How to change the valve cover gasket yourself?

What is the function of the gasket?

As soon as the cuff loses its properties, the motor starts to leak. The gasket ensures complete tightness of the lid and neck for filling the lubricant.

The element is located under the valve mechanism cover and is attached with it using bolts and nuts. The cuff is made of a special type of rubber that does not lose its characteristics for a long time when heated. Then the quality of the material gradually deteriorates, the part loses its elasticity and is unable to hold oil under pressure. You have to shoot and think what to do next.

Why do you need a valve cover gasket?

An insignificant part of the car - a gasket under the valve cover - is not capable of radically changing the technical characteristics of the vehicle or worsening the parameters of the normal functioning of its engine. At the same time, any car enthusiast carefully monitors its condition, replacing the gasket at the first sign of a leak.

The valve cover has a neck through which engine lubrication is added to the system. Its task is to cover the gas distribution unit of the machine, to which it is bolted. The gasket, made of rubber, is directly mounted between the fastening elements and the timing head.

The gasket does not change its technical parameters under the influence of high or low temperatures; it does not come into contact with the car’s engine oil. But after a certain period of operation of the car (it is individual for each vehicle model), its owner may notice that oil is leaking from under the valve covers.

This situation occurs because the gasket becomes hard and much less elastic. This leads to the appearance of microcracks on it, which begin to leak oil. If the gasket is not replaced in time, the outside of the car engine will begin to become covered with dirt, which will be almost impossible to clean. Naturally, a dirty crust on its surface will not add stability to the “heart” of the vehicle.

When is replacement needed?

New sealing rubber is inexpensive. Therefore, during active use of the machine, it is worth changing it as often as possible. Here's when to do it:

• during engine overhaul;
• if traces of oil are found in the engine compartment or under the car;

• during repair/maintenance of the timing system;
• when changing the oil in the system - upon reaching 15–20 thousand mileage.

How often should the valve cover gasket be replaced?

Replacing the valve cover gasket should become a habitual procedure for the driver, especially if the car is used actively. It is recommended to replace it in the following cases:

• when traces of oil appear outside along the connection line between the cover and the block head;
• during current or major engine repairs;
• if the head cover is removed for maintenance or timing belt repair.

A certain part of drivers change the gasket under the cap every time they change the engine oil. There is a rational grain in this. Firstly, oil leakage will be completely eliminated. Secondly, by opening the cover, the driver has the opportunity to inspect the timing parts for wear or damage.

Which one to choose

There are a lot of products on sale from different manufacturers. There are original components and replacements. Original cuffs are a priori better. They provide tightness longer, but cost several times more.

On the other hand, the quality of some analogues can also be excellent. A lot depends on the brand. For example, the Viktor Reinz brand is a worthy analogue. Reinz gaskets are equipped with special thickenings (or protrusions) so that when tightening, not the entire surface of the seal is pressed in, but only the profile. This ensures the reliability of the product; the rubber can withstand temperature changes longer.

Analogue products from Viktor Reinz are very popular. They are installed on Lacetti, Duster, Almera. They cost less than the originals but last longer.

Changing the gasket in a garage

Having a desire to maintain your car, as well as a set of simple tools, you can very quickly change the gaskets yourself. Among the consumables, you need to get a new gasket, a good high-temperature engine sealant and a degreaser (solvent, gasoline, anti-silicone, etc.).

The gasket can be removed very easily. To do this, you need to remove the air cleaner housing and unscrew the mounting bolts around the perimeter. If the cover is burdened with additional devices (attachments), they should also be removed. The old gasket is immediately thrown away and is not left for a rainy day. The contact point between the cylinder head and the cover is cleaned of old sealant and degreased. The gasket, lubricated on both sides with sealant, is placed in place and covered with a lid. Assembly occurs in reverse order.

How to Replace a Valve Cover Gasket

Unfortunately, car enthusiasts often make irreparable mistakes when replacing them themselves, which reduces the service life of the part. They watch the video, try to repeat the master’s actions, but nothing works.

The first thing you need to prepare is a high-quality new cuff with the required catalog number, suitable for the size of the engine. It is also important to prepare a special type of sealant, preferably Permatex.

The replacement procedure is as follows:

1. The battery must be de-energized, and the wire ends from the spark plugs must be removed.
2. Disconnect all attachments from the valve cover.
3. Unscrew the cover bolts and remove it.
4. Remove the worn seal from the sinuses.
5. Thoroughly degrease the working surface, including the mating surface of the head.
6. Apply sealant and install a new gasket in the groove.
7. Tighten the cover using a torque of 10 Nm.

