95 Saturn SC2

Ok so we picked up this car for $700. Great deal in my honest opinion. Its a 5-Speed Manual. But heres the catch! It was hard to get into gear when we first got it, but 3 days later whatever was going bad decided to give up! I was backing out and I bearly got it in 1st. Extreme amount of force needed...Another thing when the car is off, you can run it through the gears correctly! No effort needed. So I am lost here. I know very little about cars, but there is no slipping in the transmission when you get it in gear, there is litteraly nothing that says bad trany. Now it has been leaking some sort of fluid, not sure what it is from, but it is one of two according to my dad: Transmission fluid, Or Hydraulic fluid from the clutch or something. But I simply don't know what it is. I am just posting around to see if anyone can help us get a idea of what is wrong. :banghead:

Odd are its clutch fluid from a leaking 'slave cylinder'. At least thats what we called that part years ago. I -think- the clutch slave cylinder is near the front of the tranny (close to the radiator). I dont know where the reservoir for the fluid is, it might be the same one as is used for the brake fluid. (My Saturn is an automatic or I would know). A leaking slave cylinder will not keep the clutch pressure plate disengaged for long. Even if you hurry things, it needs to hold it long enough for the synchronizers to bring the input shaft to a stop so you can slide it into 1st. Once you are moving you are probably upshifting faster, and the job of the synchros is easier anyway.
And on any car you buy you should check the tranny fluid anyway, if its more than a year old.
If might be hard to see that clutch slave cylinder, until you have removed the air filter and its housing, etc. From the bottom it would be hidden by the air dam or spoiler.

You have to replace the entire clutch hydraulic system as a unit. Master, slave, lines all come together as a pre-bled unit. Replacing only part of it is an incredible PITA.

About how much would it cost to replace this? 300-600?

If it is the clutch hydraulics causing your issue, http://saturnparts.net has the unit for $145.17 before shipping.

most manual transmissions do not have a fluid check dip stick so keep that in mind when trying to check ur fluid

my 94 sc2 manual trans had a dipstick and a round red filter like an oil filter, so I am sure urs does also, but thats all I have. Good Luck

my 94 sc2 manual trans had a dipstick and a round red filter like an oil filter, so I am sure urs does also, but thats all I have. Good Luck


Ok, old thread, for one and for two, your manual transmission did not have a spin-on filter. Only automatics have the spin-on filter. Manuals do not need filters because there are no clutch packs to wear out and contaminate the oil.