XS 650
How to replace the clutch rod oil seal
Do you have a puddle of oil dripping from the left side? Is your chain getting oiled all by itself? The clutch rod oil seal may need replacing and it can be done without splitting the cases if you have a little patience and skill.
Remove the left foot peg, shift lever and the left cover.
Start the bike in neutral on the center stand and look to see if oil is coming out around the clutch rod (just in front of the sprocket). You may have too much spooge in there to tell where it's coming from and the countershaft seal is also a likely candidate. The oil pressure may even force the clutch rod out and then you'll see a large flow of oil, so you may have to hold the rod in with a finger. Stop the engine.
If this is the first time for this seal replacement you should pull the front sprocket, if you've already done this proceedure once you may be able to push the new seal in without pulling the sprocket.
Pull out the clutch rod and clean all the crud off - make sure it is smooth.
Pry the old seal out with a screwdriver.
The aluminum edges of the hole that the seal came out of are a bit too square and sharp, if you try to push the new seal in the edge of the aluminum will cut it and it will leak worse than your old seal. We want to round off the sharp edge so the new seal can be pushed in and the perfect tool for this job is a 3 sided file that has had the teeth ground off to make a 3 sided scraper (a very handy tool to have). Work only on the sharp, outside edge of the hole - careful not to damage the part where the oil seal actually seats.
Now that the aluminum edge has been rounded off, smear a little oil around the outside edge of the new seal and push it in with your thumbs. Unless you have stronger thumbs than I you'll only get it halfway. Be careful that it is going in evenly all the way around and is not peeling off the rubber edge.
Once you are satisfied that it is going in straight and isn't getting damaged, you can push it in the rest of the way with the flat side of a socket or my way is to hold a hammer by the head and use the wooden handle to carefully work the seal in
Put the clutch rod back in and start the engine (in neutral please) and verify that there is no oil leaking either between the seal and the case or the between the seal and the clutch rod.
Reassemble and ride.