release button

 Yep — this is a common ETA-2836/2824 family symptom. The part that’s too far back is the setting (set) lever / release button assembly, and it’s held to the mainplate by a small setting-lever screw. Loosening that screw just enough to reposition the lever (and then retightening) is the usual fix — no major part replacement needed in most cases. watchuseek.com+1The other problem...detent button stuck too deep in the plate is also fairly easy to spot...the set lever will be sitting too far away from the plate and probably out of mesh with the 'double corrector' lever.

The fix is to loosen the screw/s holding the parts in place and move them back to their proper position.

Below is a short, safe procedure you can follow (best with a loupe and watchmaker screwdrivers):

1. Expose the area

   • Remove the caseback, rotor and automatic winding bridge (if present) so you can see the setting-lever area near the stem/sliding pinion. On some watches you may need to remove the hands/dial and date disks if the lever is pushed fully out of place. Forum reports and walkthroughs show this is usually required when the lever is behind the sliding pinion. Cousins Material House Ltd+1

2. Identify the screw to loosen

   • Look for the small screw that secures the setting lever (often called the “setting-lever screw” or “setting-lever bolt”) close to the winding stem and sliding pinion. Parts lists for ETA 2824/2836 movements show a dedicated screw for the setting lever (many parts vendors sell this tiny screw separately). That is the screw you will loosen — do not loosen bridges unrelated to the keyless works. Gavan Tools+1

   • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvM7NHP9Z64

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3. How much to loosen / how to move the lever

   • Back the screw only a fraction of a turn — just enough so the setting lever can slide. With the crown in the hand-setting position you can gently nudge the lever back toward the plate so the detent (release) button sits at the correct height and the set lever engages the double-corrector operating lever. Use a fine (0.8–1.2 mm) screwdriver or pegwood — many technicians mention a 0.8–1.0 mm blade or a 1.2 mm driver to operate the detent for testing. Then re-tighten the screw while holding the lever in the correct place. watchuseek.com

4. Test before reassembly

   • Test by inserting/reinserting the stem and trying the crown positions (winding / date / hand-setting) to confirm the set lever and double corrector mesh correctly and the detent button is at the proper height. If the stem still won’t insert, re-check alignment — sometimes removing the dial/day wheels gives better access to set the lever back into position. Watch Repair Talk

5. Cautions

   • Don’t remove the screw completely unless you know what you’re doing — the setting lever and tiny springs can fly out.

   • Use correct small, well-fitting screwdrivers to avoid damaging the screw heads.

   • If the lever is bent, the screw head is damaged, or you’re unsure, have a watchmaker do the repair — the parts are tiny and the winding/crown assembly can be easily damaged. Gavan Tools+1

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Great — here are some annotated images plus reference info, and a bit more detail to help you spot the screw and parts.

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🔍 Key diagrams & references

• The exploded diagram (top right in the carousel) shows the setting lever / tirette assembly and where its retaining screw sits.

• The images of “setting lever screw / parts” (bottom images) show actual screws used in ETA 2824/2836 movements.

• In the ETA parts list / exploded view from Boley, the “Screw for setting lever jumper” / “Screw for setting lever jumber” (Ebauche part 5445, 952.101) is listed as the screw that holds the setting lever / jumper / small plate in place. boley.de+1

• In the ETA-2836-2 technical sheet, “Vis de plaque de maintien du … Pos. 46” is the screw for the maintaining (holding) plate — this likely refers to the small plate securing the setting lever / jumper. Scribd

From the parts list and exploded views:

• The setting lever assembly is Ebauche part 443/1 51.080.06 in ETA’s naming. Cousins Material House Ltd

• The screw that holds the setting lever / setting lever jumper (small plate) is part 5445 / 952.101 in many references. Eternal Tools+3boley.de+3Cousins Material House Ltd+3

So, that is the screw you’ll want to loosen just enough to allow slight movement of the setting lever (inwards) so that the detent button height corrects, then retighten it.

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🛠 More detailed tool & method tips (with reference to images)

Here are a few tips using those images + your earlier approach:

• Use a tiny, well-fitting flat or Phillips watch screwdriver (0.8 mm to 1.2 mm) — the screw head is very small.

• Under magnification, locate the setting lever (often a long, slightly curved lever adjacent to or under the sliding pinion / winding stem area). The retaining screw will be just beside or overlapping part of it. The exploded diagram helps you see approximate placement relative to the wheel train and pinion.

• 
  
  
  

• 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy4anc3k97M&t=1906s
  
  

• Loosen the screw just a fraction of a turn, enough so you can nudge the lever inward (toward the movement plate).

• Hold the lever in place as you gently tighten the screw — ensure it doesn't shift.

• After tightening, test stem insertion and operation (winding, setting, date) to confirm the lever engages correctly.

