Clutch or transmission problem?

Hi, I have a 1990 Honda Prelude Si. It is a FWD manual transmission. I have a very strange problem occurring.

I'm a college student so I was away from my car for quite some time. When I came back a few weeks later, I get in, start her up, and attempt to reverse out of my driveway. I noticed the clutch pedal felt a little bit lighter than normal but it was hardly noticeable so I kept trying to get out. It seemed that the clutch was simply not catching. The car might've rolled back an inch or so but was also making a somewhat strange grinding shuttering noise so I stopped.

The car has never had any issues like this besides one time when the clutch slave cylinder was leaking and caused me to be unable to shift while the engine was running. This time was different, though, because I was still able to move the shifter through the gears while it was running. Of course, I replaced the slave cylinder and it worked perfectly. For some reason, a couple months later this problem occurred.

I'm not sure if a little bit of pressure was let out of the clutch system over time, causing it to have trouble engaging. The master cylinder is still pretty full with clutch (brake) fluid today.

I don't think that the clutch went bad because it worked perfectly before, sat still for a couple of months, and then didn't work. I don't think any major components would go bad simply due to not using it for a couple months.

Please if you have any ideas, let me know! If you need extra info ask!

Your hydraulic clutch system is either low on fluid or the master or slave cylinder are shot.

Since it was working fine when you parked it, it's likely the fluid IMO. It COULD be leaking slowly. Check the fluid level.

P.S. If you add fluid, make sure it's the CORRECT fluid.

P.S. I think Don is right. I didn't see where you said you could shift into gear.

If you put the car in gear and it won't go, the clutch is not engaging. You can't do anything about that without taking the transmission off. A couple of cars could have their clutch repaired without removing the transmission- The Datsun F10, and the Saab. Not the Honda, though. Whether or not the clutch cylinder works, the clutch should grab when the car is put in gear.

Springs make the clutch engage, so obviously it can't be the master or slave cylinder unless it is not letting the fluid back out of the slave cylinder. With it go forward? If not, it is obviously not the transmission and is the clutch. It is possible that the clutch rusted to the pressure plate or flywheel and then broke when you dis-engaged the clutch. I have one vehicle that would sit for a couple of months and the clutch would not release. I would have to put it in gear, start the engine, rev the engine up, dis-engage the clutch, and hit the brakes hard to make the clutch release. It was a heavy duty clutch so it never caused any damage.