Oil Leak near alternator

I seem to have a small oil leak coming from the area under the alternator. It is not heavy but if is becoming a nuisance. It is spraying back onto my left boot and the shift lever making my shifts less than precise. I am not sure if it from the alternator seal or the starter seal. Has any one ever had this problem?

 

I have this problem right now...waiting for winter to take the cover off and make my own cork gasket lightly dressed with RTV silicone should do the job, I hope.

I made my own oil pan gasket for my Maxim like that, no leaks and holds great.

 

Once you get the cover off you will see the notch in the bottom lip {unless my po put the one in minen} I think it is supposed to be there for air flow or drainage. I had cover off to check the brushes and noticed the notch in the cover. I believe there is an o ring on the end of the alternator shaft that or the starter shaft o ring is leaking. Of corse the oil leak got worse after I put it all back together with a new gasket.

 

Alternator seal leak is a normal rite of passage given the age and miles on our venerable old machines. It is an easy fix if you have the correct tools readily at hand. You will need a rotor extractor tool (or an M16x1.50 at least 35mm long), an impact screwdriver tool is handy but not necessary, and the usual assortment of metric hand tools. Remove the alternator cover bolts (x3), remove the stator windings, remove the rotor retaining bolt (13mm if I remember right), use extrator bolt to pop the rotor off, remove the three screws holding the alternator shaft seal housing, replace the seal and o-ring, and reassemble.

 

The rotor seal may not be the source of your leak.
My '81 Seca has the same extemely slow seepage from under the alternator cover. I had to replace the stator and did not see any evidence of oil inside the alternater. I put a new shaft seal and o-ring in anyway and still have the leak. It's more of a nuisance than a real leak. Just enough to look ugly without loosing any appreciable amount of oil.

I was actually wondering if the bottom alternator cover mounting screw was the source.
Anyone know if there is any chance that the hole goes clean through the case into the sump?

 

Luv, good chance your starter o-ring is the culprit. I've had a slow leak on my 82 but, by fortunate chance, I was able to localize it to that source (after I replaced my very dead alternator shaft seal).
Glad you brought that up.
Let's hope we have the fellows on the right track for a successful repair.

 

I've got a leak on my '81 550 that alternately appears to be the alternator or cylinder base gasket. It's actually the cam chain tensioner body gasket and the oil migrates with the wind blast. I've confirmed (using the clean thoroughly/surveillance method) and I'm just waiting until the next reason to pull the carbs to fix it. Before you chomp into a whole bunch of unnecessary disassembly make sure you're not being "mislead."

 

Maybe what's leaking is the seal/o-ring that is used behind the oil gallery passage plug (the large hex-drive plug directly below the "yics" covers)?

That too could mimic a leak from the "yics" cover........