question RE replacing clutch

eden · Post by **eden** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:13 pm

g'day all, i have a 2000 outback and the clutch needs replacing. i went to a mechanic and he said to replace the clutch the whole engine has to come out. does this sound right? does anyone know the proceedure? any info would be good .thanx Eden

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:21 pm

Hey eden,

It either the engine or the gearbox that comes out. I personally pull the engine when I normally do it - only cos i've pulled the engine so many times its just easy. By doing that the clutch is out of the engine bay and easy to access and move around on the back of the engine.

What was the price they put on that job?

Where are you? There could be a group or one of us on here near you that could help you out with the work for a slab or something...

Cheers

Bennie

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:35 pm

Engine out or gearbox out, either way one of them has to go. Engine is easier if you know what you are doing. We have done them by just taking the radiator out, undoing the engine and just sliding it all forwards. It is a bit tight in there to do the clutch but it saves about an hour.

Outback bloke · Post by **Outback bloke** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:35 pm

We must have been typing that at the same time hey.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:50 pm

BYB-01 wrote:We must have been typing that at the same time hey.

hehehe... Thinking alike I think

Bennie

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:40 pm

btw bennie neither has to come out on an L

over here we have done it by undoing gearbox mounts or x member and sliding it back a few inches - gives you just enough room to get a ratchet in there to undo the bolts. then as you have to leave the pressure plate loose to align the clutch- these bolts are done up through the starter motor hole in the gbox after its all back together.

eden · Post by **eden** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:40 pm

hey guys, thanx for the replys. seems like the mechanic is right then, just seemed a bit strange to me, i read the service manual and it said nothing about pulling the engine out. i'm just a bit strapped for cash at the moment so i just wanted reasurance that he was doing the right thing. he is a good mechanic, iv'e used him before with my old commodore and he always did a good job. hey Bennie thanx heaps for the offer but unfortunatly i live in Sydney, but you'd get more than a slab for the help brother.

i'm thinking of getting a heavy duty EXEDY clutch for the replacment as i go offroad a bit. has anyone used these or anything similar? the oem is pretty shithouse, has shuttered and cluncked for ages before it finally went, but i think this was a common fault with this clutch

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:36 am

Maybe try a few other mechanics, preferably one with lots of Subaru experience. Lots are put off by the fact that the Suby's are a 4x4 and think that it's going to be a massive job to take the gearbox off so opt for the engine-out option instead. I rekon it's way quicker to take the gearbox out instead. In a Subaru it's just the same as any regular rear wheel drive car except it has two driveshafts connected at the front.
Just be careful you don't get slammed for excessively more labour charges than a regular car because it really shouldn't take alot longer.

CPOCSM · Post by **CPOCSM** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:47 am

Subafury wrote:btw bennie neither has to come out on an L

.

Can you send up a procedure for the L series too as my trusty steed is about to shit the biscuit in the clutch area. Still all good now however the pedal is nearly coming all the way out to fully engage the clutch. If I can get away with it I will do it myself however never done a Soob...minis are a piece of piss but Soobs are white mans magic!!

Hooroo

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:10 pm

hey before you tackle changing the clutch try adjusting the clutch cable first, you might get some more life out of it. The adjustment is made where the clutch cable mounts on the top of the gearbox bellhousing.

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:25 am

I can generaly do a subaru clutch in about 2.5 hrs at work, gearbox out, using a hoist

eden · Post by **eden** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:00 am

AndrewT wrote:hey before you tackle changing the clutch try adjusting the clutch cable first, you might get some more life out of it. The adjustment is made where the clutch cable mounts on the top of the gearbox bellhousing.

the clutch isn't slipping it's dragging. when i gear down or go down hill it makes a really bad scratching sound. it started off just every now and then but now it's all the time. it's actually quite painfull to listen to