Saturn Repair: Gear shift, clutch installation, clutch replacement

Question
Hi there-

I've just recently replaced the engine (used with 53K miles) and clutch in my 96 Saturn. I've driven it about 400 miles since then. Now I am having transmission problems. Since the clutch replacement, the gears have ground more than usual which I attributed to the new clutch and getting used to it (it feels different to me). But today, I went on a short drive, missed my driveway, reversed to turn the car around and pulled into where I needed to go. When I started the car to leave I had difficulty with determining by feel what gear the shifter was in. It's sort of sticky but loose and will only grab in 1st, 3rd and 5th gears now.

Could it be that the clutch was improperly installed or that my gears were worn out and needed to be replaced? Could the grinding since the repairs have worn down the bottom half of my transmission in just one week?  

Answer
Hi Jessica,
I don't know much regarding Manual Trans BUT I have asked a few others and they all seem to think Bad Clutch installation or worse, the WRONG Clutch installation!  It was probably an aftermarket Clutch kit and that is typically a problem, according to the people I asked. The wearing of the gears is highly unlikely!  Saturn Manual Transmissions rarely go bad...very rarely!
Hope you get it taken care of.
Sincerely,
Greg Moore
P.S.  If the engine intalled was a differnt year than your original, the transmission computer may not be programmed to match the old one...Or the new engine may not match the old computer's program.  Ask the people who installed the engine.
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