It’s vital to replace a bad valve cover gasket as soon as possible. It seals the connection between the engine body and the valve cover, preventing oil from leaking onto other parts while keeping dirt out. However, you might have concerns about the price of a new part and the cost of replacing the old gasket.
How much does a valve cover gasket replacement cost? What factors affect the total cost of the repair job?
Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Cost
Depending on your vehicle’s model, the valve cover gasket replacement cost can vary between products. It’s split between the cost of a new gasket and the labor cost.
Valve Cover Gasket Cost
Here are the average price ranges of a replacement valve cover gasket for various popular models:
- Toyota Camry: $12 – $31
- Chevy Cruze: $17 – $65
- Infiniti G35: $19 – $73
- Nissan Altima: $19 – $85
- Honda Civic: $20 – $73
- Subaru Forester: $23 – $60
- Ford Focus: $23 – $92
- Ford Focus: $28 – $120
- Ford Explorer: $160 – 200
- BMW X5: $65 – $221
- BMW 335i: $79 – $124
Labor Cost
If you bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop, the mechanics will charge you for their work. Here are the common labor costs for popular vehicle models:
- Nissan Altima: $60 – $290
- Ford Focus: $80 – $270
- Honda Civic: $90 – $243
- Chevy Cruze: $95 – $237
- BMW X5: $95 – $585
- Subaru Forester: $105 – $285
- Toyota Camry: $110 – $250
- BMW 335i: $195 – $829
- Infiniti G35: $195 – $543
Price Factors For Replacing a Valve Cover Gasket
Many factors can influence the cost of removing and replacing a valve cover gasket. Here are the three major price factors in a valve cover gasket replacement job:
Labor Cost
Perhaps the most significant price factor is the time and labor required to remove the bad valve cover gasket and install its replacement. Removing the current gasket is as simple as scraping off the seal from the engine. However, the task can take several hours of tiring work.
Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.
Pro Tip: Even on some four cylinder engines the intake manifold has to be removed for access, and on some V6 engines the alternator and part of the wire harnesses will need to be disconnected and tied back out of the way.
An auto repair center that belongs to a national chain can charge between $60 and $100 on average for every hour the mechanics work on your vehicle. Some mechanics might charge higher prices for their labor.
You can save on the cost of labor by personally replacing the bad valve cover gasket. The process requires a carbon gasket scraper that won’t damage the engine block. Consider using a gasket remover spray for an easier job.
Valve Cover Gasket Condition
A valve cover gasket that needs replacement isn’t in the best shape. However, its exact condition can affect how long it takes to remove the gasket. On some engines the valve cover itself will be fragile enough that the valve cover needs replacing.
Most valve cover gaskets are formed rubber on newer engines and are very easy to remove. Valve cover gaskets in the ‘70s were either formed with RTV from a tube or were cork impregnated with rubber.
New Valve Cover Gaskets
There are many valve cover gaskets on the market today. Generally, a higher price tag translates to better quality, although some products can buck this trend. It’s usually a good idea to invest in the best gasket you can afford.
If you bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop, the mechanics might use a valve cover gasket from the original equipment manufacturer or a brand they trust. They might refuse to use a different brand.
What Is a Valve Cover Gasket?
If you’re a new driver, you might wonder what’s important about a valve cover gasket. Well, the valve cover gasket seals the valve cover over the camshaft, cylinders, and intake manifold. It prevents dust, dirt, and air from reaching the fuel injectors. At the same time, it keeps engine oil inside the block.
Most valve cover seals are made from cork, plastic, or rubber. These materials are elastic but harden after drying out.
A bad valve cover gasket can leak engine oil. If the engine loses too much lubricant, the exposed metal surfaces of the parts will grind together. The insufficiently greased or unlubricated parts will wear out faster and shorten the engine’s service life.
Oil from the damaged valve cover gasket can reach other engine parts, such as the spark plugs. The lubricant can make those parts wear out earlier or outright damage them.
Furthermore, dirt and small particles can enter the engine through a damaged valve cover gasket. The particulate matter can abrade critical parts like the pistons and the cylinders, wearing out the parts faster.
Bad Valve Cover Gasket Symptoms
The most common symptom of a bad valve cover gasket is the smell of something burning. The smell can come from engine oil burning as it lands on a hot metal surface.
This symptom isn’t unique to faulty valve cover gaskets. However, other indicators might appear because of the gasket’s failure.
When detected alongside a burning smell, the following symptoms can indicate a bad valve cover gasket:
- Engine oil leak from the top of the engine
- Engine oil around the spark plugs
- Engine oil leak from under the car
- Illuminated check engine light illuminates
- High-temperature warning
Learning more about valve cover gasket leak symptoms can help you confirm that the problem lies with a bad gasket that needs replacement.
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