Valve Cover Gasket

What it does

The valve cover is the plastic or metal lid on top of your engine that covers the valves and camshafts. A rubber gasket seals the edge where the cover meets the cylinder head. Engine oil lubricates the valve train underneath, and it's the gasket's job to keep that oil inside. When the gasket hardens or cracks with age, oil weeps out along the seam. You'll see brown crusty oil residue on the outside of the engine top, and if the leak drips onto the exhaust manifold below, you'll smell burning oil and see wisps of smoke from under the hood.