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March, 2024

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For those of you with subaru imprezas...

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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

If any of you have ever had to replace a clutch on theirs, how does it feel when it starts to slip?

Mine has absolutely ZERO problem when i'm in every gear EXCEPT when going up a hill in 5th gear, in which it feels like its slipping... however, after a while this problem seems to just dissapear, and it drives completely fine... as if oil was getting all up on the clutch and causing it to slip or something...

I know that when the clutch went out on my GTI a few years back, it just started slipping in every gear like a madman right from the start... rather than in only one gear, and only when going up a hill and only once in a while.

Is this what happened in your suby when your clutch went out? because, i'm REALLY baffled by this issue as to what is actually happening...

Jun 30 2009 2:12AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
why are you going up hills in 5th gear? put er in 2nd n jump that trick at the top!
Jun 30 2009 2:14AM
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eheath
Posts: 61100 - Karma: 118,250
Yeah i'm confused why you're in 5th going up hill too, just put it down a gear and send it.
Jun 30 2009 2:17AM
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runescape-jibba
Posts: 45 - Karma: 10
i have a bike not a car
Jun 30 2009 2:18AM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
lmfao 5th gear.... jesus
Jun 30 2009 2:21AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

okay.. i guess I didnt explain myself well - for those of you who live in places where there are no mountain passes that you have to climb while on the freakin freeway...

here in california, our freeways go over hills... therefore.. when i'm going over 65mph, in 5th gear, up a grade, and my tach starts climbing for no reason... something is up, and i'm scared its the clutch.. or something of that nature.

Jun 30 2009 2:28AM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
its your clutch trying to save you from a speeding ticket perhaps
Jun 30 2009 2:32AM
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sick-as-aids
Posts: 3453 - Karma: 1,007
take it to a garage.... i have a legacy.... when somthing starts to feel wrong, i get it cheaked out....a number of times they have been just able to fix it, and said if i had left it i would of needed to replace parts costing twice as much.

basically you wana make sure you can get it fixed and dont have to replace a clutch
Jun 30 2009 2:33AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

yeah.. i'm going to take it in anyway.. but i was wondering if theres something up about subys and the way their clutches wear or something, because it seems like a pretty bizzaro issue.

just my first subaru with a stick shift, so its the one thing i am not 100% on yet i guess.

Jun 30 2009 2:38AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
how many miles are on the clutch?  just seems weird for a clutch to go only in high gears, especially if youre not feeling it anywhere else.  does the action feel short when taking off from first?
Jun 30 2009 2:41AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

like i said. no problems at all except in 5th gear, going up a hill or GRADE i guess is the better way to call it in this case..

action feels fine in every other gear. so weird..

Jun 30 2009 2:42AM
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K2theExtreme
Posts: 107 - Karma: 23
well.....how many miles are on the car with the current clutch? Do you drive it hard? Are you the original owner? Maybe from the Cali heat "depends on where in Cali, duh" it gets the clutch warmed up enough that it feels like slipping a little.
Jun 30 2009 2:43AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

car has a lot of miles on it... 196k

however, those miles are an indicator that this might not be the first clutch... no idea how many miles are on it either, since it was salvage titled in Bangor, Maine, where they didnt keep the records or whatever (it had a dent in the front fender.. not a mechanical salvage)

whatever though.. it just seems really bizzare to me the way its 'going out'

Jun 30 2009 2:46AM
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K2theExtreme
Posts: 107 - Karma: 23

def. ask a transmission shop, it sounds like maybe something just needs to be adjusted, but having anything inspected is going to be pricey I bet

Jun 30 2009 2:50AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
highly doubt its the tranny... if anything its a clutch problem... which is still a bitch to get inspected seeing as you have to pull the damn engine to do the task on imprezas.. fuck...
Jun 30 2009 2:51AM
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WhiteBurd
Posts: 1127 - Karma: 98
could be 5th gear is going out, is it a dramatic climb or just slightly
Jun 30 2009 2:56AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
well first off...196k speaks volumes for subaru haha.  id assume that couldnt possibly be first clutch though.  with that many miles, you might be looking at a tranny problem...seems more likely than a clutch with the way youre describing it, especially if its engaging fine in other gears.
Jun 30 2009 2:58AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

196 doesnt speak shit for subaru homie.. they're known for lasting waaay longer than that.

my brothers driving my old legacy wagon and that has 312k on it just for reference haha.

but yes, its definitely a clutch, because theres no knocking or anything with the tranny that would indicate a problem with engagement at all... and its not an auto transmission so slipping is going to be a problem with the clutch.

