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Weird RPM/Transmission? Is it serious?


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(I'm guessing this started it?)Ok so this all started(I think) friday on my way home from a party i was goin on I-75 at top speed 93MPH everything was fine until Monday. about 60% of the time when I shift from 2-3, 3 to 4, or 4-5. the car will either do 1 of 3 things.

 

1. The car shifts normally.

 

2.The RPMs either stay the same until I let off the gas, push in the clutch and let it out(causing the RPM's to drop) then it is fine.

 

3. After I switch gears the RPM will continue to go up as if I never switched gears in the 1st place, then after 10 seconds or so they will drop, like they were supposed to the instant I switched gears.

 

So what do you guys think?

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im guessing worn out clutch plate.. when youre running at say, 40mph in second gear, and you punch the motor hard to max it out... say for instance, youre passing someone, and downshift into second, when you engage the clutch, does it seem to rev the engine more than it is accelerating the car?

 

when your clutch plate starts wearing loose, it doesnt grab as well.. so if you put motor into it, it will slip a bit... and you continue to gain speed, but your engine revs beyond what it ordinarily would.. then you can take some throttle out of it, and the clutch grabs on tighter, RPMs match what they should at that speed.

 

i am describing some potential symptoms of a worn clutch plate, they all act like this in one way or another but every clutch blows out differently. i had a datsun once that i bought with a bad clutch, and it got to a point where whenever i put in too much gas pedal, in to low a gear, the engine would just rev like the clutch was in, almost.... Eventually that clutch plate wore down to the point where it destroyed a couple of the rivets that hold the friction material onto the plate structure, and the plate shattered, which jammed my clutch engaged... meaning, i push in the pedal, the clutch doesnt give way at all.. so no starting the car, basically.. except in neutral. i had to do that, then get someone to push me until i could slip it into first and drove home in first. (this was before i really knew about synchro-shifting)

 

quite likely yer problem, but im more of just a car guy (primarily datsun Z/roadster) than a subaru sage, so if im off base then someone here might give you a more car-specific problem than i have.

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Kind of hard to say from your description, but i think maybe its your clutch slipping.

From a dead stop try to get the car to move from 3rd or 4th gear. The car should buck kick and stall. If it doesnt the clutch is starting to slip.

 

nipper

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im guessing worn out clutch plate.. when youre running at say, 40mph in second gear, and you punch the motor hard to max it out... say for instance, youre passing someone, and downshift into second, when you engage the clutch, does it seem to rev the engine more than it is accelerating the car?

 

when your clutch plate starts wearing loose, it doesnt grab as well.. so if you put motor into it, it will slip a bit... and you continue to gain speed, but your engine revs beyond what it ordinarily would.. then you can take some throttle out of it, and the clutch grabs on tighter, RPMs match what they should at that speed.

 

i am describing some potential symptoms of a worn clutch plate, they all act like this in one way or another but every clutch blows out differently. i had a datsun once that i bought with a bad clutch, and it got to a point where whenever i put in too much gas pedal, in to low a gear, the engine would just rev like the clutch was in, almost.... Eventually that clutch plate wore down to the point where it destroyed a couple of the rivets that hold the friction material onto the plate structure, and the plate shattered, which jammed my clutch engaged... meaning, i push in the pedal, the clutch doesnt give way at all.. so no starting the car, basically.. except in neutral. i had to do that, then get someone to push me until i could slip it into first and drove home in first. (this was before i really knew about synchro-shifting)

 

quite likely yer problem, but im more of just a car guy (primarily datsun Z/roadster) than a subaru sage, so if im off base then someone here might give you a more car-specific problem than i have.

That sounds aboiut right.:-\ :-\

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Kind of hard to say from your description, but i think maybe its your clutch slipping.

From a dead stop try to get the car to move from 3rd or 4th gear. The car should buck kick and stall. If it doesnt the clutch is starting to slip.

 

nipper

 

Results:

 

3rd-Car doesn't stall or buck, takes off VERY SLOWLY at bout 50 RPM(guess)

 

4th-Same as 3rd

 

5th- Car bucks and stalls

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subaru-Brat-Leone-Loyale-XT-Clutch-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33730QQihZ019QQitemZ7976932947QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

 

Seems like a Awesome deal to me? Oh, before I get ahead of myself, do you think it would be too hard for a couple of 16-18 year olds who are "mechanically inclined", My friends dad(knows alot about trucks/cars and builds them) and a Haynes manual would be able to pull it off?

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Your clutch is on its way out.

you learn very quickly on ebay you get what you pay for. Personally i would call https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/oe_parts_cat.html ask for jamie (she is on this board) and see what the kit goes for. It really depends upon how long you want to keep the car.

Yes a clutch as intimidating as it may sound can be done by somone who is mechanically inclined. Just label everything as you dissconnnect it, and if you have a digital camera picures can help alot. Get yourself a haynes manual if you can. Aside from all the emissions garbage these are essentially simple cars. Also replace the clutch cable at the same time you replace the clutch, and think about replacing the rear main seal as long as you are there.

 

nipper

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Don't jump at the bad clutch yet. If car was sitting awhile it will slip for some time. you are still engaging and disengaging and pedal feels normal (if not adjust it- be sure there is plenty of slop when pedal is up). I had a loyale do this at 3,4 and 5th gear. Out of frustration I floored it in 4th and when it grabbed, it never slipped again to this day even with a bit of extra power added to the engine. Even a bad rear main with a chance for oil to get in, goes away (unless way extreme pumping on the ground). really high miles may be a new clutch necessary, but even then...

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When the clutch on my Loyale was going out I could hit the gas hard at about any RPM while in gear and get the engine to rev but not get much speed. I was able to get another month out of it after adjusting the cable, so you might consider that. It is located under the spare tire. The clutch fork has two cables going to it. One for the clutch pedal (top) and one for the hill holder. You may also need to adjust the hill holder if you adjust the other cable. When I did replace the clutch, the plate was thin enough that I could bend it with my fingers. Didn't take much to replace it. Hardest part was getting to the bellhousing nuts near the motor mounts. It was also the first time I've ever replaced a clutch, pressure plate and bearings (I also got the flywheel resurfaced). Only reason I took a whole weekend to do it was to clean the engine compartment and the engine while it was out.

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can't be to bad i changed the clutch in my six it really isnt't all that hard drop the trans mission like 10-15 bolts plus undoing the cv's is like 2-3 hrs with the car on stands get the transmission out six bolts hold the pressure plate on pull them off then if you feel like it you should have the fly wheel resurfaces if it looks weard it should be uniformly silver with grooves

then simply bolt the new clutch and pressure plate up 30 min

then re-install the transmission

it's not hard but it gets tight and a little time consuming

clutch's i believe run around 100-200 dollars brand dependant

good luck

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never done it on a subaru, but it looks simple enough. ive done it in other cars though, and it really is one of the simplest procedures there is... i wouldnt be intimidated by all the other diagnostic information that people are putting out here if you really feel like the clutch may be slipping and worn out. your question stimulated discussion about what people have done when they experienced problems like yours, but 90% of the time it means you need a new clutch. its a good first project on a car, because in the end its mostly hard work in the sense of force and effort.. that transmissions not light weight.. but not hard in the sense of difficult. in the end, you get to smile at the job and be satisfied. just be glad its not a honda, or a mistubishi, even worse... most front wheel drive cars arent as mush fun to work on as a subbie.

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