[mangiant]

MY05 XS 5spd.

New to me car, had it for a couple months. Didn't notice this before, but it just got cold here (-10C ish). Not sure if it's coincidental.
EDIT: It's not. It warmed up to 0C ish, and the clunk was 100% gone.

I have a clunk ish noise, sounds almost like a body panel creak/groan coming from what sounds like under the driver's side rear seat (I have to do more listening as a passenger to confirm). It happens when moving the shifter from one gear to the next, WITH the clutch depressed. I don't believe it's the famous "rear diff clunk".

I can take off in 1st, hit the clutch, let the revs drop to anything, and the noise occurs as soon as I move the lever into 2nd. Sometimes it will make the noise a bit when I release the clutch pedal, but not as loudly.

It typically happens when shifting from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd. I can make it happen in any gear though. The faster I throw the lever, the louder the noise.

The car has to be moving.

Any ideas??? I can't think of anything drivetrain related that would happen when the shift lever is moved if the clutch is depressed?

 

[d2tharoc]

The Sub's all clunk in to gear to a certain degree... I have found the Forester to be a rough, clunky type of car, at least the SG's, but sturdy. Engine is loud, tranny whines, but they run strong and kick ***, especially off road.

 

[mangiant]

Thanks for the response.

Just a follow up - it IS temperature related. It warmed up today to a balmy 0C, and the clunk was 100% gone.

 

[Duderotomy]

It sounds to me like you might want to consider changing to a better synthetic gear oil in your transmission.
Some oils go much thicker than others at cold temperatures.