Does Anyone Have A 5 Speed Without A Stinky Clutch?

I have followed the threads on the clutch stink. Picked up my car 2 days ago and it's got a bad case. The demonstrator I drove was fine with no stink so apparently it's not every car. I'd bet that is why that car was used as a demo. Saleman said it takes about 800 miles for it to go away. I'm aware of the hydraulic delay valve in the clutch plumbing and the reasons for it. Are '03+ WRXs having this problem? Is it going to call for a unpublicized replacement like on the WRX clutches (for cold chatter). Should we (are we) demanding a fix? :mad:

Mine only stunk for about 3-400 miles or so.. Havent noticed it since. I figured it was just me relearning how to drive this car smoothly after being without a 5spd for a year beforehand. And alot of it I thought was actually that protectant they spray on everything in the engine bay and exhaust burning off. All I know is my car only stunk for like 400 miles then no more. Cant say for sure what the smell was though.

Are you following break-in? It will stop once everything is broke in...unless you like doing high rpm launches...then it won't go away until your clutch does. :D

I have over 500 miles on my car now, no clutch stink. I have been babying the car, keeping it under 4k rpm.

I also read the posts about the clutch stink, and had some concerns. I had the stink until about 500 miles. Nothing since then...even with a few fairly quick launches.

I think it has to do with learning the clutch on the car. Compared to many other cars this clutch engages a bit differently, give it some time and I think it will go away

It took 3000 miles for the clutch stink to disappear in my car

Have 1900 miles, still stinks. Followed break-in procedure. No abusive launches. Have slipped it on steep inclines.

Could it be due to the anti-corrosion undercarriage spray? I know when i took delivery of my old 2.5rs, it smelled funny after each drive. mfg do that as the car is transported by a ship.

[quote name='wunderkind']Could it be due to the anti-corrosion undercarriage spray? I know when i took delivery of my old 2.5rs, it smelled funny after each drive. mfg do that as the car is transported by a ship.[/QUOTE] Legacys are built in Indiana. I dont think this is the case. My clutch doesn't stink anymore. 2800 miles on the car now. I did make it stink a few weeks ago but that was from a dead stop take off up a very steep hill. That was all my fault riding the clutch to avoid stalling the car in traffic.:redface:

[quote name='Opie']Are you following break-in? It will stop once everything is broke in...unless you like doing high rpm launches...then it won't go away until your clutch does. :D[/QUOTE] Not true at all Opie. I thought mine went away (I have 2200 miles), but it came back Saturday night driving in DC in bumper to bumper traffic where there is constant clutch work involved.

Don't burn the clutch. Any clutch will smoke and burn if you do it wrong.

My clutch only stinks when I slip the clutch during those "aggressive" moments.

My clutch has only burnt once - while riding it going up a hill accidently, to me the engagment is a little too light until I was acclimitized ... car has only 1,000 miles on it too.

My clutch never smelled in my Legacy GT. But then again I didn't do any hard starts with my car with lots of clutch slipage. Though breaks, undercarage coating, clutch, etc can stink a lot on a new car if its driven hard.

I just rolled 1000 miles on the way to work this morning and no clutch stink yet. (knocks on wood) It's been completely babied so far though.

My clutch only stinks if I do a really aggressive launch. Day to day driving, it's fine and sans stink.

I've found that a daily shower and deodorant usually takes care of the odor issue...

ALL the clutches will stink. Roll down the windows, back up an incline with a little clutch slippage, stop, repeat. Breath in smell. In normal driving you won't encounter this because the car is moving forward and away from the smell, if there is any. I think Subaru used that clutch material with built in stink, so they could tell if a car was being abused. Once you smell it you don't want to do that again. Never had a car that would smell like this before and I think it is a BAD business decision on the part of Subaru.

[quote name='mightyS']Don't burn the clutch. Any clutch will smoke and burn if you do it wrong.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately, this one stinks even if you do it right.

Mine only stinks when I've overdone it on the bean burritos, and apply a bit too much force to the pedal. "Vrooom!" "Ooops! Pardon me." Kevin

650 miles here, clutch occasionally smells - only in stop'n'go traffic, uphill. But all this talk here made me a bit more aware of the clutch slip, so much so that I stalled it twice. There is a point of engagement, when it doesn't matter the gas pedal goes through the fire wall - the engine will not rev up. I've no doubt it's an operator error (although the clutches of my other, inferior German cars never did this). Dragos

[quote name='gtguy']Mine only stinks when I've overdone it on the bean burritos, and apply a bit too much force to the pedal. "Vrooom!" "Ooops! Pardon me." Kevin[/QUOTE] Kevin, Why are you applying bean burritos to your clutch? Is this some new performance mod? :lol:

Der5er, it's probably because the Legacy has throttle by wire. The gas pedal doesn't actually go through the firewall, heh.

[quote name='kage']Kevin, Why are you applying bean burritos to your clutch? Is this some new performance mod? :lol:[/QUOTE] Erm...jet propulsion, actually. Kevin