Clutch replace?

[cd_legacy]

My LGT has 80k miles and I purchased it four months ago. Since day one, the clutch feels abnormal. it engages with the pedal only an inch or so from the floor and isn't completely engaged until the end of the pedal travel. (a long gap in pedal travel for full engagement) Is this a normal Subi clutch or is it in need of replacement? Its tricky starting from a stop, I either almost stall, or rev too high and look like a tard in the process..This is my first Subi and I love it except for the damn clutch!

Also, if this is going to require a clutch change, I need your recomendations on aftermarket flywheels (light weight vs. stock)

Thanks for the help

[GEE-OTTO]

Hmmm your clutch may be adjusted wrong or it could be on the way out. If you replace it and want to add some improvement without going all extra JDM convert from your dual mass to a single mass flywheel. To do this get a 06 WRX Flywheel and you can get a stock clutch to go along with it or a Exedy or ACT clutch. Add to that a new Throw Out Bearing and Pressure Plate and you will have a stock in feel setup with a bit better revving.

 

However you could do a simple OEM replacement job just order all you stock stuff for a 05 LGT but keep in mind YOU WILL HAVE TO get a new dual mass flywheel as typically these cannot be resurfaced. People hate on the DM FW but remember an object in motion stays in motion and a heavy object does this better than a single mass. This comes into play at low speeds that heavy DM keeps you trotting right along without stalling.

[vr4Legacy]

I'd say drive it for a while and see if you get more used to it. IMO AWD, and especially Subaru's, are a completely different feel to drive than any other MT. The clutch does grab quicker on the LGT I think moreso to get a "performance" feel.

 

I would suggest going to a nice level parking lot and just starting out with the clutch, no throttle, until you get a good feel of where the clutch engages and how it feels. The ECU will pick up automatically as it senses load.

 

I'm not saying you don't know how to drive a MT, but a Subaru is a different feel for some reason.

[BoozeRS05]

Yep IMO, most standard trannys seem different/easier to drive compared to mine..

 

And I push the clutch to the floor for the best shifting, but the clutch engages near the top of the pedal stroke. There is a larger gap btw the two points, been like that for 55k miles and I replaced the OEM clutch at 80k miles with another OEM (resurfaced the DMFW).

[cd_legacy]

I'd say drive it for a while and see if you get more used to it. IMO AWD, and especially Subaru's, are a completely different feel to drive than any other MT. The clutch does grab quicker on the LGT I think moreso to get a "performance" feel.

 

I would suggest going to a nice level parking lot and just starting out with the clutch, no throttle, until you get a good feel of where the clutch engages and how it feels. The ECU will pick up automatically as it senses load.

 

I'm not saying you don't know how to drive a MT, but a Subaru is a different feel for some reason.

 

Haha I'm not new to MT vehicles but thanks for the advice..

[trailcrushinbkr]

Sounds like it has been adjusted wrong like said above..Anyways at about your mileage you will most likely have to replace it soon. Both my cousin and I have replaced ours at about 78k miles. I just did an Exedy Stage 1 swap with Exedy lightweight flywheel and it is mint

[cd_legacy]

Sounds like it has been adjusted wrong like said above..Anyways at about your mileage you will most likely have to replace it soon. Both my cousin and I have replaced ours at about 78k miles. I just did an Exedy Stage 1 swap with Exedy lightweight flywheel and it is mint

 

How do you like the flywheel compaired to the stock DM? Pro's con's? Thanks

[STUJU05GT]

My clutch is similar, but is making strange noises...any help?

[vr4Legacy]

Haha I'm not new to MT vehicles but thanks for the advice..

 

that's why I put the disclaimer at the end

 

When I got my first Subaru it took me a while to get used to the feel, I had a Mitsubishi Galant VR4 (AWD/turbo) that was a bit tricky to learn at first too.... I think it has mostly to do with the extra drain from the AWD drivetrain.

 

I'm at 73k and so far my clutch feels good still, hoping to make it to 100k, but it seems like 75k is where they start to go from reading on here...

[cd_legacy]

I do agree an AWD vehicle may need more throtle input but I'm talking about clutch action and pedal feel..it just feels wrong and incosistant...the clutch has never slipped under hard excelleration..maybe it needs adjusting like stated earlier? Anyone know how ro do this?..I'm also getting a creeking sound when I press the pedal in..ideas?

[PlaxPhoto]

I had this and it got alot better with replacing the clutch/tranny fluid.. Also my clutch is on the way out.. exedy stage one and act light fly is on the way.. I hope this problem gets better

[NatMat]

Maybe someone here can explain what happened to my new (used) LGT yesterday...

 

Background:

I bought the car (beautiful red 06 GT with 56K) a couple of weeks ago and have put about 1.5K on it. The car is tight, fast and outstanding, but I too had a real problem with the "long clutch engagement". It would start to engage right off the floor in 1st gear, but wouldn't fully engage until the pedal was completely released (but no slip in any gear when fully engaged). I've been driving a standard trans for 17yrs, but I couldn't get this thing down. I would either nearly stall or smoke it stinky...very unnerving when I needed to pull across traffic quickly.