Without experience and knowledge, it is better not to touch the mechanism. The slightest mistake can lead to depressurization of the gap and oil leakage from the engine.

Basic mistakes

Before changing the valve cover gasket, it is necessary to clean all contact surfaces, otherwise the procedure will be useless. After a month, the consumable will crack and will have to be replaced again.

Despite the fact that the repair seems quite simple, drivers without experience face the following difficulties:

• Warping of the lid. Occurs when the fasteners are unevenly tightened or the part is mechanically deformed.
• Uneven distribution of sealant. This happens if you take a low-quality composition. Some products look half-dried when opened.

Most car models do not require sealant, so the product is not overused. In this case, a torque wrench is used for tight fixation. It presses all the parts tightly against each other, so auxiliary substances are no longer needed.

Since there is minimal risk of damage to car components during this repair, it is worth trying to perform the procedure yourself. If after this the problem is not solved, then contact a service station, they will carry out a comprehensive diagnosis and indicate where exactly the problem arose.

If not changed in a timely manner

On some foreign cars (such as Lacetti), gasket failure is a chronic disease. The original standard part can withstand no more than 70–80 thousand kilometers. During active use of the car, it breaks down even before the mileage of 40 thousand km.

Changing the gasket on time is extremely important. If you don't do this, there will be many unpleasant surprises:

• the entire valve group of the engine will be subjected to a powerful attack of dirt and dust, which will penetrate inside without obstacles;
• severe oil leakage will begin, and a lack of lubrication will have an extremely negative effect on the service life of the piston group and valves;
• oil will get on sensors, spark plug wells, wires, and other mechanisms in the engine compartment - the risk of fire will increase;
• cooling of the power plant will become worse.

Change the gasket as soon as it stops doing its job. If you choose a low-quality product or make a mistake during replacement, oil leaks will appear again within a few days after replacement.

Valve cover gasket: purpose and causes of failure

After the driver lifts the hood and looks into the engine compartment, the valve cover is the first element to look at.
This cover is designed to seal the timing belt, which is located in the cylinder head. This element also has an oil filler neck for pouring oil into the internal combustion engine. The cover is usually attached to the cylinder head with bolts. Removing the cover allows you to get to some elements of the timing mechanism without having to remove the cylinder head. The cover is attached to the head through a sealing gasket. The appearance of oil drips or the accumulation of oily dirt at the junction of the valve cover with the cylinder head is the first indicator that there are problems with the gasket. In this case, leaks through the specified gasket, at first glance, do not constitute a serious breakdown, since there is no significant effect on the operation of the engine. The engine continues to operate stably and fuel consumption does not increase. It is for this reason that many car enthusiasts are in no hurry to change the element.

However, it should be noted that oil leakage through the valve cover gasket leads not only to increased lubricant consumption, but also to severe external contamination of the engine, which requires periodic cleaning of the internal combustion engine. Moreover, heavy oil leakage through the valve cover gasket on many engines means that oil gets into the spark plug wells, spark plugs become dirty, etc.

We also recommend reading the article on how to steam wash your engine. From this article you will learn about what steam engine washing is, as well as what advantages and disadvantages this method of cleaning an internal combustion engine has.

The gasket itself is a rubber product, which allows the element to operate under conditions of constant temperature changes and not lose its properties as a result of constant contact with engine oil. In this case, sooner or later the rubber dries out and becomes hard, and the gasket material cracks. For this reason, oil begins to gradually leak through the gasket, contaminating the engine compartment and the outside of the power unit.

During vehicle operation, replacing the valve cover gasket is a standard procedure that has to be carried out quite often on some internal combustion engines. The valve cover gasket is usually replaced in the following cases:

• an oil leak has appeared or oil leaks have become too intense;
• when the engine or timing belt is repaired, that is, the valve cover is removed;

In other words, you can change the valve cover gasket both when subtle signs of leakage are detected, and during repair work that involves disassembling the internal combustion engine, removing the cylinder head, etc. Let us add that some car enthusiasts change the gasket every 15-30 thousand kilometers traveled, regardless of whether there is a leak or not. This is quite justified considering how much a valve cover gasket costs, it allows you to always keep the power unit clean, and also makes it possible to assess the condition of individual timing elements after removing the cover to replace the gasket.

Replacement procedure

To replace the valve cover gasket, you will need to dismantle the air cleaner and unscrew all the bolts around the perimeter. It is advisable to do this in a checkerboard pattern so as not to create additional stress on the remaining fasteners.

