I have a 98 Accord EX Sedan and I just purchased a F23A engine/transmission combo for it due to a shot tranny and 240K miles. The engine swap was super simple no issues...However for the life of me I cannot get my CV axles installed into the new tranny. The tranny I bought came with an intermediate shaft which I just removed and tried to use my axles and I cannot get them to slide in....I counted teeth, and even installed the intermediate shaft I removed into my old tranny to see if it fits and it does....I tried for like 3 hours today to get them installed and ZERO luck....I appreciate any hints and help...TYIA

 

If you have swapped from an AT to an MT, reinstall the intermediate shaft, and purchase the correct left axle.

Are the axles going in at all or is it just the last 6mm or so that it is hanging up?

Rotate the axle so the circlip ends are on the top of the axle, resting in the groove. If the circlip ends are not they can dislodge and jam preventing the axle from fully seating.

 

MadMike, it was a straight Auto to Auto swap. The axle goes in far enough to support itself, but the race/lip where the axle seal rides is still visible. I will try your advice and give it another go...

 

You may need to "slide hammer action" it. That's what Mike suggested to me and that's what it took after multiple hours of twisting repositioning and removing the axle

 

This may be a dumb question but something I thought about...if BOTH CVs are out at the same time can that cause any funky stuff to happen...I guess I should add as well that when I removed the intermediate shaft, it did NOT have a circlip on it, I attribute that to being bolted on the block. However, like I said I did remove that intermediate and replace it wth my stock one piece CV that DOES have a circlip...This is where my problems started...

 

On 90s Mazdas pulling both axles out without installing something to support the side gears can cause them to fall down inside the case of if the differential is disturbed. However, I have never encountered this problem with 90s Honda ATs. It is always a good practice to put something in there just to be safe. If the side gears did fall down, which I doubt, the axles would either slide in easily/sloppily, or the axle would not go in much more than an inch. It will be obvious.

Verify that the length of the intermediate shaft stub and the CV stub are the same. Honda had various models not seen outside of Japan. Was the intermediate shaft just a shaft or was there an ATTS box as well?

When you stated no circlip, is there a groove in that shaft for a circlip? I'm guessing yes.

If the clip did pop off or break off you will have to dig it out, a pencil magnet would be very helpful in retrieving it. Long needle nose pliers and patience as well.

But this should not affect the opposite side stub axle.

It could simply be the axles are just a right bitch to install.

Verify the circlips are not too big, check that when the clips are compressed the OD of the clip is not greater than the female splines of the axle stubs. If they are, file off just a bit off the ends to allow the circlip to properly compress.

Verify the circlips are undamaged. Technically, they are supposed to be replaced every time the axles are serviced, but I've never had to replace an undamaged one. Look for a pinch/nick/bend in the clip from damage.
Verify the clip ends are in the 12 O'clock position when installing the axles to prevent the ends from catching.

Try slide hammering the axles in, support the axle with one hand and grab the outer stub axle with the other. Give it a few slides to get them to pop in. Just pressing on the axle in will not work, you need to pop them in, like when removing. DO NOT HAMMER THE ENDS OF THE AXLES. This may damage the CV joints. Right side axle is often a bit tougher as it lacks the mass of the Left side AT axle. Make sure the car is fully supported when you do this, redmist and concentration may make you blind to the car moving about.

Rotate the axle 180° then 90° and again another 180° if it still does not go in. Sometimes there is just a slight tolerance stack up and this does the trick.
Walking away and coming back seems to have the same affect. Murphy's law and all that.

If you can attach/post a few pictures that would also be helpful.

 

I am not familiar with the ATTS acronym you used but I can tell you the shaft was mounted to the block via 3 shoulder bolts on what I would liken to a carrier bearing on a RWD truck drive shaft. It DID NOT have a circlip on it, nor did it have a race for one to fit. Just to prove to myself I wasn't pissing in the wind, I took that shaft over to my old engine and tranny and it slid right in so I know the splines are correct...I am beginning to thing the clip on my axles is janky or as you said they are just being a tough SOB to install...Thank you for your suggestions MM..

 

Took y'alls advice and got it fixed up....Took a shade bit of the spring out of the circlip and was able to wrestle both into position without have to beat on them...Turned the key to on, let fuel rail pressurize and she fired up on he second crank....Test drive was flawless, with no CEL's and smooth shifting...I honestly don't know why anyone would ever get rid of a Honda when its that easy to swap stuff out...and cheap!