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You did check the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder reservoir, right? Okay, after that...
It's a long shot in your case, but first check the free movement of the clutch arm (under the rubber cover at the front of the slave cylinder.) You should be able to move it forward with firm finger pressure by 4mm (+/- a mm or so.) If it's off by a lot, adjust it via the square-headed bolt sticking out of the bell housing on the opposite side. There's a lock nut underneath it; loosen before adjusting and remember to tighten afterward. Too much free movement and the clutch won't release all the way; not enough and it will slip. This may not be your problem, but it's the first thing you should check because it's the easiest thing.
Next easiest thing is to see if your clutch hydraulics need to be bled. There's a bleed nipple on the slave cylinder, and you bleed it just as if it were a brake. If air has gotten into your hydraulic fluid, the clutch will have to be 'pumped up' to release and you'll get hard shifts.
If it's not those, you're looking at harder stuff: failure of master cylinder, slave cylinder, or both, or maybe the clutch disk is just plain worn out. One way to check the cyls is to look for leaks. If they need rebuilding it's not too hard to get them off, but it may be hard finding a rebuild kit. Try West of Sweden Saab...
If the clutch disk is worn, the engine will have to come out so you can replace it. Removing the engine is not so much hard as just tedious -- there are lots and lots of little steps you have to follow in the correct order, disconnecting stuff, removing pieces, etc. You need to buy or rent a hoist, too. It's a big enough PIA that once you've gone to all that bother, I'd suggest replacing ALL the clutch innards (disk, cover, release bearing) because ya don't want to do it again any sooner than you have to!
Good luck...
posted by 68.13.13...
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