One in a million freak problem... Help!

[DirtyUnderWhere]

Okay, I'm going to admit that what I'm about to describe amounts to a very dumb mistake, but here goes. I was changing out the chain on my 96 kat750 and decided to thread the chain around the drive sprocket without removing the cover (very dumb, i know). Anyway, I accomplished it quickly and was on my way. I immediately knew that something was wrong with the chain/clutch, and walked the bike back to my garage. When I pulled the cover off of the drive sprocket/clutch assembly I saw that i had pulled the chain over the clutch pushrod (sick feeling). Upon pulling the clutch pushrod out of the hole it goes in and ordering a new one, I realized that a piece of the old pushrod had broken off inside and was wedged there. My mechanic said he couldn't get to it without splitting the cases, but I don't wanna do that. So... I can see the piece of the pushrod in the hole and it's not that far inside, so would it be okay for me to use a small grab-it to thread into the piece and unwedge it from inside the hole to the clutch? I dread having to have the engine pulled and the cases split, and it might force me to part out my kat rather than repairing her. Any advice would be eternally appreciated...

[arsenic]

you do not have to split the cases to get that oil seal out, of course your mechanic will tell you that, it's a lot easier. I don't know if that push rod is steel, I think it is. In that case, pull the front sprocket and take the retainer off. Put a hook in the seal and pull it out. Use a telescoping magnet and pull the push rod out, replace the seal too. To get the new seal in find a socket thats about the same OD and place that against the seal and drift it in with a hammer. And next time don't try to cut coners, see what happens when you do that?

[Sin]

um why not take the clutch cover side off take the clutch pressure plate off and push the broken piece out with a small stiff wire like a coat hanger or a small dia piece of all thread no need to rip seals out and split cases

[arsenic]

yeah, thats a good call, what he said.

[Black_peter]

I agree with Arsenic.. You ought to be able to get that out. It is steel BTW..
And yes! It's a PIA to replace the seal (you need to remove the sprocket) but that thing will leak even if it "looks" ok..

Seems to me that your chain would have been really short if you had wrapped around the rod.. Was it?

[StevieB]

If it's STAINLESS steel, the magnet won't work.

[arsenic]

correct, but if you pull that seal out, you can get the push rod with needle nose pliers. I think Sin had the best solution, just get a coat hanger and push that thing out.

the push rod sticks to a magnet, I just checked.

[DirtyUnderWhere]

More help?

is there a double seal over the hole? one is plastic, got that one out, there is another metal plate behind it, does this plate also come out?

[arsenic]

no, the metal washer is supposed to be inside the runner seal. It's not a double thing toughs 2 are together, time for a new one.

[DirtyUnderWhere]

so i pulled the two apart when i pulled the rubber one off? and i can pull this metal one out as well? Is there a landing behind the metal plate (a boss) or can i drive one side in and bend the plate?

[arsenic]

I don't think there is a boss behind it

[james30263]

I've replaced my chain twice and all I did was hook the old master link to the new chain and pulled it thru. It works great. I dont think that pulling your chain thru like this can hurt that rod cause the chain will feed directly on the front sproket. But then again I could be wrong.