Stuck Transmission! Who's right?

[lilcallaway]

I have a 90' 535i w/manual transmission. This is the 1st one I've owned.
Anyway, did an engine swap out. When I was done, I could drive the car, but when I pressed the pedal, the clutch wouldn't let me shift. I had to shift by "using the rpm's".
Anyway, I took it to a local shop. They replaced the slave and master clutch cylinders. However, I still had the same problem. They then told me that the clutch disk was on backwards.
I did the work myself, taking the transmission out and turning around the disk. I went to start the car and the car didn't want to turn over-it was struggling. I went to take the transmission back out and the transmission is STUCK! The only way the transmission will even budge is if somebody pushes in the clutch pedal while you tug on the transmission.
I took it to a different shop and they couldn't get it out and said that the clutch disk must be on backwards!
Now the car is just sitting in my yard till I figure out WHO'S RIGHT and how do I get this UNSTUCK!
Please help!

[Ross]

If the disc is on backwards it may be clamped to the flywheel at the hub rather than with the friction material. This would explain why it wont disengage. If it's crooked enough the splines on the disc might bind on the input shaft.
Can you pull it back far enough to get at the pressure plate bolts? If so loosen them up and it ought to all come out together.
A throw out bearing seized might cause this too. Does the slave cyl move back and forth?

[lilcallaway]

If the disc is on backwards it may be clamped to the flywheel at the hub rather than with the friction material. This would explain why it wont disengage. If it's crooked enough the splines on the disc might bind on the input shaft.
Can you pull it back far enough to get at the pressure plate bolts? If so loosen them up and it ought to all come out together.
A throw out bearing seized might cause this too. Does the slave cyl move back and forth?

The slave cylinder does move back and forth. That's the only way I'm able to even move the transmission because when I press the clutch the whole transmission wants to move backwards.

[whiskychaser]

The slave cylinder does move back and forth. That's the only way I'm able to even move the transmission because when I press the clutch the whole transmission wants to move backwards.

I'd say if you have got all the bell housing bolts out that would be pretty normal-all you are doing is using a lever attached to the gearbox to push against the clutch plate. I would back it out as far as possible and ensure the flanges are parallel and the same distance apart all round. And that the gearbox and engine are supported equally. Then insert whatever leverage you can and push. I'd expect it to go suddenly and certainly wouldnt be anywhere near underneath it when it goes.

[Ross]

I think he's saying it draws back in when the pedal is released. This one's f'ed up.

[whiskychaser]

I think he's saying it draws back in when the pedal is released. This one's f'ed up.

Ah. In that case I'm with you-try to get it out in stages. Never seen it but maybe the input shaft speared the friction plate?

[lilcallaway]

If the disc is on backwards it may be clamped to the flywheel at the hub rather than with the friction material. This would explain why it wont disengage. If it's crooked enough the splines on the disc might bind on the input shaft.
Can you pull it back far enough to get at the pressure plate bolts? If so loosen them up and it ought to all come out together.
A throw out bearing seized might cause this too. Does the slave cyl move back and forth?

If I can't pull it back far enough, what can I do?

[Ross]

Never heard of this one before but perhaps if you fill the gap created when the pedal is deprssed with a shim of some sort when you release the pedal and depress it again it might move another bit, add more shim and so on, ratchet it out so to speak.
Expect your clutch to be junk.

[whiskychaser]

Sounds like your release bearing may have come off the fork and got jammed up. Think they are only held on with a spring. That shouldnt stop you taking the box back out though. If it was MY car I'd be checking for level then looking at levering it back off. If it was somebody else's I'd be a bit more cautious

[Bin_jammin]

Where are you located?