Product Information

The valve cover gasket seals the valve cover to the uppermost portion of your engine’s cylinder head and keeps oil and oil vapors from leaking at that connection. It must have some amount of crush or elasticity to fill in gaps between the two surfaces, sealing the connection. Typically on most modern vehicles the valve cover gasket is made from rubber or other elastomer materials. Sometimes this can be just a rubber gasket, and others it may be reinforced with metals or other materials to lend more strength and rigidity to the application.

Older classic European cars may use a cork or similar natural material. Both are sensitive to the installation process and tightening torques, but you must take extra special care with cork gaskets to avoid crushing the gasket and causing a leak.

• Age: As a rubber valve cover gasket ages, it will become hard and brittle, eventually allowing oil to leak at the valve cover and cylinder head junction. Cork and natural materials will begin to break down and allow Oil to pass
• Physical Damage: Typically this is from incorrect installation. Using too much tightening torque on the valve cover gasket bolts or fasteners can cause physical damage to the gasket but overcompressing or crushing it beyond its ability to seal the surface of the valve cover and the cylinder head.
• Chemical Damage: Using incompatible chemical gasket maker or sealing agents can cause reactions and failure of the gasket itself. Sometimes this can be because of the material itself, or the design of the gasket and the way it is intended to be sealed by the manufacturer.
• Obvious Oil leaks: A noticeable engine oil leak is the most common symptom of a bad valve cover gasket. This can appear in several different ways, the most common of which is oil seepage or obvious leaks running down the cylinder head from the valve cover.
• Mysterious Oil Leaks: Because of airflow through the engine bay and the exact conditions under which a valve cover gasket leaks, it is possible to have a “mystery” oil leak where oil residue and moisture gather in an unusual or unlikely spot. If you see this and have no other obvious causes, a quick degrease and careful monitoring could point you in the direction of a bad valve cover gasket
• Air intake leaks/faults: Because the valve cover gasket is a crucial seal for the engine, a completely failed or very bad valve cover gasket leak can result in a check engine light or rough running due to incorrect airflow either getting inside the engine or escaping through the leak.
• Burning oil smell: One of the most common engine oil leaks is from the valve cover gasket, and it is common for oil to leak while the car is sitting. Once you start the engine and begin to drive the car, the oil that has collected on the exhaust manifold will burn off, creating a noticeable oil smell while driving.