Clutch dead? Master cylinder issue? help!
 

Today while I was driving to school, I noticed a slight gear grind going into 3rd. So I popped it back into neutral and re-shifted and it went away. Coming up to a parking lot, as my car was slowing down, I noticed the grinds getting worse and worse. Finally as I slowed down to stop my car, it started sputtering and shaking like it was about to stall bad even though my foot was on the clutch. So I popped it into neutral and turned it off. When I started it back up, I noticed that I could not shift into any of the gears out of neutral, and if I forced it , it would grind- bad. However, when the ignition was off, I could shift through all the gears no problem. I double, triple and quadruple clutched multiple times, but I simply could not move the gears while the ignition was on.

So I turned off my car, and placed it into reverse, pulled out, turned it off again, placed it into first and pulled my car out of the parking lot to be towed back home. Since I could not shift while the engine was on, I was basically stuck on whatever gear I had last before I shut the car off meaning for the forward gears, I can only use 1 or 2. I called a trusted mechanic of mine who thinks it could be a master cylinder issue. I noticed that the car won't start if I didn't press the clutch pedal so I guess its not stuck or something. I also noticed that while going in a stuck first gear, the revs were erratic and the car was not moving smoothly at all. I have checked the clutch fluid and it is the correct amount, nor did I see any leaks.

I have a 2002 Civic SIR (EP3). I am looking at potentially a 700$ job, which I can't afford right now. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with the car? Right now its in my garage, unable to be driven anywhere. This royally sucks.

Are you sure you checked the clutch reservoir and not the one for the brakes?

Sounds like the clutch master or slave is the problem, otherwise.

For whatever reason, the clutch isn't disengaging. How's the pedal feel? Light?

Look for signs of leaks at the slave cylinder and inside, up where the clutch pedal is.

Clutch master, slave, or line is the problem. Check the res it might be low indicating a leak in one of the three I suggested.

700 sounds pretty steep to replace the master + slave cyl. But yes, it sounds like its one of them going or a collapsed line. Take the cap off the clutch resi and get someone to look to see if there are air bubbles that come up when you pump the clutch

update?

Clutch wasn't slipping, so it could be either master or slave. Fixed the master, but still having issues, and the slave will be done tmr. *Crossing my fingers and hoping it's not a clutch problem