Lately, my clutch hasn't felt right(98 Legacy GT).  It engages ~0.5" off the floor.  Which means if I'm slacking even a little bit, it will start to engage at a light.  This is much farther down than it used to engage.  I've tried bleeding it, and replaced the master and slave cylinders.

 

I've also had problems with the engine stalling on occasion when I approach stops.  No warning, just comes back down to idle, passes idle and dies.  Always restarts just fine.

 

Today I noticed a correlation between pushing in the clutch, and slight shudder in the vehicle.  When in neutral, and no clutch, the engine idles fine.  As soon as I push in the clutch, there is a small shudder in the vehicle that comes and goes, as long as the clutch is depressed.  The shudder goes away when the clutch is out.

 

Any thoughts on this one?

Edited January 24, 201412 yr by Speedwagon

Sounds like the clutch is not completely disengaging.

Slave cylinder could be going bad. Pull the boot back and see if there is fluid in it. If yes, replace the slave cylinder.

If I am correct wasn't there an issue with the shift fork that moves the through-out bearing? 

Exept, I just stated I replaced it...

 

Slave cylinder could be going bad. Pull the boot back and see if there is fluid in it. If yes, replace the slave cylinder.

This prompted me to search just for that.  Which lead me to call my local Subaru dealership and ask.  He asked me a counter question: did I replace all the clips on the fork?  I told him no, I reused them last time I did the clutch.  He suggested replacing them, before the fork.  So looks like I'm going to get in there either way, and see what is what.

 

If I am correct wasn't there an issue with the shift fork that moves the through-out bearing? 

Never ever reuse those clips, there is your problem most likely. 

Pulled the engine today.  The new clutch fork and old one aren't quite the same, it seems they redesigned it slightly since 98.  The nubs that push the throwout bearing are larger on the new fork(of course mine just might be that worn, too).  The new one doesn't have the welded in bracket, though it does have wider side metal on it.  I was missing one of the clips that holds the TO bearing to the fork.  And there is slight wear on the pressure plate fingers, but it didn't seem too serious.

 

I also discovered that the hose that goes to the back of the intake air box was disconnected(the 1/2" one on the very back).  Which might explain the occasional stalling.

 

 

Pics of the clutch:

 

Must be time to do the oil plate again:

 

And I'm not sure where this oil on the left side of the block is coming from:

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by Speedwagon

Bad fork or spring fallen out of disk

Shifting much better now.  The clutch fork was certainly worn down a bit.  So far, no stalling since I discovered that disconnected intake tube.