 

The incident:

So I let all my buddies drive it, cause you know, its a badass car, and I wanted praise for my wisdom of car choice.

They all smoked the clutch... everyone of them. Finally the last guy I let drive it smoked it so bad that when we parked it at the church it stunk up the entire parking lot. Still stunk even after services. I tried to drive home and when I started off in 1st it chugged, chattered, and bucked and felt like it was about to come apart.

I said a quick prayer, dried my eyes, went home and immediately started searching for replacement clutches for my previously awesome new ride.

 

Resolution:

I drove my wife's car to work today and studied this site for the best replacement clutch assembly. I came across a post where someone had done the exact same thing to their clutch. Same story - smoked the clutch, then later it chugged and chattered and felt like it was about to destruct. Someone suggested starting in 2nd gear and burn the clutch a little... So I came home from work, got in the Legacy, and it bucked and jumped just like the night before. I put it in 2nd, revved it, and drove it around. Did this 3 or 4 times. PRESTO!!! clutch is like new!! and now, believe it or not, the "long engagement" is cured! BAAM! It drives so much better now than when I first bought it.

How do you like that? This car can heal itself. Its a Christmas Miracle!!

[cd_legacy]

My clutch is exactly how NatMat explained his, starts to engage off the floor but not completely untill its out..It has never slipped in gear under excelleration and has never given the burnt clutch smell..I dont really want to spend the $$$ if I dont have to on a new clutch/flywheel because the car is completely stock except for the AVO panel filter...Is this normal LGT clutch action or is it in need of replacement?...and I would also like to get any advice on light weight flywheels and your personal experience with one installed in your car? Pro's and Con's

[NatMat]

cd_Legacy,

I will lend a theory...take it with a grain of salt. I'm no mechanic.

My thought is that as long as your clutch doesn't slip (once fully engaged under hard acceleration) then it is probably fine, and does not need replacing. I'm guessing that the long engagement issue might be caused by a light glazing or film on the clutch disc or flywheel.

This glaze might be preventing the disc from hooking up with the flywheel in a timely fashion. However, once fully engaged it still provides enough friction to keep a firm union.

You might try the same technique that worked for me. Start off in 2nd gear a few times and try to burn off the glaze. It couldn't hurt anything to try it. Just don't get crazy with it. I revved to about 2.5-3K and lightly let out on the clutch, just fast enough to get the car going without stalling.

After two or three 2nd gear starts my clutch engaged much more normally. No more awkward long engagement in 1st gear.

[burnout8488]

I like your theory. It's much like bedding in brakes - you beat the sh*t out of them, and they work better!

[jmatijas_gt]

but does it actually work?

[trailcrushinbkr]

How do you like the flywheel compaired to the stock DM? Pro's con's? Thanks

 

Sorry for the slow response:

 

Pros: Faster throttle response

Quicker rev/Faster RPM climb in low end

Better gas mileage due to less rotational mass

 

Cons: Some noise, just a slight rattle when there is no pressure on it(coasting)

Seems like you lose torque in the top end

 

+Fun to drive!

[cd_legacy]

Ok I'm a little confused, so slipping the clutch with 2nd starts may fix the clutch issue? It's stated that this will clean up the "glaze" but doesn't this happen by slipping the clutch in the first place? So if you slip it a little, it glazes but if you slip it a lot then it cures glazing? A little confusing haha

[NatMat]

I think you've got that reversed:

If you slip it a lot then it will glaze.

If you slip it a little, you might be able to remove some of the glaze.

 

The reason is because the clutch is designed to slip until it is fully engaged. You can't go straight from no engagement to fully locked in an instant. The clutch works like your brakes. It provides resistance between two rotating masses which allows the two masses to gradually converge to the same speed. However, when there is a lot of slip the disc material can overheat and form a glaze.

But, once the glaze cools it might be possible to slip the clutch just a little, and let the resistance of the disc on flywheel scratch off the glaze. But you wouldn't want to get it super hot again. This would just reglaze the disc. Instead, you slip it just a little while the clutch is still cool. But, you have to slip it enough to actually get the glaze off. Otherwise, normal operation would have already removed it. This is why I suggested starting off in 2nd gear. It is more slip than normal operation, but not enough to glaze the disc.

2500-3000 rpm slow start in 2nd gear. Let out just fast enough to get the car rolling without stalling. Don't burn the heck out of it.

[amp0412]

I have thought this clutch is terrible from the day I got mine as well. I replaced just the disc shortly after buying the car and it felt like crap from the start. Now it has started slipping with about 30k of hard driving (launches, autox and just generally beating on it). It has also had many issues with TOB noise and the TOB was eventually replaced by the dealer. The new act clutch with a wrx flywheel and the TSK3 are going on monday along with a trans mount and this is probably the most excited that I have been to install something on my car because it will get rid of the POS oem clutch and the stupid DM flywheel garbage. Also over the period of having this clutch it feels like it fully engages pretty much wherever it wants of the pedal travel and is totally inconsistent. All of this was not caused by a faulty slave cylinder either as that was replaced.

 

Just my .02. Best solution to crappy clutch feel and issues is to replace everything involved.

 

I'll tell you guys on Monday night how much better it feels.