$8 fix for dripping 28A alternators

Ok how about a spray on fix for your dripping 28A alternator oil leak?

Well here it is ...

$8 shipped

Clean area using brake clean or similar, wipe off. I then created a duct tape cup around the top cable seal and spray Form-a-seal into the space 5 times at 5 minute intervals.

I have 3 days and ~200 miles on the bike since using it and so far so good. Iwill update if things change.

Thanks to Jeff (wjbertrand) for the suggestion.

How hard is the stuff going to be to clean off later? Might work but if it is too much of a PITA to get off when going to a 40 later then I would be hesitant.

sennister said:

How hard is the stuff going to be to clean off later? Might work but if it is too much of a PITA to get off when going to a 40 later then I would be hesitant.

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Sounds like he has used it around the area where the harness emerges from the 28A cover. If doing an upgrade to the 40A one, that entire assembly will be discarded anyway. It will not interfere with the upgrade at all.

wjbertrand said:

Sounds like he has used it around the area where the harness emerges from the 28A cover. If doing an upgrade to the 40A one, that entire assembly will be discarded anyway. It will not interfere with the upgrade at all.

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Ahh, I guess I didn't know where the leak was. If it is leaking from the main O-ring then you would get it on the block. I was assuming he was talking about a leak there.

Thanks for the tip.... I'm losing a Quart between oil changes... I'm assuming its sneaking out from the leaky spot around the wiring exiting the Alt. I think I'll give that a try !

Should be able to use it around the o-ring since it only fills in on the edge of the seal.

My leak was the cable entry point on the back, so switching to 40A is not affected, but I would try it on the o-ring too if the leak was there.

So this leak fix lasted about 7 months/7000 miles and started seeping out again in December. I have been living with a faint oily smell since then but the leak was still much less than the original. There was still plenty in the original $8 can do do several applications. This would be reasonable to do once or twice a year but it does not seem to be permanent. Cleaning off the sealant was easy with some carb/brake clean. Overall this seems like a useful and quick solution to small leaks that you cannot easily repair.

Meanwhile, my friends Kawasaki Concours also had this treatment on a seeping joint between the shaft and the final drive. So far he is still looking good.

This time I am trying a old folklore solution namely clear nail polish. After cleaning the area I applied 3 layers letting each one dry between applications. The bike then sat for a few hours before I took it out for a 100 mile test ride. So far no oil smell and nail polish seems to be holding up well.

Watch this space for updates ...

I have about half a can of this stuff left if you want to try it.

:cus: Clear nail polish doesn't last very long ! For a folklore fix it doesn't do too well - only a couple of weeks.

Smash, are you done with the goop? Can I have it back to re-do my alt?

Mark,

I might have to use your and Jeff's suggestion... the '91 on loan from Eric looks a bit 'wet' in the same area.

Thanks Brit Mark, mine was also leaking a lot around the cable entry on my 91 and this stuff sealed it. Awsome,

Won't a regular epoxy work if things are cleaned up?
Some power transformer potting compound may work, or the stuff used to pot CDI's.

This is an old post but does anyone have the name of the product?