Clutch action of 5-speed "feels different" in Subaru Outback - reported by two friends, what is up?

felt natural and

so are there

I don't gripe much about the Subaru, but I would tend to agree. I've driven sticks all my life and there is something vaguely "wrong" about the feel of the Subaru clutch/transmission.

The 2>3 shift has always been rough unless there is a slight pause in neutral, and it's way too hard to get it into reverse. We had it looked at under warranty and they said they topped up the transmission grease to fix it. Of course, there was no change.

When I push the clutch in on my 95 Legacy, by the way it feels I can almost picture the cable running over a pully to the yoke. It seems to wobble side-to-side, plus when it's cold it sqeaks, like some Rube Goldberg contraption!

I think I read somewhere that Subaru have not change the design of their 5sp MT in over 15 years. I've seen pictures of a 3rd party MT replacements for the STi, which aside from different gear profile, has a much different dog-teeth and syncho design.

-- Dominic Richens | snipped-for-privacy@alumni.uottawa.ca "If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

Are you talking about a sequential transmission like in a dirt bike or race car? TG

I agree. I really don't like the feel of the engine/trans combination. Part of it is likely due to the engine management software and the fact that the engine has very little drag. The engine just doesn't lose rev's fast enough when you let off the gas to get quick shift into second without a "bang" It also doesn't respond fast enough to provide jerk free downshifts when trying to pass another car. My 1990 BMW325is probably has the best feel of any car that I have driven. It is a pleasure to drive and it heel-toe shifts perfectly. Subaru ought to take a lesson from this car.

felt natural and

and if so are there

Yeah, I think you may have it there. The clutch on the Subarus tend to be more "grabby". Perhaps the fact that this clutch has to drive two driveshafts rather than just one means it has to be made with stronger springs to prevent slippage. Also I get the feeling that the Subaru's central limited-slip differential might have some role in the jerkiness one tends to notice. Since the central diff is involved in apportioning torque between the front and rears, a clutch disengage-reengage action might appear to be a momentary traction loss between the front and rear, and it might kick-in trying to balance it out again.

Yousuf Khan

Also I get the feeling that the Subaru's

Unlikely, as it is true differential. It is alway mechanically providing equal torque front and rear and there is no way the limited slip unit is engaging under normal strait line acceleration. It may just be the additonal driveline slop from all the additonal driveshafts and gears.

How? by adding more drag to the engine? John

That's why you rev-match :)

No kidding! But I have to think about it a alot more in the Forester than I do in my BMW.

I agree. My two major complaints (after cold clutch shudder) about my 2000 OBS are what I call the "imprecise" shifting, and the tension/connection on the clutch pedal. The gear shift feels like it has "intermediate" spots between the actual shift locations, and I find I often miss second gear. At times, gearing down into fourth is a bit of a problem.

My clutch pedal has become squeaky, and the dealer has failed to fix it twice. It seems silly, but I'm going to have to speak to the service manager about fixing something as simple as a clutch cable. Hopefully they can fix it the third time.

Also find it strange that after major servicing, I can perceive no difference in my clutch tension or gear shift. With my previous car, a Civic, clutch travel was always checked at major service points, and I could always feel that my clutch and shift had been serviced, as both would be somewhat stiffer after servicing.

dn.

felt natural and

and if so are there