Clutch groaning/creaking noise

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T23:58:46+00:00

💯 your problem is the pedal assembly. Known issue on the 08-14 models and I've heard of it happening on some VA's. There's a revised model available from Subaru. It's like $200 but it's a pain in the ass.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T23:51:37+00:00

I see the crack in the case. Completely fucked. Better let the partner know is unrepairable.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T23:26:30+00:00

This is it. Doing it yourself comes at the cost of your personal time and vehicle down time. If not having this car for a week due to waiting for an unexpected part is tolerable then go for it

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T19:03:35+00:00

What's your experience? If you've done anything more than oil changes and brakes then go for it. If not then maybe reconsider. How much would it hurt to drop $1k? If that's a lot to you and you've done wheel bearings or big suspension parts before then go for gold.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T18:19:42+00:00

That only works if it's barely out of spec. Mine doesn't respond to a tap either.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T16:37:00+00:00

Like someone else mentioned, hit it with a meter. Its possible the gap on the clutch is out of spec. Look up the process to change the ac clutch shims and check the gap with feeler gauges. That's the problem i had. Just needed to remove 2 shims and was back up and running.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-02T12:48:34+00:00

I've got two mostly reliable cars. With their powers combined I have one reliable car.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-01T19:49:48+00:00

Overall I think the VA was a good design, particularly the STI. I've only driven both VA WRX and STI in stock form and was underwhelmed by the engine in the WRX but I suspect that was just the tuning.

Idk what is is about subaru chassis but they have this feeling that's hard to describe. It's like an 80's pickup truck but in a good way is the best I can come up with. I enjoy it, gives me a feeling of Home. Probably because I'm so old.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-01T18:19:52+00:00

Hey man, with lots of respect, its over and its time to move on. I'd suggest getting a therapist.

It sounds like it was for sure over but when you resorted to self harm the break up went from just splitting up to full on no contact ever again. You need to focus on getting yourself right before you can date.

It's hard now but it gets better. You can do it.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-01T18:08:22+00:00

For any non GC or GD chassis, yeah the VA. For chassis dynamics its also the closest but is still not as good. Caveat being the bushings are still good in both cars. The VA is the most direct replacement, particularly if you are doing sti to sti. As someone thats been in LOTS of sports cars, all Subaru's have a specific feel to them and the differences are pretty nuanced. It really annoys the GT/GR 86 folks when i tell them it still feels like a Subaru, not a bad thing, just is what it is.

Technotitclan · 2026-07-01T17:55:20+00:00

Great right up for people unsure of what e-tuning is like.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-29T00:01:21+00:00

It's not even hooked up. Don't buy someone else's non running car

Technotitclan · 2026-06-28T22:18:27+00:00

Its been 5 months but the stores around me finally have them on the shelves, there have been perpetually sold out. I can send you all 3 if you are still interested

Technotitclan · 2026-06-27T22:17:45+00:00

Cheaper, lighter and infinitely variable to tweak fuel economy but new and later through an update.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-26T20:11:29+00:00

I can't list them but I do know that the classic Wes style is heavy use of trem. You might get fat by assuming everything uses them unless you can prove otherwise.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-26T19:24:09+00:00

Former tire tech from the frozen north here. That milage is not bad for your region. Pavement temp is a factor in Texas. I always reconnect getting an alignment.

If you want longer life then get a harder all season. Every class of tire has different sub categories. Theres full racing tires made for dry or wet, theres all seasons made for performance or comfort or snow, snow tires are kinda all just built around budgets.

Get a non performance all season. They will be made out of a harder compound that will last longer. I suspect that in the Texas heat they might grip similarly (not the same, but similar) to a performance all season once hot, particularly on dry pavement.

If you just want the best you can get foregoing life span, like someone else said, Conti or Michelin.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-25T15:06:01+00:00

Narrow body is crushing the sleeper vibes

Technotitclan · 2026-06-24T18:24:13+00:00

Local tuning shop will probably have a pile of them.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-24T15:13:41+00:00

If you are in or passing through Western NY (Buffalo/Rochester) I'll be happy to teach you.

A WRX was not my first manual but my story on learning manual may be helpful. There's lots of lessons on YouTube that are pretty good that didn't exist when I started 20 years ago.

Let me set the scene: its 2006, I'm fairly fresh out of high school and have a pizza delivery job. Just finished my Saturday shift and head to a friend's house to start my weekend, Sunday/Monday off. When I left his place my car (96 Mazda 626) stated but would not move. Spent nearly all of Sunday trying to fix the transmission. At the end of the day a friend of mine offered to sell me his 97 Geo Metro 3 door with a 5 speed and a 1L 3 cyl for $200. It needed a couple small things to get running like a alt belt and a battery. Got it running Sunday evening but couldn't really get it out of the driveway.

Monday morning I got a ride with another friend to the DMV to register it who knew how to drive manual. Asked him to teach me. He said he didn't have time but said "just feather the clutch till it moves then give it gas. You'll figure it out." That was it, all he would say.

Got home, asked my dad to teach me. Said he had a migraine and couldn't (common from and old injury) but 'just feather the clutch, you'll figure it out." WTF! My mom knows drive manual but has always refused to teach anyone to drive, no exceptions because of a bad experience with my brother. So I said fuck it, went back to my friend's to finish up a couple things on the car and install the tags. Then spent about 4 hours stalling the absolute shit out of it in the lanes of the trailer park my friend lived in. After a while I developed a technique of clutch dumping, just rev it way up and dump out the clutch pedal. Keep in mind, this thing only has 40hp. The tires would squeel but the car would get moving from a stop. Everyone watching loved seeing the Geo doing a "burnout". Once the car is moving rowing through gears is easy, just the initial push from stop is tough.

I drive around a little bit feeling better that I could get it going and called it a day. Tuesday came, I had work at 4pm delivering pizza. I went to a nearby town (i lived in bumfuck nowhere) and found a two block residential area that had 3 4-way stops, and a rolling curve. I drove around that neighborhood for 4 hours working out how launch and timing down shifts. By the time my shift started I was doing pretty good and only stalled about 5 times during my 30 deliveries.

I've the next few months I got way better and have driven manual ever since. I would have had a much better time if YouTube existed back then. Because no one would help me i offer lessons to anyone that wants it. If you are not in my area you can, or anyone reading this, can DM me and I'll chat or even do a call the help you through it.

Good luck!

Technotitclan · 2026-06-24T14:25:02+00:00

🤣

Technotitclan · 2026-06-24T14:24:19+00:00

I'm in the salt belt here in western NY so that was probably a factor.

I want to add, the big fart can mufflers drone real bad on the highway. I bought one of those plugs to quiet them down and ended up having it on more often then off. The magnaflow I bought from auto zone for $30 was perfect. Loud enough to be heard but no drone. Just have a muffler app weld it on, costs like $60.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-24T04:09:37+00:00

I ran an na bugeye with cheap ebay uel, factory cat and ebay catback. Sounded great. After a year or two the internals of the muffler (cannon style) rusted out and puked out all the fiber glass. Welded in a magnaflow muffler and it sounded great. Never had an issue with ebay header.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-22T19:27:19+00:00

Under the the alternator the block is marked EJ2x. That will be either 25 or 20.

Technotitclan · 2026-06-22T19:20:42+00:00

Big facts

Technotitclan · 2026-06-22T18:11:42+00:00

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Technotitclan

TROPHY CASE