Motorcycle Repair: CB700SC Clutch Rod Oil Seal, clutch slave cylinder, fiche section

Question
Have the same problem as some of the earlier folks with my 1984 CB700SC leaking oil from the clutch slave cylinder area.  The oil seal that seats into the left side crankcase and seals around the clutch push rod had failed.  I have purchased a new one and removed the old one, but there is a retainer that needs to be removed in order the install the new seal.  It appears that at the factory, the seal was placed in the retainer, then the retained pressed into the crankcase.  After all these years, it's pretty set in it's ways and does not want to come out.  The new seal (like the old) is reinforced with metal, so it can't be pushed in without removing the small retainer.  Any suggestions on removing the retainer?  Thanks, Marc

Answer
Marc, I haven't worked on one of these, specifically, but the illustrations look like this:

http://www.houseofmotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=124092&catego

I see two seals there, so perhaps you have a seal inside a seal. I don't see a "retainer" listed or shown on the diagrams for the crankcase. "Retainers" usually have a snap ring or some kind of retention system like that. If it is just a sleeve, pressed-in, then you can either leave it in place and find a seal that will fit the dimensions of the hole or keep working to remove the retainer. You may have to get a very small chisel to help catch the edge of the retainer, if it is designed to come out.

Bill Silver