Pilot Bearing is STUCK!!! Help please
 

84 rx7 gsl-se MT
Was driving home today and went from rolling at about 10 mph to quick stop to reverse cuz the a-hole in front of me decided to stop suddenly and start backing up.... he was driving an suv and i guess he couldnt see me behind him... :(
so tried to stop quick and go to reverse and of course their was grindage from the gears and trans but i avoided getting squashed. so i came home and on the way was having issues getting into gear... seemed a little tougher to put it in first and second.....
so when i got home and got ready to get out of the car i hear this rattling coming from underneath the car. it definitly seems like something aint right from the trans. and im thinking clutch.

SO i bought an oem clutch kit from Kragen/Checkers and started removing the trans from my car. pulled the old clutch off and inside the E-Shaft are chunks from the old pilot bearing and the little bearing pieces. so i pulled out what was in there with a magnet and attempted to remove the sleeve.... what was left inside the shaft. broke two screwdrivers.... no luck. then my dumb ass ended up pushing it in further while trying to chisel it out like someone on the forums said.... went all the way to the back.... tried everything i could think of from an air-saw(didnt even mar the surface of the sleeve) to an air chisel(cut into it and thru it but not the entire width of the sleeve) and also ended up scraping up the inside of the e-shaft... hopefully not damaging enough to cause issues..... any ideas on how to remove whats left of the pilot bearing?

you have to use a mazda pilot bearing removal tool.that is the only way to get it out.

Thats not true, there is a couple of ways.

First method involves packing the bearing area with grease and then hitting something that fits tightly in there with a hammer. A Small socket with an extension on it usually works wonders.

The second method is by using a dremel or die grinder with a grinding/abrasize bit on there. Grind as much as you can of the bearing (To make a straight line as if you're cutting it), then with a small flathead screw driver, try to pry it inbetween the engine and the bearing till it breaks it or bends it. Once bent its good to come out.

I used the dremel method, and got mine out. I had to sharpen the flat edge of the screw driver to get it to slide between the bearing and the inside of the shaft. Used a hammer to work it in until the bearing broke. It came out in several pieces but after the first two or theree the rest just had to be fished out. Be sure to clean out the inside of the shaft when you are done, you don't want any left over pieces to keep the new one from sliding in far enough.

I have a simple homemade tool that works well for this. I took a washer that is a bit smaller than the O.D. of the pilot and used a grinder to shape the washer like this:
___
(___)

Then I use a small nut + bolt. The nut is large enough to not fit through the hole of the washer, but the bolt is thin enough to give plenty of play to line things up. Put the nut through the pilot bearing and then the modified washer. Both drop in behind the pliot. Then slide the bolt though and thread into the nut. You may have to push while turning to keep the nut from spinning. An air rachet or impact can help keep the nut from spinning as well. Once the nut is started, you just keep tightening the bolt and the pilot will come right out. The bolt pushes against the back of the e-shaft and forces the pilot out.

Works well and costs less than $1 to make (or free if you have a bucket of bolts/washers laying around).

You can also do something like this, but pull instead of push. Bolt head goes in first, then modified washer. Put a socket large enough for the pilot bearing to fit into as a 'cup' on the outside of the eshaft. Bolt goes through the socket and a washer and nut is added. Tighten the nut and the bolt should pull the pilot bearing out.

Harbor Freight Tools also has a fairly cheap pilot puller kit for sale. I haven't personally tried it (I have the Mazdatrix puller; it works slick) but it might be another locally-available alternative.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95987

You might also find a local parts shop that can loan you the appropriate tool.

Get a loaner pilot bearing puller from Autozone or Kragen whatever, round the end tangs a bit and use it to pull it out. Then return tool, cost $0.