Jun 30 2009 3:03AM
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WhiteBurd
Posts: 1127 - Karma: 98
how many rpm's are you at when it does this?
Jun 30 2009 3:08AM
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Static
Posts: 8491 - Karma: 4,059
sounds like a clutch problem to me, but it would slip when you go WOT in the lower gears too. But when your clutch is going out you'll notice an rpm jump with no increase and/or light decrease in speed under load. When my first clutch started slipping I made it two more weeks before it finally gave out leaving me stranded on the highway, second clutch that started slipping I replaced right away. It'll probably be around $500-600
Jun 30 2009 3:10AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
that rules, 312k, thats volvo 240 shit.

im driving an '00 range rover with 147k and a myriad of problems, i get nervous every time i drive more than 20 miles from home.  my sister has an '01 bmw 325i wagon with 154k that i drive from time to time, and that beast is still troopin hard.  i guess buying english is a mistake...should have realized that with my '95 range rover, had to pull the fuel pump out by hand half the time i wanted to drive the thing.

id get it checked out before replacing the clutch...just seems super odd for a clutch to slip only in 5th gear at low rpms.  if its doing nothing in 1st-4th, i guess you gota be stoked youre not looking at tranny issues.  either way, get it going if not only for the satisfaction youll get watching the numbers creep to 200k on the odometer haha.
Jun 30 2009 3:11AM
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WhiteBurd
Posts: 1127 - Karma: 98

  1. Put the handbrake on.

    Turn the engine on.

    Depress the clutch pedal and put the transmission in fourth gear.

    Slowly let up on the clutch while stepping on the gas pedal.

    If you are able to completely release the clutch pedal without the engine stalling (or the car moving), your clutch is history.

Jun 30 2009 3:14AM
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Static
Posts: 8491 - Karma: 4,059
lol, I doubt I could roll from 4th without the handbrake
Jun 30 2009 3:18AM
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WhiteBurd
Posts: 1127 - Karma: 98
my shop teacher told me another way but it is harsher and puts alot of stress on the drivelines. if you want i could tell you how to do that but i wont be responsible for drive shafts or transfer cases
Jun 30 2009 3:21AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

Ha, yeah.. well.. i just drove a Volvo 740gle to oblivion... 387k and then the electricals just started to go whacko, so I bought this subaru. I plan on running it to 300k as well if I can.

only 3750 to go till I creep another odometer over 200k... it will be the 4th car i've done so with.

Jun 30 2009 3:23AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
740 turbo was my first car...i remember watching it go to 85k when my mom used to drive it.

170k and the second owner is still gettin after it with no problems.  old volvos refuse to die.  got rear ended in my friend 240 wagon at about 35mph by at new civic...civic was totaled, antifreeze spraying everywhere, hood crunched up into the smashed windshield, the works.

the volvo?  broken muffler mount, $70 fix (that insurance called $600 or some shit...not a bad come up).  no broken glass even.  you cant fuckin break em.
Jun 30 2009 3:28AM
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WhiteBurd
Posts: 1127 - Karma: 98
the reason is older cars were made of steal not the new cheap as crap, and werent tested as harsh for crashes, the car does that for a reason. older cars also are made out of quality and not for quatnity.
Jun 30 2009 3:33AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

yep... my 740gle lasted me through 3 other cars - GTI (which hit 196k befor the fuel system just couldnt be fixed anymore, so mad..) Legacy Wagon (which I sold to my brother when he aged 16) and a jeep grand cherokee that my dad still owns, but let me drive for a bit.

i put that thing through hell... and i only got rid of it because I wasnt going to drop 1200 bucks on a new wiring harness in a car with well over 300k.

put that money towards my impreza, which is sweet to the max, and I can now steal parts from my brothers (my old) legacy hehehe.

if only I could trade him clutches, left front axles, gas tanks, and rear oil seals.. haha.

Jun 30 2009 3:34AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
haha dude i swear were the same guy.  other than the sub, weve had the same cars.

high mileage gti (mine someone managed to blow the weld on a motor mount while dribing down the road...dropped onto the front axle and reeeeally fucked things up, but i loved the car), and i drove a '93 grand cherokee into the dirt before selling it, very few problems. 

its a good feeling driving a car to and beyond its limits.
Jun 30 2009 3:45AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
word. now just get a suby, because they are the new volvo + awd.
Jun 30 2009 4:43AM
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Commonwealth
Posts: 3729 - Karma: 11
My 97 Legacy just hit 200k last week, and it's running so well that I'm taking it back up to school with me.

