Hello, I have a 1998 Manual honda civic EX with 165k miles. This problem just started a few days ago.

Every time I start my car with a cold engine (not temp outside) it idles at 1.5k then after about 5 min it drops slowly to about 500.

During the high idle it wont let me shift into gear.. any gear. and when it finally does its just like if your going 30mph and you force it into first, you have to push verry hard. If i start it with it already in gear with my foot on the clutch the car stutters and nearly dies like the clutch is slightly engaged.

After the temp gauge goes slightly above the cold marker it lets me shift.

Then after the car is fully warmed up it shifts like normal.

I put dot3 in the transmission reservoir and it was low when i checked it and blackish color. but after I topped it off it still does the same.

Car went from nothing is wrong.. parked it and now does this problem with the high idle and shift probs whats up?

I dont hear a hiss or see any disconnected vac tubes or anything, belts and pipes and everything is fine. Help.

Lol and its my transportation for my first baby on the way so I dont want to wait for 5 min while car heats up while wife is in labor lol

 

This doesn't have anything to do with engine temperature or rpm, it is simply because the clutch isn't fully disengaging when you push the pedal down. If it did run out of clutch fluid, you need to bleed the line-- like the brakes, air in the system makes the pedal ineffective even with the reservoir refilled. And find the leak so it doesn't happen again.

 

A common site for a clutch fluid leak is at the top of the clutch pedal. Check there. Also check the slave cylinder at the front of the clutch housing. Note that, in some cases, the master and slave cylinders go bad without leaking fluid.

 

Sure enough its leaking by the clutch pedal, Any Idea how much this might cost to fix?

 

Pretty easy and cheap to replace without a mechanic. I replaced the master and slave cylinders at the same time.
For a mechanic, I'm guessing it is a hour job plus parts. Parts are around 70 bucks for both. So maybe around 150 dollars if you are lucky.