wierd noise... rattling..

[subyL92]

Hello SLI
I have a 98 legacy outback ej25d...
I was drving home today and I've notice a wierd rattle like sound...
It only makes when I'm underload...
Every gear at low rpm...
You can especially hear it when I'm in 5 gear at a low speed and rpm...the
It doesn't sound like engine knock...
I do have an exhaust leak and to be honest it does sound like the rattling is at the same sound like with the exhaust leak...
Any help.of what you think it mite be..
And on the same my shifter feels very sloppy..
Today around the same time of rattling occurring my shifter got really loose towards 1st gear...
No pressure coming back to the middle like the 5th gear side does..
Now it makes it hard to shift into 3rd and 4th..
Any help would be good..
Thanks

[chuckthefuk]

If you apply a bit of pressure against the shifter when its making that noise does it go away or does it get louder?

Rattling from the shifter is a common issue with Subarus. And the fact that you have a sloppy shifter only strengthens my claim.

[subyL92]

I haven't tried that yet...
But I was on the freeway cruising at 65mph and I shut all the windows and turned off the music..
Without pressing on the shifter and not touching it I do hear a distinct rattle from it..
Not that loud in the car but you can hear it outside the car...
Bit only street driving shifting from gear to gear..

[shredtahoe]

sounds like you lost your shifter return spring to me. I had this same problem about a month ago!

To find out if this is causing it, get under the car and look at the shifter linkage/mechanism. If the spring shown here is gone/worn out, you need to order a new one for a dollar and some change from the dealer.

EDIT: part number is 33022ga081

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2013/02/IMG_1701_arrow-1.jpg

[chuckthefuk]

while ur at it. the front and rear shifter bushings also make the shifter sloppy and buck when there is on/off load on the trans.

[subyL92]

Okay...
So I found that spring...
It's broken as in snapped...
So ill have to pick it up.from The dealer...
Is it hard to install and is that noise related to that?

[chuckthefuk]

10 minutes if u have to crawl under the car. 30 seconds if its on a hoist

[subyL92]

Okay...
I ordered the part..
1.60...
But won't come in til wed.
So sloppy shifter for a few days...
Thanks for all the help..
I looked underneath the car and saw where both spring hooks grab on to...
Should only take me a couple minutes to do...
Thanks for all the help..