How Do You Replace Valve Cover Gaskets?
As an engine operates, oil continuously circulates throughout the engine. One of the most important components of an engine are the cylinder heads, which contain the valves, rocker arms and valve springs. To prevent oil from escaping the cylinder heads, each head is capped with a valve cover, sometimes referred to as a rocker arm cover. To seal the cover to the cylinder head, a cork gasket is used. Should this gasket become damaged, oil will leak out of the cylinder head and the cover’s gasket must be replaced. Remove the breather cap, or disconnect the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve from the valve cover. Older engines without emission control systems feature a component called a breather cap, which allows oil vapors to exit from the top of the valve covers. The cap looks like a small air filter and can be removed by pulling the cap off of the valve cover. More modern engines feature a PCV valve, which is designed to draw in air and mix the air with any oil vapors that have