If I had any doubts about it, I wouldn't bother, but I feel confident in saying that it will last me the whole year with few problems.
Jun 30 2009 11:30AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
Sounds like a great way to MAKE your clutch history too haha.
Jul 1 2009 2:43AM
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Bangor
Posts: 9599 - Karma: 129
I've got a 96 impreza with 205k on it right now, still running the original clutch. That's a really odd problem, I've never had any problem like that........ Sometimes mine doesn't like to shift into 2nd from 1st though, which I've heard is the sign of a transmission getting ready to grenade, but other than that, mechanically the car's great. The body is rusted to shit and the interior is trashed from 5 years of being a ski car since I got it, but she's still more or less running strong!
Jul 1 2009 3:47AM
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Bangor
Posts: 9599 - Karma: 129
I've got a 96 impreza with 205k on it right now, still running the original clutch. That's a really odd problem, I've never had any problem like that........ Sometimes mine doesn't like to shift into 2nd from 1st though, which I've heard is the sign of a transmission getting ready to grenade, but other than that, mechanically the car's great. The body is rusted to shit and the interior is trashed from 5 years of being a ski car since I got it, but she's still more or less running strong!
Jul 1 2009 3:47AM
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Bangor
Posts: 9599 - Karma: 129
nice double post n00b.
Jul 1 2009 3:48AM
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SteezyOhio
Posts: 6044 - Karma: 60
in winter my car slips in fourth gear all the time, its about at 45mph exactly that the engine looses power then gets it back a second later, mostly cause its cold as fuck but no snow in ohio, and then there is a problem with the engine, idk my dad said fuck it, its happened for 7 years and never matters
Jul 1 2009 6:34AM
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japollner
Posts: 1699 - Karma: 459
It's the clutch.  Subarus slip in high gears first, it moves lower, then it just disintegrates.

Get it fixed.  Clutches are around $600 labor included.
Jul 1 2009 12:00PM
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Snowcase
Posts: 11456 - Karma: 634
www.subaruoutback.org is a great place for subaru info.

I have a 98 outback which my mom has hit 3 deer, a telephone pole and another car and the only major problems I've had with it are the headlight mounts not holding the headlights straight. Just under 140k and will keep it for another 100k if I can. Just recently the brake line had a leak and when I took it out it crumbled in my hands. When the engine dies I'm going to swap it with a wrx engine.
Jul 1 2009 1:28PM
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encludemeout
Posts: 285 - Karma: 10
your clutch plate is glazed over for sure. you could get it resurfaced, but there really wouldn't be any purpose. just buy a new clutch/flywheel and have a local shop install it. it'll last a little longer, but its already on its way out

bummer
Jul 1 2009 5:03PM
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ShredTheGnarnia
Posts: 2544 - Karma: 79
wait....why are you in 5th uphill at 70mph? 4th gear is good to at least 85, i know, ive done it going up parleys, not even over 5500 rpms uphill in 4th at 85, no reason to be in 5th....just sayin
Jul 1 2009 5:12PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

Figured out the problem after some fun experimentation.

turns out, there is a seal on the back of the engine, right between the engine and the clutch. This seal is definitely a little bit old and is probably the reason why 1: the biggest oil leak on the car and 2: why the clutch is "slipping".

Since the street I live on is a hill, and my car is usually always parked facing uphill, with the back of the car lower than the front, this oil leak allows oil to seep through the rear oil seals and into the clutch, creating a sort of... reservoir so to speak. This then pretty much saturates the clutch plate, if its bad enough, and causes it to seem like it is slipping.

So.. I decided to park DOWNHILL the last few days to see if it would make a difference, and sure efuckingnough, the car drives without a hiccup now. LOTS more power too, which is a plus...

So.. the good thing? The clutch isnt going bad and I dont have to dump hundreds of dollas into fixing it. The bad thing? The rear oil seal is pretty much toast, and the only way to replace it? basically is to take everything out in the same method you would use to replace the clutch... so eventually i'm going to be replacing both... probably around the time i hit 200k, or when I come up with the skrill.

So... this is probably a good thread to say SEARCHBAR to in the future.

Jul 2 2009 7:48PM
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_TK_
Posts: 467 - Karma: 128

The transmission is prob shot

Jul 2 2009 7:58PM
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tBatt
Posts: 9632 - Karma: 580
Yeah that's probably it....

....or you could read the post two about you and find out its a bad seal. Take your pick.
Jul 2 2009 8:22PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
haha definitely. i have a 98 legacy and im pretty sure im going to have to replace the clutch really soon because it makes this weird sound when im stopped. i passed 300 000 k a few months ago.
Jul 2 2009 8:30PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

the CLUTCH is making a werid sound when your idling?

that doesnt sound like a clutch problem...

Jul 2 2009 8:31PM
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yourthemannowdog
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 313
you haven't been banned yet. When i find out who you are i am going to kill you for trolling
Jul 2 2009 8:31PM
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sarahskis
Posts: 1587 - Karma: 41
my imprezas got 115k and has a new clutch as of 95k.  The new one feels great, but im not sure what it was like when it was slipping
Jul 2 2009 9:03PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
somebody told me it was something about berrings or some shit like that. i dont know shit about cars so im most probably wrong
Jul 2 2009 9:43PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687

OH its the throwout bearing then. that makes sense.

you're definitely fucked then, because that means you have to replace the whole clutch, even though the plate probably isnt worn all that bad...

Jul 2 2009 9:45PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
i guess i should probably try and get a job soon haha
Jul 2 2009 9:47PM
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japollner
Posts: 1699 - Karma: 459
Could be the bearing, but could also be some dirt that worked its way into the clutch area.  My 08 WRX makes the same noise when the clutch is depressed AFTER I have been dinking around in mud and dirt.
Jul 2 2009 9:48PM
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