy sedan.
Next, let’s take a look at the engines offered with the TSX and their specific details.
First-generation Acura TSX Engine
The first-generation Acura TSX came only with the Honda K24 four-cylinder engine. If you are familiar with the performance and tuner car world, you’ve undoubtedly heard the praise sung of the Honda K series four-cylinder engine. They are notoriously stout and popular among high-performance racing applications. In fact, the Honda K series engine is getting swapped into all kinds of performance cars due to its reliability and durability.
The K24 is the 2.4-liter variant of the Honda K series engine family. It is an inline four-cylinder engine that uses dual-overhead-camshaft construction. Like most modern Honda engines, the K24 uses the i-VTEC variable valve timing system.
Both the engine block and cylinder head are made of aluminum. Instead of a belt, the K24 uses a timing chain, which is one of the major reasons it is so reliable.
Specifically, the engine found in the 2004-2008 Acura TSX is the K24A2. It has a compression ratio of 10.5 to 1 and has a redline of 7,000 rpm. It makes 200 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque.
The K24 is relatively fuel-efficient, especially considering the Acura TSX is a fairly sporty car to drive. Manual transmission-equipped examples see EPA fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
Automatic variants see a bump to 20 mpg city but retain the 28 mpg highway rating.
Second-generation Acura TSX Engines
Like the first-generation TSX, the second-generation models came with a four-cylinder engine in the iconic K series family. It, again, is a K24. Because of this, the engine construction is largely the same as in earlier models.
However, this variant, the K24Z3, has a couple of changes compared to the K24A2 found in the first-generation models, which are outlined by K Power.
The most notable difference is the switch from using individual exhaust ports (one for each cylinder) to only using one. Additionally, the compression ratio is a bit higher at 11 to 1. The resulting power output is 201 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque. While it isn’t a drastic increase compared to older models, it is a bit higher.
According to the EPA, the fuel economy sees a decent increase with the manual transmission-equipped 2010 Acura TSX seeing 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Automatic transmission K24 examples do even better with ratings of 21 mpg city and 20 mpg highway.
If you’re looking for a more powerful Acura TSX, though, the best place to look is undoubtedly toward the V6 model.
Acura TSX V6 Engine
Starting for the 2010 model year, the TSX was available with a V6 engine, offering a substantial jump in power compared to the four-cylinder variants. However, the additional power does come with a couple of caveats.
To the dismay of many car enthusiasts, the V6 models were only offered with an automatic transmission. Furthermore, the V6 was only available in the sedan models and not for the Sport Wagon.
The V6 engine in 2010 through 2014 Acura TSX models is the Honda J35Z6 engine. In different forms, the J35 has been around since 1998 and has long powered models like the Honda Pilot and Honda Odyssey minivan.
Over the years, the construction has remained the same for the most part, with different components depending on what year and application it was found in. Here are the specifics on the J35 engine found in the TSX.
Like the four-cylinder engines, the J35 has both aluminum cylinder heads and an aluminum engine block. Also, like the four-cylinder, the J35 uses dual-overhead-camshaft construction and Honda’s i-VTEC variable valve timing system.
The J35Z6 found in the Acura TSX has an 11.2 to 1 compression ratio. Additionally, it uses a two-stage intake manifold that increases airflow when activated at 3,950 rpm. This increases the air going into the engine shortly before the rpm, at which the i-VTEC system is activated to maximize power and efficiency.
The Acura TSX with the J35 V6 engine has 280 horsepower and 254 lb.-ft. of torque, which is a monstrous step up from the four-cylinder models.
The added power does come at the cost of fuel economy, though it isn’t as bad as one might assume. The J35 equipped TSX has EPA ratings of 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
Acura TSX Engine Problems
Though Honda is known for building reliable engines, nothing is without fault. While you can safely count on an Acura TSX with any of the available engines, there are a few known issues to look out for, according to Tuning Pro.
In four-cylinder models, the K24 with higher mileage is known to leak oil out of the front crankshaft seal, also known as the front main seal. Typically this occurs in K24 engines with 120,000 or more miles, but may also happen to cars with lower mileage strictly due to the age. If the front main seal is leaking, you may notice a burning oil smell or see a visible oil leak.
A slightly more problematic issue some K24 engines run into is the premature wearing of camshaft lobes on the exhaust camshaft. When looking at a used TSX, be sure to listen for a clicking or tapping sound coming from the top of the engine.
Furthermore, if the car seems low on power, it may have a damaged camshaft. This damage can be prevented by proper maintenance and the use of quality oils, so a car with good maintenance history paperwork present is a major plus when shopping for a TSX.
Finally, another issue the K24 engine may run into is the failure of the timing chain tensioner. This can result in too much slack in the timing chain, causing camshaft timing to be put out of spec. As a result, the pistons could contact the valves and cause serious engine damage that may result in having to replace the engine entirely. Though it is not extremely common, it is important to listen for abnormal rattling and clanking sounds toward the front of the engine.
Recognizing Acura TSX Engine Issues
Acura TSX V6 models also have an issue with premature and excessive camshaft wear, according to My Wiki Motors. Though it is not a common issue, it does occur from time to time. Like with the four-cylinder version, it is important to listen for abnormal noises from the engine and request maintenance history.
So long as there are no obvious noises pointing towards this failure, and high-quality oil has been used and changed within a reasonable timeframe, you are not likely to run into this issue.
Other than these issues, the Acura TSX is a relatively problem-free car, and you should feel comfortable purchasing one as a daily driver. As with any car, regular and proper maintenance is important.
Additionally, when shopping for an Acura TSX or any used vehicle, it is important to know the vehicle’s history. You can get an in-depth look at any vehicle’s accident and ownership history with our free VIN research tool.
Photos: Acura
