In this paper we study a so-called separatrix map introduced by Zaslavskii–Filonenko (Sov Phys JETP 27:851–857, 1968) and studied by Treschev (Physica D 116(1–2):21–43, 1998; J Nonlinear Sci 12(1):27–58, 2002), Piftankin (Nonlinearity (19):2617–2644, 2006) Piftankin and Treshchëv (Uspekhi Mat Nauk 62(2(374)):3–108, 2007). We derive a second order expansion of this map for trigonometric perturbations. In Castejon et al. (Random iteration of maps of a cylinder and diffusive behavior. Preprint available at arXiv:1501.03319, 2015), Guardia and Kaloshin (Stochastic diffusive behavior through big gaps in a priori unstable systems (in preparation), 2015), and Kaloshin et al. (Normally Hyperbolic Invariant Laminations and diffusive behavior for the generalized Arnold example away from resonances. Preprint available at http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/vkaloshi/, 2015), applying the results of the present paper, we describe a class of nearly integrable deterministic systems with stochastic diffusive behavior.