R53 won't go into gear.
 

I am posting this to see if you guys might offer some insight. I just replaced my axles as the CV joints were needing replacement. It seemed to go well, no problems getting the old out and the new in. I was going to take it for a test drive when something odd happened. I was letting off the clutch, after putting into 1st gear, when it seemed to "pop out of gear", only it didn't. The power to the wheel just disappeared. Now it won't go into gear.

I can shift through all 6 gears, whether the clutch is depressed or not. I hear and feel the linkage work. When I depress the clutch pedal, it depresses easily, however it seems to do nothing. I crawled underneath to check the slave cylinder, didn't see any obvious leak, and it moves the bar from the transmission when the clutch is depressed. Would it move the bar if it were a fluid/air issue? The transmission can be shifted into all 6 gears whether the clutch is depressed or not, and it never engages the transmission. If I put it into gear I can still roll the car freely.

Any ideas? Any thoughts are appreciated...even a "Take it to a shop!", though I would rather do it myself for the cost savings, experience, and fun.

Sounds clutch related, like the throw out bearing or the clutch release fork would be stuck/broken and kept the clutch disengaged.

Are you sure the axle is all the way pushed in? If it's not you won't have any movement

I had wondered that as I saw that mentioned in a few threads. I will research that more.

Yeah...about as certain as I can be. They seated very well, and the right side one has a bracket half way that lined up perfectly for bolting.

did you pull out both axles at the same time? Or one at a time?

One at a time; Driver's side, then passengers.

On the passengers side there was a metal ring, encircling the axle, that I moved in towards the transmission through tapping around the axle, per some video I watched. That was the only tricky part on that side. The driver's side went about as smooth as could possibly be. A little rotating and wiggling and it seated itself in. In order to keep the hubs from rotating when I was removing the hub bolts, I had my girlfriend hold the brakes down. Could her stomping on the brakes with the car off have anything to do with this? I only ask as I see that the brake system supports the hydraulic clutch. The fluid isn't low. But I don't know how old it is. I bought the car used not too long ago...upgrading from my R56. :wink:

...oh, and thank you everyone for the replies.

nope she isn't to have caused anything with the brakes. But.... you could always use it for future negotiations! lol!

Double check your slave, pull on the plastic cover, sometimes it leaks and the fluid stays inside the dust cover, if I remember correctly the shorter Shaft on the drivers side is the one with the lock ring and the passenger side is the one that comes out easier once the carrier is unbolted. Have someone shift and visually inspect the cables at the tranny. It does sound like the TO bearing is the issue but could be wrong, if this is the issue you could still put the car in gear while the car is off and move it a bit.