I've got a 98 Legacy Outback - 2.5 and manual transmission - with 176,000 miles. Starting about a month ago, I developed a new noise under acceleration / load. It originally started as a scuffing noise, but has progressed to a growl. The noise sounds like it's coming from the transmission area. If i push in on the clutch while it's making the noise it will go away - leading me to rule out anything like a wheel bearing or universal joint. Also, the car won't make the noise if i rev it in neutral, so i really don't think it's the engine. However, I changed the changed the transmission fluid a couple weeks ago (replaced with Redline synthetic MTL) and the magnet on the tranny drain plug didn't have an abnormal amount of metal shavings on it, which i'd expect if there was a bearing or something failing in there. Anyone got any ideas of what this could be?

 

By the way, this is my first post here and I'm pretty excited to join the message board - it appears to be a very knowledgeable and friendly community.

Welcome to the board.

 

It could be a couple things, but I'd suspect it may be the throw out bearing on the clutch could be making the noise. That'd be the cheapest and probably first thing I'd replace if I was going to replace something.

 

Josh

i have a 96' legacy with 190,000 and i had the same problem and i just did a clutch kit and now my noise is gone..... when i inspected the old release bearing though it seemed fine and so did the pilot bearing...oh well the noise is gone now....

Throw out bearing.

 

nipper

I will agree with the throw out bearing. When I bought my legacy, (used) it had a constant growling or humming noise that would dissipate with anything from a slight pressure on the clutch to full travel. I had it fixed free cause it was in the warranty period. It was a very annoying noise.

 

If you are going to fix it, might as well do a whole clutch replacement, etc.. or at least have your mechanic do it.

 

matt

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'll look into it a bit more this weekend and post some updates. I should also add that the noise is intermittent. I had to drive the car for 25 minutes the other day before it started to growl at all. I'm starting to suspect that maybe the motor or transmission mounts have become loose or worn and are causing the engine and transmission to become misaligned slightly - putting sideways pressure on the input or output shafts and causing the gears to bind a bit. Does this make sense to anyone? It would at least explain why the noise isn't constant.