# m21 wont go back in :/



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

i pulled my m21 and now for the life of me it wont slide back in. any tips?


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Your clutch plate is not aligned with the splines on the trans shaft. You need what's called a "pilot tool", which is a plastic shaft stub that looks like the front shaft of the trans. Made of plastic, about 6" long. You insert it thru the throw out bearing, into the back of the engine, while you're bolting the pressure plate up. that way, the trans will slide right in. If you didn't use one (a lot of people use a chunk of old trans shaft, too), not all is lost. While you're under the car stabbing it in as far as it will go, have a buddy step on the clutch pedal. That will release the clutch plate and alow the trans to slide home. Also, turning the tailshaft while you do this can help. With me, it always seems that if I bench press the front of the trans where it meets the bellhousing, it squares up better and goes in easier. Don't let the trans "hang" on the bellhousing and clutch discl. You can damage the clutch this way. good luck.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> Your clutch plate is not aligned with the splines on the trans shaft. You need what's called a "pilot tool", which is a plastic shaft stub that looks like the front shaft of the trans. Made of plastic, about 6" long. You insert it thru the throw out bearing, into the back of the engine, while you're bolting the pressure plate up. that way, the trans will slide right in. If you didn't use one (a lot of people use a chunk of old trans shaft, too), not all is lost. While you're under the car stabbing it in as far as it will go, have a buddy step on the clutch pedal. That will release the clutch plate and alow the trans to slide home. Also, turning the tailshaft while you do this can help. With me, it always seems that if I bench press the front of the trans where it meets the bellhousing, it squares up better and goes in easier. Don't let the trans "hang" on the bellhousing and clutch discl. You can damage the clutch this way. good luck.


:agree If you removed the clutch pressure plate, or if someone "happened" to step on your clutch pedal while the trans was out, that allowed the clutch disk to move so that it's no longer centered on the flywheel/crank. Like geeteeohguy said you'll either need a clutch pilot tool to line them back up, or you'll need a partner to depress the clutch pedal (after you get the trans started into the clutch disk) so you can "bench press" the trans and move it around to get it stabbed back into the pilot bearing in the crank. If you're sure the clutch disk hasn't moved, then probably you just need to rotate the trans side-to-side enough to get the splines on the shaft to line up with the splines on the clutch disk. Also, like has already been said - don't allow the trans to "hang" on the shaft with it stabbed into the clutch disk. That's a sure way to ruin a clutch disk and bend the trans input shaft.

Bear


----------



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

i have the alignment tool and its lined up sorry i should have stated that and kept you from waisting your time. it was this hard to get in before. i just kept trying and trying and it finaly slid in but its not goin any where this time


----------



## Indecision (Oct 24, 2010)

No experience with the M21, but I have had my T56 out of my RX7 at least a dozen times, sometimes it slides like in, sometimes it has literally taken me 3 hours to get back in. You just have to be patient and work it. As previously stated, rocking the trans back and forth to get the teeth aligned, or having a friend spin the driveshaft back and forth while you are trying to get it in helps. All I have to say is be glad you don't have a twin disc clutch, then you have more crap to get out of alignment.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

tyler t said:


> i have the alignment tool and its lined up sorry i should have stated that and kept you from waisting your time. it was this hard to get in before. i just kept trying and trying and it finaly slid in but its not goin any where this time


How "close" are you able to get it? (How far is the tranny flange away from the bell housing when it stops?


----------



## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

...also when you are turning the driveshaft, be sure to have it in gear.


----------



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

mabey a 1/2 inch.. i think the end of the shaft is guts not sliding into the bering. ive been trying all day still no luck. i checked the alignment with my plastic tool and it was still lined up so i guess geting it in will just be luck


----------



## Indecision (Oct 24, 2010)

Rukee said:


> ...also when you are turning the driveshaft, be sure to have it in gear.


Yes, I forgot to point that out.


----------



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

its 3am. i just got it in and now i reek of 90 weight... i bolted the trans to the bell houseing and stufed it up there and i muscled it in. ill be all the way done tomorrow


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Stabbing a trans at 3am......tyler t, you have now been christened!!! Welcome to the Other Side.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

tyler t said:


> its 3am. i just got it in and now i reek of 90 weight... i bolted the trans to the bell houseing and stufed it up there and i muscled it in. ill be all the way done tomorrow


Congrats! :cheers - Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, got it greasy, caught it on some sheet metal and ripped a hole in it, used it for a shop rag...





Bear


----------



## tyler t (Aug 15, 2010)

hahaha yeah i shoulda wore a diferent shirt... concreet is cold that early in the morning


----------



## Indecision (Oct 24, 2010)

tyler t said:


> hahaha yeah i shoulda wore a diferent shirt... concreet is cold that early in the morning


When I hit the lottery I am building a garage with a heated floor for winter.

Congrats on getting it in though, I figured you just needed to put some ass into it.


----------



## Indecision (Oct 24, 2010)

geeteeohguy said:


> Stabbing a trans at 3am......tyler t, you have now been christened!!! Welcome to the Other Side.


It's more fun when you drop your trans about 2x a week for a month trying to figure out what's wrong. Then just when you think you got everything figured out and it's running right. You remember that you forgot to take out the spacer between the trans and the slave cylinder and you have to drop it all over again.


----------

