jacknichols2

Okay, today I took the 95 Saturn for a drive; the one that doesn't shift while running. With the car off I put it into 1st gear. I started it up, started driving forward down the road and discovered that it does shift into gear but it goes in pretty hard. Still cannot get into reverse while the car is running. If the car is stopped, but running, it will not go into any gear. If I shut it off, put it into first, then start it and let off the clutch, I can go through all the forward gears but shifts hard. I'm stumped. I checked the hydraulic fluid and it is full, so I am at a loss. Please help.

velocitaco

I just went through the same thing. I split the engine & transmission cases. When I removed the clutch pressure plate, the clutch disc literally came out in pieces. You need a new clutch. Sorry...

jacknichols2

I hope thats not the case, but if it is, at least I have the experience from the first time. Any Idea why your clutch fell apart, this one was brand new? I must clearify something though, I was in a hurry when I typed yesterday's thread. The car actually drives. I must shut the car off, put it in 1st gear, then when I start going down the road I can shift into higher gears and downshift when slowing down but it shifts hard. But once the car is stopped, it will not go into reverse unless the car is shut off. As long as I dont go to neutral while in the forward gears while driving it's ok except for shifting hard. Funny thing is that as soon as the car is shut off it goes into all gears as easily as it should. I dont know if it's something inside the shifting tower ( which something in that could have moved while it was out) not being in the right position while it was out, therefore not being installed in the correct position? I have no idea why it matters if the car is running or not. Is it something electrical (sensor) or vacuum related? If anyone has any ideas I appreciate any advice I can get. Thanks for the response I will keep that in mind but praying I don't have to do all that work AGAIN.

velocitaco

Nope... What you are describing is EXACTLY what mine did. I bought mine knowing it needed a clutch. I had to put it in gear with the engine off & then restart it... etc. When you replace it, make sure to replace the whole set. I got a Valeo clutch kit & a new flywheel for around $175 shipped. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

velocitaco

A bad clutch master & slave set could cause the same symptoms. I replaced mine first, just in case. It turned out to be a waste of $100.

jacknichols2

I just installed a new clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing. Not to say it couldn't be broken now, this is my initial test drive after replacing the set. I just now took it for a more thorough test drive and found out that why it shifts hard is because I am essentially speed shifting because the clutch will not totally disengage. If the gear selector is in first or reverse or whatever and I take my foot off the brake, the car starts to move. Not like when I let off the clutch pedal and it totally engages, but when I push it to the floor it never totally disengages the clutch. Doesn't the throwout bearing just slide on the shaft on the side of the clutch fork toward the flywheel? Thats how the old one came off, but the old clutch had fallen apart, just like yours did so I dont know for sure, just put it back on the way I found it. It doesn't attach to the clutch fork in any way does it? If so, that could be part of the problem because mine is not attached in any way, just rides on the shaft there between the pressure plate and tha cluch fork. Going to remove the slave cylinder again and make sure the tip didn't come off the shaft. Thanks for your help, i might need to look at the master cylinder/slave cylinder combo.

velocitaco

The bearing clips onto the fork. It's not a very positive connection, but it shouldn't come apart. If there's a bubble in the hydraulics, it would cause the clutch to not fully disengage, which would give the same symptom. It's worth checking because it's only about a 20 minute job to change the master & slave set. Unfortunately, it's a sealed system, so there's no way to bleed it. You have to replace it. It's just a poor design.

jacknichols2

Changed the master/slave cylinder combo today to no avail. When I had someone push the clutch pedal in the slave cylinder was moving around. I figured that the clutch fork was jammed or something so I took everything back apart AGAIN. When I separated the transmission from the motor my throwout bearing fell on the floor and the clutch fork was laying in the bell housing. I guess that super secure clip on the end came undone somehow. Anyways I finally figured out that the bearing goes partly into the clutch fork as determined by the shape of the plastic on the back. I wish this would have been written somewhere. Even the manual at the dealer simply said "reinstall throwout bearing" without any further description or pictures. This kind of vital information is very difficult to obtain. Well, i reinstalled the clutch fork and throwout bearing and was very careful while reinstalling the transmission so that super lock clip on the clutch fork wouldn't come loose (that whole setup is pretty chinsey if you ask me). Everything works fine now. Just a little bit of difficulty yet in the shifting, but I can shift into gears at any RPM now and the car doesn't take off on me anymore when I take my foot off the brake! It's all good. Thanks for all your help and I will definitely keep my eye on this page and hopefully be able to help someone avoid the problems I had.

velocitaco

That sucks that you had to go through all that, but I'm glad the end result was good. As they say, experience is something you always get, just after you needed it!