I've got so many symptoms, but let me start with the symptoms that all showed up together. My 2003 Honda Civic Si Hatchback suddenly became very difficult to get into any gear (before this sometimes it was difficult to get into 3rd gear). If I revved the engine just right to match engine and transmission speeds it would go right into gear. I also noticed occasional whining coming from the transmission or clutch when the pedal is push in and if the car sits idling in neutral for a while on a cold start, but the whining comes and goes, 2 weeks ago it was doing it every day, every time, and now I haven't heard the whining in the past 300 to 500 miles. When the car first began to not go into gear, I adjusted the clutch pedal and the symptoms went away for 2 or 3 days. Also, every since I bought the car (about a year and a half ago), the clutch fluid stayed exactly at the full line. When these symptoms first appeared, the level had dropped to just above the minimum line (1/2 to 1 ounce shy of full). Of course I topped it off.

But I just wanted some input before I start working on it... I am going to adjust the pedal as far as it goes, bleed the clutch, and change the tranny fluid as soon as I have time, but just haven't had time to do it. If it continues does this sound more like a slave/master cylinder problem, release/throw out bearing, or input bearing issue? Or something else entirely? This is my only vehicle, and my girlfriend and her whole family depend on me for transportation, so I really won't have an opportunity to rebuild the tranny without everyone losing their jobs. Throw out bearing, I can probably do on a weekend. But I really don't have much time or money, so I figured a trip to this forum for advice would allow me to maximize my chances of getting this done right from the get go.

Except for the low clutch fluid, and whining in neutral, it sounds like a release bearing, but I don't know enough about transmissions to say if its not something else with those few extra symptoms. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

And it also occasionally starts pulling in first gear with the clutch all the way to the floor. It usually stalls out when I have the brakes in when it does this, but this too is occassional. Another symptom that it's been doing for a long time is that there is a squeaking noise (like a squeaking door) sometimes coming from the pedal itself when I let off the clutch pedal.

 

the clutch isn't releasing. it sounds like a master or slave cylinder problem, since it is intermittent you say. it should be worse when it's hot outside. if the problem was the same all the time, it would point more to a bad throwout bearing where the face has worn off completely. bleeding will temporarily make it better, but new hydraulics are the ticket. I'd look into a retrofit kit to put the 99-00 CMC in. I'm inclined to blame the CMC if you don't have any leaks showing around the CSC.

but in reality, it sounds like the car is overdue for some maintenance in the whole clutch department. the bearing noise is the throwout bearing, but a lot of them tend to be a little noisy without affecting function. the squeaky door noise is likely a pedal bushing. and overall, I would personally just throw in a new exedy OEM replacement clutch kit - esp if you depend on this to be a reliable car.

but holy crap, it sounds like your g/f and her whole family need to get off your nuts and get a bus pass. i don't recall a time i had passengers in my car. someone else sitting in my car does not compute in my head.

 

I guess i didn't explain this clearly, the difficulty shifting happens all the time--sometimes its worse than other times as in 2 or 3 seconds to get it in gear vs 5 to 10 seconds to get to the next gear. All of the noises are intermittent. It's been quiet as it can be for the past week, but the day the problem arose, the car was whining like crazy just sitting in neutral with parking break up. Bought some MTF today, and about to bundle up and crawl under it since I'm not working tomorrow... (and a bus pass is out of the question, we're in a very rural area, so no public transporation).