clutch shudder fix?

I have to question this, simply due to the fact that my 02 WRX had pretty bad cold shudder right out of the box; not even 5000 miles on it and it was happening. When I got the clutch replaced, the mechanic could still see the white labeling on the face of the plate. It had nearly no wear on it at all.

The problem (at least in terms of the WRX) is documented in a service note, which I have at home; the recommended solution is a heavier flywheel.

I got the clutch replaced, and the throw bearing gave out on the new clutch within 2 days. I was stranded and needed a tow.

Got another clutch put in, and afterwards, the car started making some very odd noises at about 4000 rpm. The mechanic spent the next week troubleshooting the problem, pulling the entire rear end apart (because that's where the noise was coming from). Never occurred to him to address what was recently changed - the clutch. He finally did so, and the problem went away. So, for a WRX that now has 40,000 km on it, this is my 4th clutch.

This is basically just a rant, but I also wish to suggest that in my experience there were _definitely_ manufacturing issues with the clutch hardware, and I expect that this piece of kit may or may not be effective, depending on the root cause of the problem.

BD

This is a well-documented problem with the 02 WRX...there's been much discussion here on the subject. Originally described as a 'characteristic' of this year of manufacture (I put up with it for 2 years and every time the car threatened to shake itself to bits my wife asked how much it cost...ouch!) Subaru finally got real and admitted the problem. Those of us with good dealers or loud voices got the problem fixed under warranty with a new clutch and flywheel assembly. I saw the old one...cracked flywheel and blued through excessive heating so the problem is the flywheel and not the clutch as I understand it. My new clutch is a pleasure to use. Good luck with yours. WRX UK

Mine's fine now - I'm just bitter that I had to go through 4 to get one that behaved properly. ;)

Out of curiosity - do you fear any long-term side effects of the shudder? I know that when mine was in the throes of the seizures it was very violent, and I could do nothing about it. I have to wonder if that issue may have had side effects that have not yet made themselves known....

The clock housing rattles like hell on some road surfaces and defies all efforts to fix it...maybe something got bent...but beyond that no problems experienced or expected. WRX UK

Mm. I have a couple of rattles to deal with as well; one happens when running over moderate bumps, and the other kicks in when the motor is idling really slowly. Totally different spots; one is somewhere under the dash on the left and the other is somewhere under the dash on the right. Tough to pin these things down when you're solo in the vehicle. ;)

'02 wrx wagon...

The rear seat belt position adjusting mechanisms rattle and buzz like hell on anything but a smooth surface.

My clutch is original and rarely shuddered badly so I didn't pursue a warranty repair, now it's too late... guess I'll have to live with it until it's time for a new clutch.

I was hoping the quill thing might help but so far no one is claiming any benefit. Has any one tried it?

-rick-

My clutch shudders when cold, also. My car is a 2000 Legacy L wagon. It's not that bad. Will it get worse, and is there anything I ought to do?

Thanks.

My Impreza sometimes shudders when cold, and seemingly when the weather is damp. It hasn't got any worse in 100,000 miles.

My car does have a mild case, compared to what some other people have described. On first startup on a cold, wet morning, I can get a nasty shudder the first time I use the clutch to start moving. With a very little bit of deliberate clutch slippage, maybe two seconds, under light load, to heat the clutch up, the shudder goes away until the next cold, wet start.

Sounds like other people have encountered much worse problems. So, you will have to judge for yourself how bad your problem is.

Larry Van Wormer

These are my questions.

My clutch shuddering isn't really that bad. It's just a little unnerving.

1. Is there a fix?

1. If I don't do the fix, will I create worse damage that I'm likely to regret?

If the answer to either of these questions is no, I'm content to live with it.

Is you clutch shudder about the same as I described with my car? If so, I'd live with it. It won't cause any damage if handled as I described.

If it's worse, or maybe getting worse, it can be fixed by a fairly expensive clutch replacement. Of course, if you can get that done under warranty, fine. If not, you have to choose whether or not to pay for it.

Larry Van Wormer

Yeah, it's not that bad, and it's only the first couple of times I pull away after starting up. So I'll live with it. I take it you're saying I should try to slip the clutch in such a way as to avoid the shudder, for longevity, so I'll try to do that.

Yes, a little bit of slip only. About like just being slightly slow to release the clutch, with the engine under light load. Not enough to get any smell from the clutch.

I doubt that will improve clutch longevity, but it shouldn't hurt it (my clutch feels just the same after 100k miles), and it makes the shudder much less annoying.

Larry Van Wormer