My 1999 saturn sc2 manual transmission shifter is loose and the car is stuck in a gear but the shifter wables around and will not move it from gear to gear. I've been roll starting it the past week cause i dont have the money for a new starter.

My first thought is that you have a broken shift cable. Your car has a transversely mounted engine and transmission. The transmission is operated by 2 cables that run from the shifter to the back of the transmission. A broken cable, or one that has come loose will prevent the transmission from shifting gears. Your problem is either at the transmission or under the console at the shifter. The first thing I would tell you to do is have one person be under the car (with the car off) while you or someone else move the shifter around. Look for movement at the transmission side of the linkage ( 2 levers located at the rear divers side of the engine) If there is no movement, you need to remove the console and gain access to where the cables attach to the shifter itself. Most likely you have a failed cable.

Odds are that if the shift lever will not shift the transmission, the cable will not, due to this being the only link between the two. I would first follow the cable to be sure that it is not bound and preventing the shifting of the gears using the shift lever.
Step two would be to manually try to shift the transmission from under the car to be sure the gears will move and are not locked in a way that prevents the shifter or the cable to move from one gear to another.

does the clutch push normally or is the linkage broken not disengaging clutch, and then does shifter move around or locked and wont move, loose linkage in shifter or gears are jammed inside transmission and something went, if shifter wont move at all then trans is jammed inside and needs repair.

Take out the console, look on youtube for instructions, examine bushings where the shift cables connect to the bottom of the shifter. If you see a broken bushing buy a kit on ebay for about 20 bucks and you can install it in less than an hour. This is a very common saturn problem. If the bushings are good you are looking at new cables, they are much cheaper through advance or autozone than a dealer, if you can still find a saturn dealer.

take out the console, look on youtube for videos of others doing this. most likely you are going to need a saturn shifter bushing repair kit which you can get on ebay for less than 20 bucks.

The problem is the bushing that attaches the cable to the shifter has failed. This is a plastic bushing and can be reattached if the tabs are not broken. You need to remove the console to access the cable end, the bushing goes through the plastic cable end and snaps on the ball attached to the shifter. There is a stainless replacement part available on line for $29.00 check satarnshifterbushing.blogspot.com

This just happen to me a few weeks ago. If you take out the center piece in the car you should be able to see that the actual shifter is no longer connected to the rod which goes into the transmission. It is an easy problem to fix, however it is not cheap. I was told that you have to buy a complete new kit($250.00) for the shifter, however my dad gave me a different solution. He took some wire, and made a spider web type thing to keep it connected. On my car it was a small round plastic piece that broke, but I cannot remember what it was actually called. This little piece is not available through Saturn by itself, only through a complete kit. Please ask questions if this is not clear enough. Thanks :)

If you're
comfy with manuals then i know few websites that can help you with it. Bcause I've got it from various websites so I know how each site deals. try www.reliable-store com . Very helpful

Check the cable clips at the trans. Sometimes these clips come out and won't shift. Horseshoe clips that hold the cable housing.

transmission cable has slipped and needs to be readjusted. readjust can be acheived by removing cover to gear lever and while shifter is in park, loosen cable and slide all the way forward and tighten down. hope this helps