My 'O1 OB (115k, manual trans) has begun to shudder when accelerating from a stopped position. The noise and shudder feels like it is coming from the middle of the vehicle. I think the clutch is still fine and the noise/shudder only happens when going from 1st - 2nd gears and sometimes 2nd - 3rd.

 

Any recommendations? How much should something like this cost to get fixed?

 

Thanks

Its the center carrier bearing or the universal joint. Its real easy to diagnose. Get under the car, grab the driveshaft and shake it in the x and y direction. There should be no play.

Cost of repair depends upon who you want to fis it. New shaft from subaru bloody expensive. Used driveshaft from a junk yard. What I did was take the car to a drive shaft shop and have them rebuild the shaft with a greasable universal os it would last for ever. If you plan on keeping the car for another 100K, thats the way I would go. If not go the junkyard route.

If its the bearing itself just get it replaced. It will get worse with time, and may even show up at highway speed.

 

nipper

Its the center carrier bearing or the universal joint. Its real easy to diagnose. Get under the car, grab the driveshaft and shake it in the x and y direction. There should be no play.

that's definitely the first thing to check, only takes a couple minutes. but that's not a fool-proof test, there's another failure mode that doesn't show up by doing that - a seized u-joint. they can seize to the point there is no play at all by hand, even the kind of back and forth play a U joint is supposed to have when not installed in the car. these won't show up by grabbing and shaking. you sometimes can see and tell by looking, but best to remove the shaft and check if you're not sure as they are difficult and possibly impossible in some situations, to spot visually.

Put it in nuetral - step on the gas - if it stumbles and shudders let me know.

 

rd

i would also check the clutch adjusment or cables as well (unless it's hydraulic then you cant').

Is it happening when letting off the clutch pedal? If so it sounds like another classic case of clutch judder to me.

Clutch judder would also be my first guess since it is an 01 and many of them are prone to it. Cold weather makes it worse. I changed my 99 to the upgraded clutch because of this, an 01 clutch is also reaching it's sell by date in many cases.