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View Full Version : 96' BG 5MT EJ22E - *Hill Holder* caliper seized! FIXED



chuckthefuk
05-25-2010, 01:48 PM
Ok lets get some things straight before anyone responds with 4 word answers..

1) I am not a mechanic.
2) I have minimal understanding of hydraulic clutch/brake systems.
3) All the work is either done or overseen by a licensed mechanic
4) I have downloaded 95-96-97 FSM to help me along the way and yet there useless for this problem.

Car: 96' BG 5MT EJ22E
Symptoms: Left caliper seized. When pulling into my driveway randomly.
Solution: Replace caliper
Result: Caliper is unseized until brake pedal is applied. Causing left caliper to seize again until brake fluid is released causing the pressure to subside.

More Diagnosis:
-ABS Sensor inspected no problems
-ABS pump inspected no problems
-Flex line replaced
-Caliper inspected no problems
-Hard lines bleed properly.

So.... where does this leave me now....

After a few hours of conversation I decided to check my clutch system. There had been a slight issue with clutch pedal pressure. It felt soft after the caliper fiasco.

It seems that the 96' 5MT were not cable clutch and were not hydraulic clutch. It was both .. cable clutch with hydraulic assist????

Cable clutch to a sealed reservoir that had brake fluid fed from the master cyl then a hydraulic line from the sealed reservoir going to the clutch slave.

In more detail when the clutch cable is pushed it pulls a swivel valve that has the clutch cable attached to one end and a spring attached to the other end. The spring is what gives the clutch pedal resistance. It seems that even though my clutch pedal worked and i was able to shift the swivel valve was not going back to its neutral position since the spring was broken.

So after 4 days of not driving my outback and hours of replacing and diagnosing parts it turns out that a flimsy spring that opens this sealed reservoir valve was locking the left caliper since it was not going back to the neutral position and causing pressure in the brake system.

If anyone would like to clue in and help me out with figuring out what kind of system I have or the FSM pages that show this.

Anyways another interesting Subaru thing./....

-Chuck

mike-tracy
05-26-2010, 03:24 AM
I'm sorry I can't be of help but would you post pics of the hybrid system?

ouch1011
05-27-2010, 03:25 AM
Isn't that the hill-holder deal, where it applies the brakes slightly to keep you from rolling backwards on a hill until you can engage the clutch? I've never worked on one of these systems.

nomad666666
05-27-2010, 08:16 AM
http://www.scoobymods.com/hill-holder-c ... t2746.html (http://www.scoobymods.com/hill-holder-clutch-info-t2746.html)

http://www.lackhead.org/2008/09/disabli ... er-clutch/ (http://www.lackhead.org/2008/09/disabling-my-subarus-hill-holder-clutch/)

http://www.drive.subaru.com/spr03_hillholder.htm

chuckthefuk
05-27-2010, 02:31 PM
nope nope and nope.

From those articles that nomad posted my 96' setup does not have any of those items.

I'll post some pics when i can get to it.
-Chuck

nomad666666
05-27-2010, 04:09 PM
Read this it will fix your issue

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/74- ... drags.html (http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/74-outback-4-cylinder/8960-quirk-hill-holder-clutch-96-2-2-5mt-drags.html)

and yes you have a hill hold clutch...... :smt023

http://www.cars101.com/subaru_legacy_archive95_97.html

chuckthefuk
05-27-2010, 06:26 PM
+1 to Nomand.. You are correct....

I do have a hill-holder I just never realized it. I just tested it out and sure enough it works..

So the first article you just posted has a similar issue as mine. He was moving a load of stones I was moving a Fully Built 7MGTE straight-6 block with a few acessories still attached. So that could have initiated the hill-holder randomly.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/4645499845_43e5b691a5_b-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/4645499237_bcc431f947_b-1.jpg
Here you can see the spring system that gives resistance to the clutch pedal.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/4645500247_0885033a01_b-1.jpg
Overview.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/4646111802_fa970b4934_b-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/4645498673_e9611197c9_b-1.jpg
Random shots.

Thanks Nomad for clearing this up.
-Chuck

nomad666666
05-27-2010, 06:32 PM
Glad to help I have seen this problem before in the shop :shock:

Took 3 days of head scratching to figure out. :smt017

We replaced the valve.

chuckthefuk
05-27-2010, 06:42 PM
Geez... what a pain.. Glad mine was just that spring..

So from this entire fiasco I have been thinking...

Could I technically replace the spring with a stronger + stiffer version and shall I say "Have the feel of an upgraded clutch with the clamping force of stock oem clutch :D " without any consequences on the hill-holder valve.

Thanks
-Chuck

nomad666666
05-27-2010, 07:28 PM
The stock one is more than likely worn out. I would see if the dealer can still get them. I would think if you put too large a spring on it could stress other parts of the clutch system or premature wear the cable.....