Valve Cover Gasket: a Way to Prevent Oil Seepage

By: Anthony Fontanelle

Oil leakage from the upper engine is a common problem in automobiles. Sometimes, the oil pumped through the valve oozes gradually through the cylinder. Oil leakage may greatly harm the different engine components. To avoid this problem, vehicle owners should equip their automobiles with a high quality valve cover gasket. This auto part is very important in protecting the entire engine and the cylinder head from oil and water leaks and other fragments.

To fully understand the function of a valve cover gasket, vehicle owners should first know the function of a valve cover. The valve cover protects the valve trains. To lubricate the valve train, oil is pushed through the pushrod and diffused directly beneath the valve cover. The valve cover is the one that lubricates the rocker arms of the engine. To avoid leakage while the oil is in circulation, it is very important that the valve cover is oil-tight. However, some valve covers are prone to wear and tear. Since valve covers are made of very slim pieces of metal, they fail to withstand the pressure caused by tensing up the screws.

Strengthening the function of the valve cover is the task assumed by the valve cover gasket. The valve cover gasket is a protective rubber material designed to make sure that the valve cover properly seals the cylinder. This greatly prevents oil from seeping through the cylinder through which it passes.

Just like any other auto components, the may be worn out in the long run. This is due to either a breakage caused by engine pressure or natural old-age breakdown. A smell of burning oil inside the passenger cabin of the automobile can be a sign that something is wrong with the valve cover gasket. When this happens, the vehicle owner should check on the valve cover gasket and other engine components right away. If the valve cover gasket is indeed damaged, it is best to have it immediately replaced.

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