I remember when the clutch went out on my DSM never worked on a dsm, let alone a fwd 4cyl, I was used to the v8 rwd platform as my previous vehicle was a v8 s-10.
drug the car home off the side of 270, had the trans out the next day, clutch ordered and had the car back up and running in a week as I wanted to make sure everything went together had no help what so ever, just looked at a lot of pictures and read a repair manual.
about 4months later I destroyed my transmission 2nd gear would grind and eventually would pop out at low rpms, well one night I forgot lined up with my buddies OMNI GLHT at a traffic light, well I slammed 2nd pretty hard lost 2nd gear, later that night I destroyed 4th gear so basically I had 1st,3rd,5th and reverse
after doing a clutch swap I had the old tranny out and the new trans in within hour and a half then driving the car half an hr later I was proud of myself that I accomplished all that without the knowledge and know how
Shanton I commend you on your troubles with the trans