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95 Legacy clutch / transmission problem


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My 95 legacy wagon started acting up on me the other day. I took a trip down to Louisville, KY and basically drove it for 6 hours straight. When i got off the freeway, it was oddly difficult to get it to pop into 1st gear. Once moving, I can shift forward through the gears pretty easily but down shifting on the freeway is somewhat difficult. It tends to grind a little when poping it down into 4th or 3rd.

 

When I'm at a complete stop, I actually have to kind-of push the stick in the direction of first gear, let the clutch up slightly, and quickly push it back down before it grinds making it possible to pop it into gear. There is something else happening that is sort of strange to me too. If I am in first gear at a stop, and just give it a little gas and push the clutch down to coast, it kind-of feels like its binding up. It does the same thing while coasting in reverse with the clutch down. This is quite annoying because I have to pop it out of gear every time i want to move a little bit forward in traffic, and then go through the annoying process of getting it back into first.

 

I should add that the car has 241,000:) miles on it and I have owned it since it had 168,000. I do not know if the clutch has ever been replaced but I haven't had a problem with it slipping or anything. My question is, has anyone had a problem similar to this and if so, do I need a new clutch, new tranny, both, neither?

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Sounds like a trans to me. Have you changed the gear lube? I'd drain it and see what comes out. New gear lube won't solve the problem, but looking at the drained lube will give you a good idea of the state of the trans.

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The clutch engages pretty high so I don't think that is causing the problem. If it were low, I would say that maybe it wasn't disengaging enough to allow room to shift. I'm not that knowledgeable about how transmissions work but it seems to me like the syncros maybe aren't doing what they are supposed to.

 

The only thing that leads me to believe that it could just be the clutch is the binding that I get. It doesn't happen on turns like I have read about often. It only happens while coasting slowly, in gear, with the clutch pressed down. It kind-of pulses real bad right as you are coming to a stop, in first and reverse only.

 

I'm probably going to end up learning to drive it how it is for a while because I can't really afford transmission work right now. I love the car, and it still feels like it will be dependable, but i don't know if dumping $1500 or so into it at 240,000 miles is that logical.

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Hey everyone I'll just say hello real quick and get to work ;).

 

 

I just purchased a subaru Legacy wagon a week ago for 500 bucks, has 249k on the clock and runs perfect except for one problem wich is really ticking me off.

 

It is very similar to your binding situation but what happens with my car is when I push the clutch in from neutral while not pressing the brake pedal the car will roll in wichevery direction it leaning on but if I put it in 1st gear the car stops rolling then as I depress the clutch to get going if feels as if the brakes are sticking but im not pressing the brake pedal and I need to rev it high to get it moving and keep it from stalling. I just installed a clutch in it myself 4 days ago and I replaced everythingaside from the flywheel, when I drained the gear oil in the tranny is was a good color and there was minimal materials on the drain plug magnet, I re-filled it with 80w-90 gear oil. Note this only happens sometimes more than I'd like. only happens with first gear and every other gear shifts and accelerates fine, no problems getting it into any gear. Has anyone experienced this???

 

cliffnotes:

when I put the car in gear and go from a stop it feels like something is keepin the car from moving

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Hey everyone I'll just say hello real quick and get to work ;).

 

 

I just purchased a subaru Legacy wagon a week ago for 500 bucks, has 249k on the clock and runs perfect except for one problem wich is really ticking me off.

 

It is very similar to your binding situation but what happens with my car is when I push the clutch in from neutral while not pressing the brake pedal the car will roll in wichevery direction it leaning on but if I put it in 1st gear the car stops rolling then as I depress the clutch to get going if feels as if the brakes are sticking but im not pressing the brake pedal and I need to rev it high to get it moving and keep it from stalling. I just installed a clutch in it myself 4 days ago and I replaced everythingaside from the flywheel, when I drained the gear oil in the tranny is was a good color and there was minimal materials on the drain plug magnet, I re-filled it with 80w-90 gear oil. Note this only happens sometimes more than I'd like. only happens with first gear and every other gear shifts and accelerates fine, no problems getting it into any gear. Has anyone experienced this???

 

cliffnotes:

when I put the car in gear and go from a stop it feels like something is keepin the car from moving

 

DO you have a hill holder?

 

 

nipper

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My 95 legacy wagon started acting up on me the other day. I took a trip down to Louisville, KY and basically drove it for 6 hours straight. When i got off the freeway, it was oddly difficult to get it to pop into 1st gear. Once moving, I can shift forward through the gears pretty easily but down shifting on the freeway is somewhat difficult. It tends to grind a little when poping it down into 4th or 3rd.

 

When I'm at a complete stop, I actually have to kind-of push the stick in the direction of first gear, let the clutch up slightly, and quickly push it back down before it grinds making it possible to pop it into gear. There is something else happening that is sort of strange to me too. If I am in first gear at a stop, and just give it a little gas and push the clutch down to coast, it kind-of feels like its binding up. It does the same thing while coasting in reverse with the clutch down. This is quite annoying because I have to pop it out of gear every time i want to move a little bit forward in traffic, and then go through the annoying process of getting it back into first.

 

I should add that the car has 241,000:) miles on it and I have owned it since it had 168,000. I do not know if the clutch has ever been replaced but I haven't had a problem with it slipping or anything. My question is, has anyone had a problem similar to this and if so, do I need a new clutch, new tranny, both, neither?

 

Nothing big here, sounds like your clutch is tired, or the clutch cable is stretched out.