After removing the old gasket, sometimes you need to clean the surface from any remaining stuck material. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the body part.

You need to know that even a good-looking gasket should not be reused, as it loses its elasticity and will not provide high-quality isolation of the working area from the external environment.

Before installing a new gasket, the contacting surfaces are cleaned and degreased. A sufficient amount of sealant is applied to both clean, dry sides. The assembly of the structure is carried out in the reverse order of disassembly. Tightening the bolts is also done first in a checkerboard pattern, and then brought to maximum force.

Types of sealants used

Various automakers, depending on the characteristics of their vehicles and the specific engine modification, can use cover gaskets that differ in their shape, thickness and material. Most often they are made of thin sheet metal or reinforced paronite, additionally having a durable steel edging. In rare cases, rubber and rubber-cork seals are used that do not directly contact the hot cylinder block, which makes it possible to somewhat simplify the maintenance of the unit, reducing the cost of the engine service performed.

Depending on their design, it is customary to distinguish the following types of cylinder head gaskets:

• solid with a ring gasket of complex shape, which ensures the maximum degree of sealing;
• composite ones include seals with inserts and breaks that ensure the correct operation of all elements of the valve cover;
• complete ones may consist of several additional ring seals for spark plug wells and valves;

The most popular today are solid cylinder head gaskets made of metal, which at the same time have an affordable price and are distinguished by reliability, strength and durability.

Only on naturally aspirated engines with a low degree of boost are paronite and rubber-cork gaskets used, which retain their performance characteristics over a wide temperature range.

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What do you need to know about the motor?

Before the valve cover of the VAZ 2114 is removed and the gasket is replaced, it is worth talking about the features of the engine. If you don’t know anything about design features, then the best solution would be to turn to specialists. Remember that to carry out such work you will need a certain tool.

ICE device

In particular, a car enthusiast needs to have on hand the following details:

• ratchet with extension;
• head at 10;
• screwdriver with Phillips head.

Seal replacement interval

In the enclosed space under the valve covers there is no oil pressure because there is air there. But during engine operation, the rapidly rotating camshaft, whose bearings are abundantly lubricated, scatters many small drops in all directions. Once on the inner walls, the oil flows back into the crankcase. If the slightest gap occurs between the sealing material and the adjacent surfaces, the lubricant will inevitably flow out.

When to replace the valve cover gasket:

• if traces or drips of engine oil are noticed on the side walls of the cylinder head;
• during the assembly of the power unit after a major overhaul;
• if gasket defects are detected during various repairs that involve dismantling the cover.

Sometimes inexperienced car enthusiasts accidentally damage the seal with a screwdriver or other tool. In such a situation, it is better to change the element, since attempts to seal the gap with sealant usually do not yield results - after some time, the lubricant penetrates outward at the point of damage.

Natural wear and tear of any cushioning material is loss of elasticity . The rubber or cork seal becomes dull and cracks, causing gaps to appear between the flanges of the cover and the cylinder head. The malfunction is not critical, but quite unpleasant - the engine walls are covered with a coating of oil mixed with dirt.

If you do not change a worn gasket, then it later becomes difficult to identify defects in other parts associated with leaks. It is difficult to notice leaks from under the timing cover or pump when the entire engine is already splashed with oil. Therefore, it is not recommended to operate a car for a long time with a defective valve cover seal.

Typical mistakes when replacing gaskets

The seemingly simple procedure for replacing the elastic gasket sometimes causes difficulties for some car owners. After installing a new gasket, the oil leak not only does not stop, but even increases. Errors can be different, but the most common ones are:

• Use of poor quality gasket;
• uneven application or use of rough (old) sealant;
• uneven tightening of the cover bolts and, accordingly, its distortion.

Before you begin repair work, you should definitely find a diagram for tightening the cover fasteners in your car’s operating manual (the so-called “manual”) and follow it exactly. In this case, the tightening force should be monitored using a torque wrench.

Tips for quality work

Not in all cases, motorists are able to carry out the procedure without problems. Sometimes an oil leak forms almost immediately after several kilometers of driving. There may be several most popular reasons for this:

• use of low-quality gaskets;
• insufficient amount of sealant used, careless application of it to the surface;
• misalignment of the cover caused by improper tightening of the fasteners.

You need to know that for cars there are diagrams for tightening the bolts on the covers, which can be found in the car’s operating instructions.

The replacement must be carried out when the engine has cooled down so that thermal expansion does not negatively affect the performance result.