2000 Saturn SL1 Bucking after clutch repair

2000 SATURN SL1
106,000 MILES • 1.8L • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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DJN4823
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After clutch repair, I find that I can engage the clutch smoothly going into first, fourth and fifth, but going smoothly into second or third is much more difficult.

I started noticing similar problems about 2 months before the clutch failed. At the time I thought it might be an ignition problem. Before the failure I did not associate the bucking and hesitation with specific gears. The association might have been there, or maybe not. When the clutch failed, I could feel something was wrong with the clutch pedal. This symptom developed very suddenly.

During clutch repair, the dealer also replaced the throw-out bearing and the electronic ignition module.

History. Car's quill bearing was replaced under warranty. About 33K miles, transmission bolts failed and transmission fluid leaked out. I immediately had the car towed. Repair record from that repair showed "clutch plate all torn up". After this repair I noticed a pulsation in the clutch pedal in the first inch of travel. When fully depressed, there would be no pulsation. The dealer refused to acknowlege this as a problem. So my question is this: Is it possible for the transmission to wear in such a way that the clutch would engage sooner in some gears than in others?
May 29, 2014 at 6:58 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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I have to be honest, this doesn't sound like a clutch issue. The clutch just disengages the trans from the engine. Therefore, it doesn't know what gear you are shifting into. Have you checked the trans fluid to make sure it is clean and full?
May 29, 2014 at 7:20 PM