Hi everyone,

as you can see by my posts I am a newbie to the subaru impreza world, 4 months to be exact but since owning the vehicle have spent 90 % of my internet time digesting info and technical bulletins. Just wanted to say hi really and tell you about my experiences with this car.

Bought a my99 turbo 24000 miles a few months ago after many many months research. I was initally obsessed with the car :-) but since owning it I have think i may have developed a hypochondriac type condition about the car. Since I bought it I was convinced that there is something wrong with the gear change whereby there is a strange grating noise when changing gears. After searching on here I think this may be the "clutch pipes vibrating against the manifold?", havent had that sorted yet. Cluch judder, tell me about it! I told my dealer and he said to just mark it all down and tell them at the service. Missing/hesitation between 1000rpm - 3000rpm.

Took it to the dealer with these minor issues at the first service. I asked about the misfire and they said "we have reset the ecu"...Yeah but have you looked at it? Seems to be like the "reboot it" comment of the dealership world. Got it back and instantly the thing hunted between 200 rpm and 1000 rpm. Ahh that'll be the ecu reset I thought until I stopped at the next junction and the thing stalled on me. :-( Booked it back in. I thought it may be the lambda sensor after browsing here but it turned out to be the catalyst failing. For the few days I had it I had to drive it on three pedals reving up to 4000rpm at junctions so that i had enough time to get to the clutch, brake and back on the accelrator. It hit me that i looked like a dick when i pulled up behind a driver and was having to rev at the roundabout to keep the thing running when he turned round and laughed as if i was trying to show off...whatever.

Booked it in for the catalyst. A day before it was due in I pulled onto a slip road and put my foot down in fith. The rev counter left the counter and the car didn't move. The clutch was starting to slip. Told the garage when the cat was getting replaced and they said "you need a new clutch but can't book you in for a week!" Oh my god, this has been the worst week ever!!! From slipping in fith it has now moved to every gear! I don't think that it has many more miles on it. Its due in tomorrow and I just prey I can get there. I have had all kinds of scares pulling onto fast roundabouts and whats really annoying is loads of BMWs giving it the large and me thinking yeah yeah go on then cut me up. What makes things worse is at this point i am not even sure if I will have to pay for it or at least some of it due to clutches, wear and tear and warranty issues.

On a more positive side I had the quickshift mod installed and geometry alligned to the PPP settings. The quickshift is excellent, I really thing its a big improvement and worthwhile mod just havent been able to use either yet properley due to the damn clutch. I guess on the brightside i am getting new bits on the car that only I will be to blame for if they go? The joys of owning a second hand car I guess.

so do i get the ppp or keep a grand back for the next thing that'll go wrong? It makes me wonder about the last owner.

does anyone else think that the seats look constantly dirty in the my99, but there not!

Any way nice one for such an informative board with an excellent knowledge base.

 

The strange grating sound on gear change could well be the synchromesh - well documented problem with the MY99s, but cureable under warrenty

The ECU reboot is a good curer of most things, a dealer wouldn't be able to check most of it if they wanted to

Having had my MY99 PPP'd, I'd heartily recommend it - as whilst you can get the same BHP increase via straight through de-cat exhaust and air filter, the PPPs main benefit is the increased torque, which will give it performance to match an STi A-to-B plus you will keep the remainder of the warrenty, which depending on the dealer, other mods will nulify


either way - enjoy

 

Ive got an MY00, suffer from intermittent clutch judder (thinking of changing the hydrolic fluid) and have a ppp fitted.
from what ive heard the ppp can enhance the hesitation (mine doesnt suffer for some unknown reason??) but the knock link seems to sort it out (sensor problems???)
get the car sorted 100% then get the ppp, dont be disappointed in your scoob, they are a great car and worth the money, i love mine to bits and shes a stormer

Tony

 

Tony,

I love the car dont get me wrong and if I can get all these bits replaced under warranty even better.

