Gear Changes - Clunky
 

Car - 2010 (60) Subaru Impreza STI 330S Hatchback - No Modifications

Hi all just a quick query, first Subaru I’ve owned, and first paddle clutch Car ive driven.

anyway when i slowly change the gears its fine, there’s no clunky sounds and relativity smooth , however when quick shifting , i.e. clutch in, change gear , and lifting the foot of as soon as I can the car clunks loud as hell and sounds just awful , doesn’t feel smooth , it’s like I’ve hit a huge pothole, it terms of the feeling, is this normal, with terms of a paddle clutch?

Its not that im always quick shifting all the time, but in terms of Trackdays/quarter mile trips , youd want to be changing gears as fast as possible? and not having to feed out the clutch right?

Have you tried changing the gearbox oil first?

I havn't no , and not sure when it was last changed (ill check History when home)

Car is on 27K miles now , how often should Gearbox oil be changed on these? i think its every 30k, so i guess if it hasnt been changed then it prob needs done?


Should i also look into changing Rear-Diff fluid etc?

Can you pinpoint the knocking? Might be worn bushings somewhere allowing the drivetrain to move and hit something.

paddle clutches are reputedly like an on/off switch, maybe you just need to get used to it.

it feels like its coming from the front, below the center console sort off, i had it on the ramp when i first got the car, everything looked fine (of course i wasnt looking at a certain part, so could have missed something if not looking for it)

yeh thats another thing i did think, guess there no way to get round that either

If you change gear aggressively with a quick clutch release it's normal to get a thud through the transmission.

Sharp clutch like a paddle or twin plate will exacerbate that, but if you shift a little slower it should not happen really.

If no mods why does it have a paddle clutch? Are you sure it has that?

Yeh when shifting slower i can get a quick shift with no or minimal thud

hmm, well i just thought it was a paddle clutch that came with it standard :confused: , it for sure feels like its a paddle clutch?? , On/Off feel , no real Bite zone? ......... maybe i need to look into it, nothing in the service history of a clutch being replaced , i guess previous owners could have fitted a paddle clutch ? ...... without removing gearbox and checking is there any other way to tell ?

27k is early to replace clutch on standard car unless (hopefully not) it was abused.

What you describe is not how the standard clutch should feel, I'd get that checked out.