So I'm out ridin my VFR and.....

I have a 2014 that I bought new in 17.  It has around 32,500 miles on it.  It's been a great bike so far.  I live in Ohio, and I'm out on a 16 day ride.  When I entered Kansas I started smelling oil burning when stopped for gas.  Mid Kansas I started seeing smoke off the catalytic converter.  Just a tiny leak, probably a bad oil filter.  I searched for the nearest Honda dealership (Aurora Honda), hoping an oil change would fix it.  By the time I left Kansas, under my bike was coated with oil.  I was waiting at the dealership when they opened, and they got me right in.  They have been GREAT!  Turns out it was my seal at the clutch pushrod.  Engine has to be dropped to change it.  The good news is I purchased the Honda extended warranty, and Honda is taking care of everything for me.

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Hey Sparkie. Do you know if you were loosing engine oil OR hydraulic clutch fluid. The clutch pushrod seal is on the clutch slave cylinder! "Engine has to be dropped to change it" Doesn't make sense!

The clutch fluid is fine. Its engine oil and it's coming out of the seal behind the pushrod for the clutch.  I guess to get at it, the plate behind the front sprocket has to come off.  Hopefully the engine doesn't actually have to come out to change it.  Will see tomorrow.  We were all surprised.  Would have thought maybe the seal behind the sprocket, and that one comes out easy.  But you are right, don't make much sense.

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OK got it. Crankcase lifter rod oil seal Item 7 in the drawing. That's a bit of bad luck, haven't heard of one of those failing.

Same part numbered seal used in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 8gens!

Good luck, hope they sort is asap for you.

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Am I the first 8th gen that seal failed on?  I searched the boards, and saw a few 85/86 vfr750's  had it, and a very few fifth gens.  

After looking at the blueprint, yep it's gotta come out.

Here's the pic at the Kansas border 

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Hey Sparkie....Are you the guy I once helped change a swingarm bearing on a R6? (Or I really don't remember what the job was.)

That whole thing about oil leaking out of the clutch pushrod seal is kinda making my head spin.

Just doesn't make sense....

1 hour ago, Sparkie

Am I the first 8th gen that seal failed on?  I searched the boards, and saw a few 85/86 vfr750's  had it, and a very few fifth gens.  

After looking at the blueprint, yep it's gotta come out.

DING DING DING!!!!!  Yes you are the WINNER!!!!   :goofy:

4 minutes ago, mello dude

Hey Sparkie....Are you the guy I once helped change a swingarm bearing on a R6? (Or I really don't remember what the job was.)

That whole thing about oil leaking out of the clutch pushrod seal is kinda making my head spin.

Just doesn't make sense....

That must have been a different sparky?  Wasn't me.  I know it doesn't make sense, but it's leaking from there.

1 minute ago, Sparkie

That must have been a different sparky?  Wasn't me.  I know it doesn't make sense, but it's leaking from there.

Well, best of all luck fellow Ohio guy. Hope the dealer techs are good.

Seal failure on a VF500F2

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Manual says to drop and split the engine to fit a new seal

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But instead a Dremel was used to grind away that "ring" on the carter and we popped in the new one with some sealant on the outside. Years and some 30,oookm later is still is perfect.

Good luck ! As a fellow VFR cross country rider ( NC-Cali-NC 7000 mi ) in 2018 I hope the rest of your trip is uneventful ( mechanically ) after repairs. Good karma !

Sorry it took so long to reply, but I wanted to update the thread.

I'm back home and my VFR seems fine.  The seal turned out to be ok, but the shaft was the problem.  It had become scored where it contacts the seal, and the pressure behind it was high enough to cause the leak.  I'm going to order a new shaft, and when I change it out, I'll reflip the old one to see if I can recreate the leak.  At least it's all sorted out for now, and I'm sure glad we didn't have to perform any major surgery.  All in all, very strange, and unexpected for a vfr.