I guess i can live with the misfire type syndrome. In all fairness the dealer has been quite good but from what I have read on hear that particular problem is quite difficult to get rid of. The dealer says all the sensors have checked out o.k., do i live with it or become a nusiance?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by TonyBurns:
<B>Ive got an MY00, suffer from intermittent clutch judder (thinking of changing the hydrolic fluid) and have a ppp fitted.
from what ive heard the ppp can enhance the hesitation (mine doesnt suffer for some unknown reason??) but the knock link seems to sort it out (sensor problems???)
get the car sorted 100% then get the ppp, dont be disappointed in your scoob, they are a great car and worth the money, i love mine to bits and shes a stormer

Tony[/quote]

 

Gary,

thanks for that info. Mmmmm gear synchro ehy, I will do a search for that.

As Tony says I will try and the most of my niggley issues sorted first. Just as a matter of interest though I rang Tesco's for an insurance quote and stated PPP mod. They didn't have a clue. Have you guys/girls had to state the components of the upgrade?

 

Paul,
I know what you mean, your hearing become super sensitive!!
I have had my RB5 for 2 weeks now and I have a similar prob to you with regard to vibrations although it seems to have disappeared. I sometimes get a bibrating sound from behind the accelerator when lifting off on a hard up change. Other than that it is fine. Booked it in next week. With regard to your clutch prob - if you dont ask you dont get. Argue it to the death.....Good luck

 

Try Keith Michaels. They specialise in performance and got the best quote for me and I only have 1 yrs no claims...Ask for Christian 0208 288 0677

 

Don't drive the car to the dealers! When my clutch went I just parked up at home, called Subaru assist and said it was undriveable. Why risk an accident with all that reving and pedal shuffling?
Chuck

 

My last scoob used to suffer from intermitent stuttering between 1-3000 rpm, I found this stopped after asking the subaru dealership not to put injector cleaner in it on it's next service - this seemed to cure it!
James

 

JJK, that sounds exactly like what I get and at the exact same time. Its not a problem but does sound like you are doing something wrong. At first I thought it was my technique but after driving several more cars since it definately is'nt. Please let me know what the dealer says when you get your booked in as I am going to give them a break for a while, don't want to cross the fine line between being annoying and making sure the cars o.k. Also what does keith Michaels charge for you, excess, etc and have you ever had to claim? Mail me back off list if you don't want to advertsie it. Cheers.

Chuckdog, too late. I managed to get it there this morning, just i'll tell you. I am going to argue that it juddered when i got it and i told them. They made me ride it for a week so if it looks thrashed thats becasue its been slipping like f*^% for a week. Pick it up tonight can't wait!

James. Injector cleaner. Thats interesting. What made you tell them to not put it in. Is that standard then? The engine is really dirty and i think i should eliminate that first. I have ordered some waxwizard from Mike Tuckwood which includes some stuff for the engine bay apparently. The last guy used to live in London so you can imagine the smoggy crap in there. Wouldn't normally bother me but I need to elimate dirt/cracks first I reckon.

Thanks for all your replys. Dont forget to let me know JJK. Most appreciated!

 

JJK,

I had the vibrating on change up at high revs and cured it by putting some wadding between the bulk head and brake pipes near the master cylinder.

Brendan

 

Brendan,

I am not very mechanically minded, can you explain to me in more depth where the place was you put the wadding please? Give me thicky directions. What did you use, doesn't it get hot?

thanks very much

Paul.

 

Paul
You got mail..

Thx Bhort - where exactly did u stick the stuf
Did you get under the car to do it??

 

hi

I have had a juddery clutch... which slipped one night... whatasmell!

i am awaiting the dealer getting in the parts to do the car under warranty...

my gears crunch.. especially from 3rd to 4th... not a crunch.. more a grating sound.
I also have quick shift... lovely!

i am thinking of getting the PPP.. tho... its that or 2 weeks on the east coast of usa, or save for a lotus elise...

 

jjk,

If you look under the bonnet on the bulk head (driver's side) above the brake master cylinder and you should see 4 copper pipes running horizontally for about 6 inches along the bulk head. On my car these were held together by plastic clips and sat tightly against the metal. I gently stuffed some kitchen roll between the pipes and the bulk head which cured the vibration on change up. This has not caugt fire yet.

I was surprised when this worked as it felt like the whole clutch and gear box was going to disintegrate if I changed up above 5000 rpm.

Brendan