Hi, 17 year old learning mechanic! I have a 94 Saturn Sl1 standerd trans that I have been working on and throwing money at for a year now (probably not worth it, but it was free!!) it has recently developed a studder when accelerating and if I let out the clutch to fast it will stall it also runs pritty hot... In order to use it at all I have to SLOWLYYYY let out the clutch while adding a steady flow of throttle. Seems to me like a compression issue. But maybe clutch...?

Probably wouldnt be a bad Idea to do a new clutch and a top-end considering its got over 300k.

Any help would be great!

List of replaced parts..

-Catalytic converter
-Fuel pump
-TBI injector
-Fuel filter
-Vacuum hoses
-Air filter
-Spark plugs (did not replace the wires or distributer cap or rotor)
-2 of the 3 motor mounts
-Radiator/water pump/thermostat/coolent temp sensor
-Idle air control
-Throttle position sensor
-Sending unit
Sure I forgot some stuff..

you clean out the tb when you replaced the iac? check for vacuum leaks with carb cleaner?

Yup cleaned the throttle body. And replaced all the vacuum hoses to eliminate the possibility of a air leak.

alot of other things leak vacuum besides hoses. anything after the maf basically. tb boot, tb gasket, sensors, intake gaskets, anything like that will make it idle like crap. or off idle. wires and cap/rotor can make it run bad too but its not usually in the rpm range you are talking about. i think i would spray the wires with water and or look at the cap and rotor for white stuff on the tabs

Okay ill try that, and check forther for an air leak.

Well been a while. Put a timing set on the saturn and nothing changed what so ever. Car starts and idles perfect until I put it in gear and try to go and the rpms just drop and the only way to get it to work is to send the rpms soaring and baby the clutch.

The car is running lean and hot because of it. Cool fan does not come on tho? And the accessory belt and tensioner need to be replaced but that wouldn't cause it to run lean..?

Only sensor I can think of that i haven't replaced or checked is the crank shaft position sensor.

So close to just giving up...

Just a thought...have you replaced the clutch & throwout bearing, considering the car has over 300K?

No I haven't replaced either of those. I'm not familiar with the throw out bearing?

i dont think clutch issues would make it run any different, the bearings normally make noise when you have the clutch pushed in, the clutches can get grabby if there is any fluid leaking in it or its loosing hydraulic pressure. but its not going to over heat or accelerate abnormally