 

Try starting off from a dea stop in 4th gear. If the car bucks and stalls the clutch is fine. If you can do it the clutch is tired.

 

Then look at the clutch cable, it may be ready to snap.

 

nipper

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DO you have a hill holder?

 

 

nipper

 

 

tbh I just bought the car and the prev. owner didn't mention anything about the car having one. The car will roll backwards in neutral if I'm not pressing the brake but as soon as I pop it into first witht he clutch in the car doesn't roll backwards it just sits in place and when I try to go it feels as if the brakes are being pressed or something is keeping the car from moving.how are they setup so i can check and see if it has one.

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tbh I just bought the car and the prev. owner didn't mention anything about the car having one. The car will roll backwards in neutral if I'm not pressing the brake but as soon as I pop it into first witht he clutch in the car doesn't roll backwards it just sits in place and when I try to go it feels as if the brakes are being pressed or something is keeping the car from moving.how are they setup so i can check and see if it has one.

 

Follow your clutch cable. If i remeber correctly there will be a second cable coming off the clutch fork going to the HH

 

The way a HH works:

 

Stop on an incline. Depress the clutch, release the brake. The clutch will hold the car in place (by holding the left front brake) Untill the clutch is released. When the clutch is released, the brake lets go, and off you go.

 

nipper

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Follow your clutch cable.

 

The way a HH works:

 

Stop on an incline. Depress the clutch, release the brake. The clutch will hold the car in place (by holding the left front brake) Untill the clutch is released. When the clutch is released, the brake lets go, and off you go.

 

nipper

 

 

hmmmm crazy, well that does sound a lot like the situation I'm having. I'll check it out and report my findings.

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hmmmm crazy, well that does sound a lot like the situation I'm having. I'll check it out and report my findings.

 

SOme people love them (like me) some hate them. Personally i think it was responsable for getting 180,000 miles out of the original clucth on my 88 GL.

 

 

i love them.

 

especially in stop and go traffic up hill.

 

 

nipper

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SOme people love them (like me) some hate them. Personally i think it was responsable for getting 180,000 miles out of the original clucth on my 88 GL.

 

 

i love them.

 

especially in stop and go traffic up hill.

 

 

nipper

 

Amen to that, nip.

 

Finsol, I'd bet that is exactly where your problem lies. I've never messed with mine but I'm pretty sure it has been discussed here before. Try a search for hill holder and see what you can turn up. If that doesn't help then I'm sure someone will chime in with help.

 

Good luck.

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Ooops! Sorry ronnie johhhnnn, I got sidetracked by the latter part of this thread.

 

86BRATMAN and lmdew made good suggestions--hope one or both will help you solve the problem. And best of luck to you.

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Amen to that, nip.

 

Finsol, I'd bet that is exactly where your problem lies. I've never messed with mine but I'm pretty sure it has been discussed here before. Try a search for hill holder and see what you can turn up. If that doesn't help then I'm sure someone will chime in with help.

 

Good luck.

 

Right on guys thanks, you definatly pin pointed the situation I'm dealing with, I checked it out and it looks like I have a hill holder. I've never seen a car let alone driven one with a hill holder, is this a subaru option?

 

I myself do not like it at all and want it gone lol. I'll do more research on it thanks!

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Right on guys thanks, you definatly pin pointed the situation I'm dealing with, I checked it out and it looks like I have a hill holder. I've never seen a car let alone driven one with a hill holder, is this a subaru option?

 

I myself do not like it at all and want it gone lol. I'll do more research on it thanks!

 

Sigh, how can you not like something you didnt know you had, nor yet understand how to use?

 

They were standard equipment on manual trany cars.

 

just disconnect the cable if you dont like it. They are adjustable, so get yourself a manual and read up on it.

 

nipper

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Right on guys thanks, you definatly pin pointed the situation I'm dealing with, I checked it out and it looks like I have a hill holder. I've never seen a car let alone driven one with a hill holder, is this a subaru option?

 

I myself do not like it at all and want it gone lol. I'll do more research on it thanks!

 

I'm taken aback by somebody not liking the hill holder. I love it to death. Especially in the mountains around here.

 

All you need to do to disable it is to take the cable that actuates it off the clutch fork.

 

Completely removing the system will require getting brake lines from an auto car or having lines custom bent. Very costly options considering the easy option. Hell I'll take a picture if you'd like of how to remove the cable...

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I'm taken aback by somebody not liking the hill holder. I love it to death. Especially in the mountains around here.

 

All you need to do to disable it is to take the cable that actuates it off the clutch fork.

 

Completely removing the system will require getting brake lines from an auto car or having lines custom bent. Very costly options considering the easy option. Hell I'll take a picture if you'd like of how to remove the cable...

 

hehe no problem guys I appreciate all the info you've given me about it and have already disconnected it and put a return spring in it place. I'm not going to delete hit however in the case that when I go into the white mountains I'd like to use it. it's just to annoying for me, feels alien.

 

nipper I've owned a buttload of manual cars and this is the first one that has such an option, if I need help on a hill I'll use the e-brake ;).

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nipper I've owned a buttload of manual cars and this is the first one that has such an option, if I need help on a hill I'll use the e-brake ;).

 

What you never owned an Studabaker Avanti?

 

I have owned a "botload" of manuals too, but untill your in bumper to bumper traffic up a 3 mile incline on a bridge, you never really lean how beutiful a hill holder is, as the hand brake thing gets tired after a while.

 

It really does extend the life of your clutch, even on minor inclines. But its your car.

 

nipper

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