i started having problems with my prelude yesterday. while driving, i couldn't get it into any of the gears so i had to use the car's momentum to get to the stop light where i turned the engine off and back on to get it into gear. but when i started to go, it would rattle and struggle to move. luckily i was able to get back home but in this awful condition. a lot of times, at a stop, i couldn't get it into gear but when the engine is off i can get it into gear. i did a transmission oil change this morning and that didn't help. do i have a clutch problem or maybe even a transmission problem? how much money am i looking at to get this fixed?

my car: all stock 1996 prelude vtec. manual transmission. bought about 5 years ago at 60k miles, now at 160k miles.

i never had any major problems since i bought the car. the only lingering problem was sometimes i can't get it into 1st gear unless i release the clutch pedal a bit then continue to put it into gear. i never did bother to get this fix. oh and another problem is since a month ago, i started to park with my hand brakes + 1st gear in place since one day my car rolled down a sloped driveway while being parked. so i wonder if leaving it in 1st gear while parked could have cause some kind of problems to my clutch?

im going to take it to a mechanic tomorrow but i want to know what you guys think might be the problem because i'm in a new town and i don't want to be ripped off by the mechanics or even worst work on something that may not be the problem.

 

check your clutch master cylinder, the pedal, look up under the pedal to see if fluid is leaking thru.

Check your clutch slave cylinder for leakage.

One of these is likely your problem.