MEDIDAS

Elemento	Descripción / Medidas
Espaciador de movimiento (plástico ETA 2824)	Diámetro exterior base/pared: 29 mm x 27 mm x 5,4 / 6 mm (con extremo) Altura total: 6 mm + 4 mm + 0.1 mm = 10 mm
Diámetro del dial	30.7 mm x 4 mm
Caja	Diámetro donde reposa dial/movimiento: 31 mm Altura: 3.2 mm (desde dial hasta parte donde va el cubre) Altura: 4.4 mm (desde dial hasta borde superior con cubre cerrado) Altura mínima del espaciador: 4.4 mm
Arandela plana (acero inoxidable 304)	M25 x 30 x 0.1 mm (ultrafina)

Technical Details

Lignes Dimensions	11.5 ‴
Dimensions	26 mm
Height	5.1 mm
Further Measures	Mounting Diameter (Dm): 25.6mm Ball Bearing: 0.1mm Stem height (T): 2.25mm Mounting Height (F): 1.65mm

espaciador de movimiento de plástico ETA 2824  diametro exterior base pared 29mm x 27 mm x 5,4/6 mm  (con el extremo )

Altura total . 6 mm + 4 mm + 0.1 mm 10 mm

Diametro del dial 30.7 mm x 4 mm

MEDIDAS DE LA CAJA

Diametre 31 mm la ou repose le dial et le mouvement.

hauteur de 3.2 mm a partir de la ou repose le dial jusqua la partie ou va le couvercle.

hauteur de 4.4 mm a partir de la ou repose le dial jusqu'au bord superieur du couvercle fermé. Cad hauteur minimale du movement spacer

Arandela plana ultrafina de acero inoxidable 304, M25x30xthick 0.1mm 

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005002046188859.html

junta tórica espesor CS 2mm OD 31mm ID 27mm

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005001600933050.html

2836-2 : 

Overall Diameter	26mm
Casing Diameter	25.60mm
Height	5.05mm thick

Stem cutting

Stem cutting
FOR SCREW DOWN CROWNS.
A) Screw down the crown tightly onto the case without the stem and
measure the distance between the bottom of the crown and the case.
B ) Screw the new stem tightly into the crown, then insert into
the watch until it engages and locks into the movement.
C) Press the crown down firmly as far as it will go and hold it
there.
D) Using the vernier callipers, measure the distance between the
bottom of the crown and the case.
E) Subtract the size determined in (D) from the size measured in
(A) then subtract a further 0.15mm from this size. This is the amount
to shorten the stem by. This should allow the crown to screw full
home without compressing the stem too tightly between the movement
and the inside of the crown.
F) Cut the stem leaving it slightly longer than the size
determined in (E), and dress down to size using the diamond lap and
vernier callipers as described in the original post.
G) Screw the crown onto the shortened stem and check fit and
function, before using a tiny spot of Loctite to secure.

stern removal

Time set position is for ETA 28xx series. On the 21j and most others you want to remove the stem in winding position. You will want to reinsert it while pressing the release button. (I'm a watchsmith) , with the ETA 2824 you should have the keyless works in time setting position when you remove the stem otherwise some of the component parts get out of sync and you have to reassemble them from the dial side.

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/stem-wont-reinsert-on-movement.4509511/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvM7NHP9Z64

Dos and Don'ts:

Always r/r the stem in setting position.

Use a screwdriver that fits into the detent button 'keyway'.
If you use a pin or little bitty screwdriver it is easy to push the detent button too far and shove the setting lever out of whack...this is probably what happened.


The fix:
Remove the hands, dial, and date wheel/s...fun fun! Look closely and see if you can tell what is out of whack by comparing it with a clear picture of the same movement with all setting parts in their proper location paying close attention to make sure the 'yoke' is riding in the groove in the sliding pinion. If not, this happened when the stem was removed in the wrong crown/stem position.


The other problem...detent button stuck too deep in the plate is also fairly easy to spot...the set lever will be sitting too far away from the plate and probably out of mesh with the 'double corrector' lever.
The fix is to loosen the screw/s holding the parts in place and move them back to their proper position.


I know all the above sounds like a lot of hooey but after comparing dislocated setting parts to a clear picture of correctly assembled setting parts it will be fairly easy to put it all back in place correctly. Look at an oiling chart or parts list on the 'net to ID the parts.
Btw...put it back together with the stem through the sliding and winding pinions.


If you can scare up a high mileage (aka cheap) Eta 28xx or disabled etaclone somewhere, get it and practice on it. You do not need the winding assembly, just everything on the dial side.

Believe it or not, it is fairly easy to fix these problems, the worst part being r/r the hands and dial if you have not done it before. The dial hands r/r will involve a hand remover of some sort and a steady hand...plus good magnification.


'Quick and Dirty' sliding pinion reset:
Sometimes you can reset the sliding pinion when the stem has been removed in the wrong position by removing the auto wind assembly, ratchet wheel, and barrel bridge (with the stem removed), then see if you can slip the sliding pinion back to where the 'yoke' is back in the groove, install the stem, see if it winds and sets, and leave the stem in setting position to remove it again if needed.

Watch Hands Installation TUTORIAL -

 

On these movements you need to use the red screwdriver to push the stem release button, it's just the right size.

dial dot

 Dial dots are this sort of stuff, available with paper backing on both sides for handling and applying.

They do add some thickness, about 0.25 mm when finally compressed in the case, not enough to interfer with hand, unless the watch had abnormally tight clearances to start with.

The main concern is keeping the dot off anything that moves on the front side of the movement.

on ETA 2824 and 2836 you can just glue directly to the spacer ring and don't need the feet.

How to reattach fallen Dial Indices