Nissan Repair: replacing rear timing cover, valve cover gasket, sensor access

Question
when changing out my alternator on my 2004 nissan murano i noticed it was covered in oi.  i believe the oil is leaking from the rear timing cover.  how can i repair this and how expensive would it be to let a mechanic repair it for me?

Answer
Melissa,

The 3.0/3.5 liter engine is pretty tight for a timing cover leak.  If yours is leaking you are looking at the dealer or a speciality shop that knows what they are doing.  The cover uses a liquid seal and not a gasket.  The only seal on the cover, other than sensor access points, is the crank seal.  Other than that, there are the access ports that are used to change the water pump.  I would be thinking a bad valve cover gasket or the like.  If it is the harmonic balancer seal that is leaking it could be addressed for a couple of hundred dollars.