I rebuilt my clutch, master cylinder and slave unit. I thought I would replace the pushrod seal to complete the job. I thought it would pop out easily with a paint can opener, but it would not budge. I went to my curved needle nose pliers to leverage it out but it just placed it in an angled position. I stopped and tried to grab it with the pliers and it fell in!!!!!! This was supposed to be the easy part of the repairs.

OK so what is the damage here?  Do I need to remove the seal? If so how do I proceed?

Ohhhhh  Nooooo.......
   Yes, I also have BTDT...
what I did (after I calmed down & quit swearing) was to remove the oil filler cap & shine light into the cavity while I fished the wayward seal out w/ an old bicycle spoke.  If I remember(been about 10 yrs. ago, the nite BEFORE a R-t-E) it took about 20-25 minutes to "snag" it..
  Good luck on your fishing expedition! Let us know how it works out...

Thanks DeansZG. I was hoping it would fall into the oil sump. I will go fishing tomorrow.

I never inspected the cavity where the oil filter is located,but I see  there is no access to the sump except the half inch hole the filter bolt screws into. Are you remembering a different bike?

I never inspected the cavity where the oil filter is located,but I see  there is no access to the sump except the half inch hole the filter bolt screws into. Are you remembering a different bike?

..oil    FILLER   ....   above the clutch slave ....  shining a light into the opening you'll be able to light up the oil level sight glass. 

Oh....bend the "head' area of the spoke a little so the oil seal remains on the spoke once you've "hooked" it too...

OK. That does make more sense. Thanks again.

 

Just ride it. If the oil screen pics it up, it won't block much. A towel will block the pick-up screen, but not a rubber seal. Your mechanic would do the same.

If your crank hits it, or a piston, who cares.

I agree with Jimmymac, but would add, unless the seal has metal reinforcemnet in it?  (like some fork seals I've changed)... but if it's JUST rubber...yeah who cares?

I think the seal has a steel spring in it. 

Even if not, I'ld be concerned about the rubber getting chewed up and the possibility of rubber chunks getting lodged in an oil passage.

I agree with Jimmymac, but would add, unless the seal has metal reinforcemnet in it?  (like some fork seals I've changed)... but if it's JUST rubber...yeah who cares?

And after seeing first hand the damage that a set-screw smaller than the size of a match-head can do I'd say there is no way in hell I'd be taking that risk. Given that the oil seal is in the transmission area I'd say yeah I care....

WOW T Cro!  that is ugly!  (if you don't mind)... what's the story behind that? Or point me to a previous post about it?

but like I said "any metal" I would be getting that seal out of there! and if it was my bike... even if there wasn't HAHA

WOW T Cro!  that is ugly!  (if you don't mind)... what's the story behind that? Or point me to a previous post about it?

but like I said "any metal" I would be getting that seal out of there! and if it was my bike... even if there wasn't HAHA

That came out of  a reduction gear rated at 4K on the boat I work on. The set screw fell out of the thinner gear which was used to drive a tach of all things. It then meshed itself between the gear attached to a hydraulic pump and the idler gear below it. Push comes to shove and pop go the teeth and 1" shaft too.... Boat just about smoked the dock as it lost control of the pitch on Starboard propeller due to the now broken hydraulic pump. I was standing on the dock when this happened waiting to get onboard as it was crew change day; the Chief I was relieving was at a loss as to what had happened. He thought is was a throttle control failure.

The smaller gears in pic are roughly 6" and 12" and are babies next to the bull gear in the 3rd picture. Sorry that there is no scale but the output or "bull" gear is taller than I am and is near to 2 foot wide....

 So...cc_ryder...the question remains.... Did you hook the wayward seal on your fishing expedition?

Yeah? do tell!

The smaller gears in pic are roughly 6" and 12" and are babies next to the bull gear in the 3rd picture. Sorry that there is no scale but the output or "bull" gear is taller than I am and is near to 2 foot wide....


Tony, does that mean u r two feet tall?

;-)

Most automotive seals have a metal case that is bonded to the seal material so it doesn't deform when installed, they also have a tiny spring to hold the sealing surface to the shaft. Most of the time they don't cause problems BUT as T-cro has experienced, if they get where it matters, it matters.
I rebuilt a 911 engine last winter, you'd be surprised how much damage can be done by a little bit of steel, Cost him $25,000.
  My advice, try as hard as you can to fish it out, if you can't get it, You can try dropping the oil pan, it you still can't get it...Get on it and ride it and forget about it! Unless that is, you are prepared to spend 10 or 15 hours taking the motor out and apart.