I'm going to try to explain this the best I can. any hints suggestions, thoughts are greatly appreciated.

I drive a 98 legacy wagon. i think it is a six cylinder but am not sure. awhile ago the check engine light came on. No real difference in the driving of the car. i did notice a bit of an oil burning smell after driving long distances. I determined there was s mall oil leak which dripped on to the exhaust manifold. I have not had this repaired. recently the weather dropped quite a bit and I've noticed a change in the acceleration of my car. I can go from 2nd to 3rd and have the tach jump up to 4 or 5 K. So basically while shifting from one gear to the next there is a lag in the acceleration to get to a comfortable speed for whichever gear I'm moving into. I do plan to have this checked out when I have an opportunity but I have little funds to do this in a timely manner. Could it be that a lack of pressure due to an oil leak would cause this change? The pistons seem to clap a bit but maybe I shuld just give it more oil until i can have it checked. last oil change I had seemed to make a big difference. If anyone has any specific suggestions or can give me some sort of diagnostic impression from this I would be very happy. thank you

Hi

 

you have a 2.5L 4 cylinder double over head cam engine.

 

How many miles are on this car and when was the last time it had a timing belt change.

 

When the car is accelerating, it feels like it is going into neutral between shifts?

 

 

First thing to do is check the fluid levels in the oil and the tranny fluid. Tranny fluid is done with the car warm and running. The shifter should be moved through all the gears before you check the fluid. It should also be read and not brown.

 

let me know what you find and i can help you from there.

 

nipper

Sounds like clutch slip if the car is a manual.....

120,197. nxt oil change is 'due' 120,910

I think I had the timing belt changed just over 1.5 years ago. It is a manual; and yes seems to go into neutral between gaining enough speed for the next gear. Doesn't seem to be a clutch problem to me. Not sure about checking fluid levels at this point... where would I check the tranny fluid? I'm not too engine savvy

120,197. nxt oil change is 'due' 120,910

I think I had the timing belt changed just over 1.5 years ago. It is a manual; and yes seems to go into neutral between gaining enough speed for the next gear. Doesn't seem to be a clutch problem to me. Not sure about checking fluid levels at this point... where would I check the tranny fluid? I'm not too engine savvy

 

i figured you werent a car person. I assumed it was an automatic. Sounds like a clutch. The flairing is the clutch slipping, it will slowly get worse.

 

When you had the timing belt fixed do you remeber what else was done. If they didnt do all the seals at that time, it sounds like you are going to need to have them done in the future some time.

 

Are you interested in learning more about your car?

 

nipper

they suggested an ac belt but I wasn't too concerned about that. Will a clutch be expensive? Is it best to get a new clutch or can the present one be reapiared? cheaper than replacing and auto tranny?

yes I could learn some more. I appreciate the help.

is the clapping of valves a problem or a harbinger?

last time I used the cruise control whenever I needed to accelerate the engine would rev until I interrupted it. nearing 5500 rpms.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/clutch.htm

 

and here

 

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

 

(cruise the automotive areas to learn just click on things)

 

that will help you with basics. you can go to an autoparts store and pick up a haynes manual, which may be a little more technical then you may understand, but its not too bad.

 

 

We will be more then happy to teach.

 

 

You do know its important to make sure all 4 tires are wearing equally and properly inflated?

 

nipper

just got new tires due to un-even wear from front to back tires. I probably do need to check the tire pressure as it is probably 11 degrees at night lately. But yes I am aware of the ratio for the AWD. I've been through a number of issues with this car so far.

If the clutch was slipping - you'd smell it when accelerating hard (make sure your cabin vent sucks air from outside) or going uphill in high gear.

If it does not smell -it sounds more like clutch being slow to engage for some reason. See if your car jumps and stalls when you put it in first and drop the clutch pedal.

I'm pretty sure the car jumps if my foot slips of the clutch. the only smell I notice is clearly an oil brun. again I think this is due to a small leak onto the manifold.

WOrn clutch test is trying to start from a dead stop in 3rd or 4th gear. if you can do it the clucth is on its way out. if you can't the clutch is fine.

 

First gear isnt a true test since its minimal load. Also since she is moving when it happens she wont smell the clutch, for the same reason you dont smell oil dripping on the exhaust manifold when the car is moving.

 

 

nipper

WOrn clutch test is trying to start from a dead stop in 3rd or 4th gear. if you can do it the clucth is on its way out. if you can't the clutch is fine.

 

First gear isnt a true test since its minimal load. Also since she is moving when it happens she wont smell the clutch, for the same reason you dont smell oil dripping on the exhaust manifold when the car is moving.

 

 

nipper

Sure you will smell the slipping clutch going uphill. Don't know about subarus, but had that in other makes.

And I was not suggesting first gear as a test of worn clutch. I was talking about slow to engage clutch.

I may try the worn clutch test. it won't do more damage will it?

on another note. I hit a deer that took out my lft. side mirror. Would I be able to get one from a jy and hook it to the wires?

I may try the worn clutch test. it won't do more damage will it?

 

no it wont, as your not going to do it 10 times in a row. Try to take off and see what happens. No matter what you do the car should stall if the clutch is good.

 

This test can be done in any high gear, but third and 4th are the most realistic.

 

Also check under the hood and look at the levle of fluid in your clutch cylinder. You will have two resivoirs, one is the brake and one closest to the drivers side of the car is the clutch. The clutch resivoir is the smaller one.

 

nipper

I may try the worn clutch test. it won't do more damage will it?

Nope. It will just stall, or go..

that was depressing. I was stopped in the middle of the street let the clutch out and stepped on the gas as if I was in first and yes, I moved down the street. Possibly the result of some nasty grinding at 50 or so mph.

any idea what I would be looking at cost wise?

I've found a kit for 279.40 without a flywheel. I imagine all said and done I'll be looking at nearly 500.

up

thanks for the help nipper and daelmrk

i mean dmaemenk

Before you shell out $500 for clutch, make sure there's no easy fix. Check fluid in clutch cylinder, check that there is some freeplay of clutch pedal.