In resolving my head gasket issue on my 97 Legacy Outback wagon, I decided since I had the engine out of the car it would be prudent to change the clutch/pressure plate/throw out bearing/pilot bearing now at 91k miles. I frequently pull a trailer with an ATV with the Subaru, so why not.

 

So lets look at a photo of the old and the new with regard to the pressure plate:

 

 

 

Notice I used a yellow marker to mark the relationship of the flywheel and the old pressure plate before removing them. I also marked the relationship of the flywheel to the crankshaft for that matter and reinstalled that at the same place. Anyway, the mark I made for the flywheel and pressure plate are at about the 4:00 position on the outer edge of the original pressure plate and the ring gear of the flywheel. In the photo, I've laid out everything as it was/is fitted. The old pressure plate had a punch mark and magenta paint at about 12:30 which I should think marks the point of "imbalance" so to speak. The new pressure plate has a white paint mark at about 12:30 (it is OEM from a Subaru dealer) which I should think represents the point of "imbalance", yet I cannot discern any punch mark. However, the new pressure plate does have a stamped circle opposite the makers logo, which is at about 9:15. The flywheel has one red dot on the inside of the friction surface at about 5:00 and a blueish green dot on the ring gear as well as the inside of the friction surface at about 7:00. I took these as the point of "imbalance" for the flywheel (the blueish green). If it is the red mark, they are pretty close.Looking back now it appears this is where the factory "drilled" the flywheel in an attempt to balance it? I had the flywheel surfaced before putting it back on the engine with the new components.

 

Anyway, the new pressure plate was installed as you see it laid out in the photo. Reason I'm asking is that the engine now has a range of considerable vibration/shaking/out of balance between 800-1200 RPM. I've got no check engine light situation, all connections as far as vaccum and electrics are good, new plugs but not new wires. I've "searched" for this issue for the past 5 days now! A new PCV valve and a sip of Seafoam and it's still there. Just wondering what you guys that have done the clutch think about the marks.

 

(Please, reserve the comments for the Walmart slippers!)

To be quite honest, you should be able to install it any which way and it be fine.

 

When I originally put the MT in my car, and had the clutch and such out this past summer for my motor swap, I really didn't pay much attention since the marks didn't really orient in a specific way. I didn't and don't have any issues that I can speak of.