ATM Please help - weird lathe problem

[ATM@antiquaries.com]

This is a request for help that won't interest too many on the list 
so perhaps please answer off list...

The outboard (lefgt) spindle bearing of my Aouth Bend 10K lathe  all 
of a sudden uses tons of spindle oil.

It leaks out the far left side.

Weird is that it doesn't do it all the time. I can run it for an hour 
or so OK, then it might begin to leak. Or, I can run it for an hour 
or so, shut it off and when I get back in another hour, the oil has 
leaked! It had actually run out while the lathe was off and the 
spindle stationary.

Yesterday AM it was drinking oil. In the PM I worked for about 4 
hours - no oil loss.

No weird noises, spindle runs nice and smooth - I can twirl it.

I have never let it run dry. I have tried flushing it out with 
kerosene but it doesn't seem to make a diff.

I think if there was a crack in the casting it would leak all the 
time - not intermittently. Has the oiling wick gone bad?

If anybody who knows SB lathes can help, I would appreciate it

thank you

Frank Manasek