legacycentral bbs

My car is a 91 Legacy Turbo 5spd with the pull type hydraulic clutch: I was driving about 65mph and attempted to downshift for a ramp, I tried to get the transmission into fourth gear, however it would not go, I gave it a little more force and then heard and lightly felt the gears grind, therefor stopped forcing. I attempted to lift the clutch however it was stuck to the floor. I pulled the clutch up and then pushed it down again. After playing with the shifter I was able to get it into 3rd gear, and I shifted my way back to 5th normally until my exit, about 3 miles. Then I came to a stop sign where I had the same problem, the clutch proceeded to stick to the floor, and I also could not get the car into any gear. I had it towed via flatbed to a place where I can work on it. I tried to bleed the slave cylinder, but that did not help. I can force the car into 3-4-5 and reverse, however can not get it into 1 or 2. When in gear(3-4-5-R) and I release the clutch, with the car on, it will not move. I can also push the car with it in gear and turned off. I never heard any load obtrusive noises, and the clutch worked great before. The car has 119,000 miles, only 3k being my own. I was never hard on it, but who knows about the other +100k.

>>>Also, I found some information detailing the placement of the 1-2 gears, they are fixed on the output shaft and have roller bearings on the input shaft, rather than the fixed position of 3-4-5 on the input shaft. See any coincidence?? Ideas? I have to take the transmission out of the car outside, so I must wait until it at least stops snowing, then I can give a better description of the mechanicals. I have had clutches go out on other vehicles before, never with these symptoms, so its not looking good to me.
Any information is appreciated. Thanks
Eric

Sounds like your pressure plate finally bit the dust. If you have your factory clutch still, don't be disappointed, 119,000 miles is a good life for one, mine went at 110,000...

And mine happened more suddenly than yours. I drove to a parts store for something about 6 miles away, and my clutch was working okay, not great but okay, and on the way back it became absolutely unbearable, I was able to change gears but not easily, I had to force them in. It still got me home though, and still to the mechanic the nest day, it was a close mechanic and I just left it in second to get there, and the pedal stayed on the floor when I got there.

Oh and BTW, do not, I repeat do not go to the best-priced place you can find. They will screw you over. My car was put back together so sloppily afterwards, and I'm pretty sure they left the old throw-out bearing in too...

Good luck...

I think I have eliminated part of the problem. The clutch's pp side was metal and rivots!! So I replaced it with a WRX Exedy. 120k on the original clutch is pretty good, but 120k for a trans' life would not make me happy. With the clutch installed, I drove the car, still no first gear. I can now shift into second, occasionally a hangup, but will slide right in. Same with the rest of the gears. Why could I still be having troubles with first? Once again I will take the trans out, and most likely tear it apart, but still try to shift it first out of the car. Never having opened a Subaru 5spd up, all I can speculate from here would be either a bent shift fork, or perhaps the synchros could be torn up and getting caught? When I drained the fluid is was absolutely clean, no metal bits. My rubber transmission mount is also torn, could this be causing to much flex when I try to shift, thus misaligning the gearshifter? That ones kind of a long shot. Any input is appreciated. I finish school today, so I will finally have time to tear into it. Having the car for two months and only driving it home really sucks!! (even though that was almost 3000 miles)
Thanks
- Eric