I have a 96 outback that TWICE NOW has had a burning clutch smell when trying to get out of snow. The first time I high centered it on some snowmobile trails, which was understandable. The second time was yesterday. I was in about 4 inches of snow and some mud with the nose of the car at a slight decline. I got the car out, but when I engaged the clutch it slowly came out. It's like it just had enough power to get out. I've got the 2.2 engine but it seemed to me it should've gotten out easier than that.

 

Is there something else going on, or is the car that underpowered?

i'm confused, power doesn't get out of snow does it? are you sure it wasn't burning rubber smell? i've been off road in snow and ice and with enough spinning on hard ice the tires will start to burn and smell.

 

sounds like your clutch is slipping if you're smelling it? clutch slipping or not engaged fully or needs adjustment. are any of those possibilities?

 

there are ways to test the clutch....does it ever slip on a start up a steep hill?

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, better budget for a new clutch. Let me preface what I say by saying I have very little automotive knowledge. However I own a 96 Outback with 125k, when I was at about 105k I would get this smell and also a lack of power. It will get worse, you will not be able to adequately keep up with traffic, you will feel like your driving on 1 cylinder or something, same thing happened to me and $600 later the problems left and haven't come back. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your replies!

The clutch is not slipping at all and seems to have plenty left. It has 138k (i bought it with 135k) and, to my knowledge, the clutch hasn't been changed. My experiences with clutches in the past is that you know it's going when it starts slipping and when you can push it all the way to the floor before it engages. It just doesn't seem that bad to me.

 

The smell is definitely clutch. I wasn't spinning my tires, but it sounds like it MUST be the clutch going since it didn't seem to be that deep of snow for me to not be able to pull out. I have been thinking the car just didn't have very much power.

 

Any other input?

anybody?

WE'll be taking a long drive to Canada this summer and I'd like to fix this before we go if it really is the problem.

 

Thanks for your input!

Well I hope someone else will chime in with what was actually done but..

 

 

Right before I had mine done I took it in to have it looked at and he fiddled with something under the hood about 3/4 of the way back center and he told me I didn't have much play left but it would give me some room which it did I had the car done the following week, hope this helps.

is the general consensus that the problem is indeed the clutch?

Does it slip? It should be obvious if it does. If it's slipping, I'd say you better change it. If not, keep an eye on it, wait for more symptoms.

it does not slip, though it seems the lack of power to get out of sticky situations (as I mentioned in my original post) is what has me concerned. AT first, I just thought it was underpowered and was disappointed since I'd heard subes were great in the snow. I'm just trying to find out if the solution is as simple as putting in a new clutch.

I am not sure but someone correct me if I am wrong:Hydraulic clutchs usually don't fade very much before they go like the standard mechanical ones I have noticed.I could be wrong but I would probbly just replace it.

so...

where can I get the best deal on a clutch for 96 outback with a 2.2 if someone could put it in for me? Is this a relatively easy job?

It doesn't make any sense to me to attribute a "lack of power" to a defective clutch, unless it was clearly and obviously slipping. Have you gotten a professional opinion and/or estimate?

 

There should be no real difference in wear symptoms or behaviour between a hydraulic and a mechanically actualted clutch.