Valve Cover Gaskets – What do they do?

They act like sealants between the cover and the engine to prevent oil from leaking out.

Symptoms of a Valve Cover Gasket Leak:

Many VW engine oil leaks are the result of leaking valve cover gaskets. The most common indications of an oil leak are a foul burning odor in the interior of your VW or oil on the ground under your car.

What happens when you have valve cover gasket leak/seepage? Here are a few consequences that can be avoided by early detection of a problem:

Oil leakage can cause deterioration of many VW parts that get worn out prematurely from deterioration due to oil seepage:

• Rubber coolant, air conditioning and power steering hoses.
• Motor and transmission mounts.
• Engine wiring connections and harness.
• Timing belt failure in some cases leading to total engine replacement.

Repairs can be expensive (up to $300 for a hose in some case) and often go undetected. Here’s why:

Hidden Leaks: Often an engine’s upper and lower covers temporarily mask this problem. These covers temporarily dissipate, or even absorb, in the case of those made with foam, some of the leakage. But in reality mask the problem until it is too late. The experts at German Car Depot know what to look for and where to catch these leaks before they lead to unnecessary replacement of many parts.

German Car Depot Case Study:

Mary B. (a Pembroke Pines customer)’s Volkswagen Passat with a 1.8T would not start. She had it towed to a local national repair chain. They replaced the battery. Then they told her she needed an alternator. After over $600 in repairs and towing costs, not to mention losing her the use of her car for two days, Mary was back on the road. Four hours later her vehicle broke down! This time she brought her vehicle to German Car Depot. Our experienced technicians found oil migration on the alternator harness. This problem was the direct result of a leaky valve cover gasket that caused her newly replaced alternator not to charge. For under a $100 the problem was rectified. Most likely her original alternator was fine. Unfortunately Mary became a member of the growing club of Volkswagen vehicle owners who needlessly replace parts due to a misdiagnosis of the problem by the national repair chain.

Don’t allow a faulty valve cover gasket cause engine leaks and internal engine damage to your VW. And more importantly, don’t let it result in big expenses in car repair. And as cliché as it might sound, an ounce of prevention is truly better than a pound of cure.