There's this little hole...

GT

Full member
...on the back of the alternator casing near the clutch bleed nipple area. It has suddenly started weeping engine oil. What is the hole for - has something fallen out, it is a very small hole?
 
The hole is a water drain, most likely candidate for the oil is spilling a bit when filling the motor, it will find its way under the starter and down , next is the alternator cover gasket as the wire from the alternator exit up the same tunel.


    Keith
 
Ok, havn't had a recent oil fill, although the bike did fall off its mainstand (well documented here) onto the alternator casing which split, so its been replaced. So two possibilities - oil spillage during the fall or more likely, I have not seated / sealed the rubber grommit round the alternator cable properly and the oil that splashes round in there is splashing up round the rubber grommit and out through the hole - likely?

cheers
Glenn

 
Good afternoon,
I picked up on this older post, but it is exactly my problem. My RGS has developed a significant oil leak through this weep hole after running a while. Got about 5 miles from home today.  It then leaks what appears to be ounces of oil continuously until motor is shut off. This started after replacing the starter clutch assembly, so I was inside the alternator cover and installed a new gasket. I also changed the oil and cleaned the filter. The possibility exists that I may have overfilled. Generally I refill with 3.5L. I now have read this is generally considered too much. The stick reads between the lines even after two leak sessions. Could there be other pressure related reasons I should check? I am planning to check my alternator gasket placement and probably drain and refilll with 3 L.

Thanks
Charlie
 
3.5l is not "generally considered" too much, it is...  If you're reading between the lines with 3.5l, you're probably not inserting the dipstick vertically.  Vertical, resting on the lqwer part of the thread should give you close to the upper line with 3 litres.  3.5 will be well above the line.

The grommet that seals the alternator wiring into the alternator housing sometimes leaks, usually because the sheathing has deteriorated.  It is normally glued in some way to the grommet, but this breaks up over time.  Oil can also creep up the wires inside the sheathing once the seal at the lower end is broken.  Depending where the sheathing ends, or how damaged it is along the way, oil will accumulate in the recess under the starter and drain through said hole.  New sheathing on  the wires and some sealing compound at the end at the stator usually cures it.

piet
 
Very Good piet.
Yes. I have replaced the stator, sheathing and grommet in the past. I will check and seal all that.
Thanks very much.
Charlie
 
Three litres after an oil change is too much in mine (Mark I 180?). I add a little more than two and then add as indicated by the dipstick. Over fill and, at the very least, it'll chuck out the excess.
I've included the handbook instruction, as many, incorrectly, check the oil level by screwing the dipstick in.
 

Attachments

  • Laverda Oil0001.jpg
    Laverda Oil0001.jpg
    96.5 KB · Views: 120
Make sure that the starter motor seal hasn't blown, run your finger along underneath the starter motor, there should be two small drain holes, oil could possibly coming out of the starter motor and collecting in the recess underneath then making it's way through the drain hole.
 
Back
Top