99 Legacy clutch service

[RobJ426]

I do all my own service and repairs but have never done a clutch on an AWD Subaru. I glanced through the manual and it looks as though the engine has to be lifted a bit and of course removal of exhaust components, linkages, front half shafts and rear driveshaft. I haven't looked into how the "Hill-holder" mechanism plays into all this yet.

 

My questions to anybody who has done it on one of these vehicles- Are there any "Special tool # XYZ"s that are needed and in general what can go wrong? In other words are there a lot of minute adjustments that are critical and hard to accomplish, parts that like to jump out and not go back in place...etc, etc or is it pretty straight forward for an active backyard mechanic?

 

'99 2.2 Legacy

 

Thanks

[Setright]

You must decide on either engine or the transmission.

 

Engine requires a hoist to lift out. Electrical cables, hoses and pipes must be undone, along with the exhaust "manifolds".

 

Tranny means a lift and dropping the entire exhuast off, half-shafts, and a crane to lower the tranny with.

[Gnuman]

I do all my own service and repairs but have never done a clutch on an AWD Subaru. I glanced through the manual and it looks as though the engine has to be lifted a bit and of course removal of exhaust components, linkages, front half shafts and rear driveshaft. I haven't looked into how the "Hill-holder" mechanism plays into all this yet.

 

My questions to anybody who has done it on one of these vehicles- Are there any "Special tool # XYZ"s that are needed and in general what can go wrong? In other words are there a lot of minute adjustments that are critical and hard to accomplish, parts that like to jump out and not go back in place...etc, etc or is it pretty straight forward for an active backyard mechanic?

 

'99 2.2 Legacy

 

Thanks

 

First off, what part of California are you in? I'm in the Bay area and have done a few of these. The tranny is the easier item to remove. Takes the removal of two halfshafts, the propellershaft, exaust manifold, and the shift linkage. Does this car still have the hill holder? that means a cable clutch and you have two cables to remove/reinstall, and adjust. You will also need to drain the transmission so the gear oil does not spill out the tail-housing when you pull the propeller shaft. You will need a transmission jack (rentable) and I recomend four jackstands to give you the best ammount of room to work with. While you are back there, see if the oil seperator plate is plastic (IIRC, it is) and if so, replace it with a metal one. the plastic ones tend to crack and or warp, causing oil leaks. While you are at it, take a look at your rear main seal. Replace it if it is damaged, or if it is not brown (the black ones had a tendancy to leak, so they were revised to the brown ones. Not sure which your engine came with). I would recomend that you get your flywheel resurfaced, but opinions on that particular step vary in proportion to the number of people responding. Get an Excedy clutch kit (they make the OEM, and the ones they sell themselves are just a bit better), or an OEM. Do not go cheap on the clutch kit. it is not worth it. send me an email pr a PM (click on my name for easy access to this) if you would like my help on this and you are within 100 miles of either Sac or SF. . .

[RobJ426]

I wouldn't pull the engine, the manual just said the front had to be lifted a bit to get the right angle to remove the tranny. I'm near Redding so it's pretty far north of you but I appreciate the offer.

 

I figure over Christmas break my 17 year old son and I will work on it since he's the one who shortened it's life while he was learning to drive. It was one particular third gear start because he forgot to drop it into first and didn't think he had time to go back for first with cars waiting behind him that really did it. He smoked it bad and it started slipping from time to time the next day at only 40K miles. He's learned so much helping me with these cars.... like if you abuse it, you get to fix it! Seriously he's becoming a pretty good mechanic. We'll take digitals as we go as I'm more used to removing traditional rear wheel drive transmissions on American made vehicles.

 

I have changed out a half dozen half shafts so that's no big deal. I was just wondering if there were any special quirks with this particular job. Thanks for the info- I will check those parts for sure.

 

I was planning to have the flywheel looked at and either resurfaced or replaced. What is the discussion on that? I suppose some feel it should always be replaced? I know some vehicles that's pretty standard advice so I'm open to any comments on that subject. Who carries Excedy clutch kits? Any major national chains?

 

Thanks again- I really do appreciate the advice and tips.

[Gnuman]

Best prices are to be had getting the clutch kit online. Some say that resurfacing is not needed every time, and you will shorten the life of the flywheel if you resurface every time. I say you should resurface each time, to be sure of a good surface to "bite" with. Torque spec on the flywheel bolts is 60ft-lbs. Nothing particularly wierd about this tranny (except that it is so well designed) if you are used to RWD cars, except that you also have two halfshafts sticking out of the sides at the front. 3/16" drift punch takes them loose with ease (roll pin at tranny side of the halfshaft). If you have a cable system, leave a bit of slack in the cable so that you still have freeplay when the system heats up. (I go with 1/4" to 3/8" free cable and it works out well)

 

Hmmmm. . .that would give me an excuse to go to Redding. . . I just put new tires on, and I'm itching for a road trip. . .