Clutch problem - 99 Outback

[pezzersared]

First post so be kind:)

Have had a 99 Outback [manual trans] since Feb, 71K, been great. Last weekend noticed a vibration with the clutch and felt like it was grinding through my foot. Carried on about 300 yards or so and when pulling off in first gear the grinding felt worse and also the car sounded very rough and revvy, almost like the tailpipe has blown. Also, when idling, it feels like it is struggling to sustain revs. Pulled over and got towed to garage. They looked at it and can find nothing wrong, even though I know their is something wrong. It does drive fine in the other gears and performance is good, but there is definitely something up. This garage don't usually deal with Subaru's so I think they just don't want to touch it. Have booked into a dealer next week but realise this will likely be megabucks. Question for the forum is what could it be?

Realise without looking it's difficult but if this is a known problem it would be good to know from the forum,

Thanks

[fastwgn286]

was it fully warmed up when this occured? i'm kinda puzzled, but i know that if the car is cold when you start off, the clutch can chatter and shudder and vibrate like hell in first gear while trying to get moving. once warmed though, it should not happen. of course, this might be another sign of the clutch going, which i know is happening on my car, but i dunno that fact for sure.

[porcupine73]

If possible you might want to try to get the tech to take a ride with you so you can demonstrate the problem. It might be ok in other gears as it really doesn't have to slip per se, except when getting going in first. Unless maybe somethin's up with some gear in the MT. Maybe you could change the gear oil and see if there's a lot of shavings in there or anything.

[OB99W]

First post so be kind:)

Have had a 99 Outback [manual trans] since Feb, 71K, been great. Last weekend noticed a vibration with the clutch and felt like it was grinding through my foot. Carried on about 300 yards or so and when pulling off in first gear the grinding felt worse and also the car sounded very rough and revvy, almost like the tailpipe has blown. Also, when idling, it feels like it is struggling to sustain revs.[...]

Welcome to the forum.

 

You've mentioned symptoms that appear to affect the clutch, trans, and engine. For the moment, let's assume you have one problem causing all the symptoms, and not three simultaneously-occurring ones. Since the idle doesn't seem right (you should verify that's the case with both the trans in neutral and the clutch disengaged), it would appear there's an engine problem. An engine unable to maintain good output under load at low revs can make the clutch and trans appear to have problems, especially when accelerating from a standstill.

 

I'd verify, and then concentrate on, the seemingly poor engine idle. You said "it feels like it is struggling to sustain revs"; how is that evidenced? RPM not steady? If so, how much variation?

[pezzersared]

Thanks for all the post guys.

Verdict today from the Subaru dealer. Clutch is on it's last legs and [which

I noticed looking over the car yesterday] the CV joint has gone into the gearbox and is spitting grease over the exhaust [causing a terrible smell].

So big job booked in for next week, more expense!

Fingers crossed the gearbox doesn't show any play when they open it all up.