Alternator cover and oil

[Anonymous]

8O 8O I recently opened the side left cover to inspect the stator,(having some charging problems) and to my surprise the inside of the cover and the alternator itself and the starter gears were coverd in quite a bit of oil. I cranked the bike over with the cover off to see where the oil was coming from and I quickly saw that it was shooting out the side above the starter through an oil journal. I also noticed there is a gasket in place around the cover which in my mind should keep the oil from seeping into the alternator area but does allow it to make its' way into a small area in the side cover (to build pressure or to install an oil pressure gauge?), correct? Either way my questions are: 1- is there suppoesed to be oil in there? 2- if not then could it be that my gasket has just worn out in that one area around the journal and all i need is a new one? 3-if none of the above then if someone could explain this to me i'd greatly appreciate it... Thanks for all your help, Alcino

[Hotblack]

Hehehehe I'm waiting for the answer to this one too now... I suspected there might be oil in there because the manual tells you to drain the oil before taking that cover off. I don't know why the'd have it running in oil either. *scratch scratch* :roll:

[focus frenzy]

If the bike is a GS, (you didn't say) then yes, there is suppose to be oil in there.
the oil lubricates the starter clutch, starter gears, and cools the stator, a GS run low on oil for long will need a new stator, it will burn up with out oil circulating over it.

[Anonymous]

Excellent, thanks for the info, I'm happy it doesn't mean more $$$