Rocker Cover Gasket replacement & repair made easy

The rocker cover is the metal or composite cover on top of the engine that covers the rocker arms of the engine's cylinder head. The rocker cover gasket is sandwiched between the rocker cover and the cylinder head preventing oil leaks by sealing the two parts together.

There will be different requirement of the process depending on the engine manufacturer, but the basic requirement is similar as follows;

• Mechanic will inspect the rocker cover and the gasket.
• If necessary, the mechanic will replace the rocker cover gasket.
• Mechanic will clean the rocker cover.
• Mechanic will advise if any other parts need to be replaced.
• Mechanic will run the engine and check for any leaks.

Unless you are a qualified mechanic with the required skills, training and equipment to do the job, we strongly recommend a rocker cover gasket replacement is only carried out by a professional mechanic. ClickMechanic can help get you a vetted and local mechanic to carry out the work. Just enter your postcode and your car's registration number at the top of this page and select the work needed to get an instant fixed price up front.

As the component is simple, there are only a couple of points to look for;

• Oil seeping out between the rocker cover and the cylinder head
• Oil evident in the spark plug or injector wells
• Oil burning smells from the top of the engine

A rocker cover gasket replacement typically takes 1.5 hours, but times can range from under 1 hour to 2.5 hours. Ultimately, the time that the job will take depends on a range of factors. For example, your vehicle's make and model, year, as well as other factors. Select your car at the top of this page for information on job time and cost for your vehicle through ClickMechanic.

If there is only a very small, damp oil area around the gasket, it may just need tightening down. However, anything more than that requires the rocker cover gasket to be replaced, and this should be done as soon as possible as it will only get worse.

As every car pretty much has one and it is subject to expansion and contraction as the engine goes from cold to hot and back again, the most common cause of engine oil leaks is the rocker cover gasket.

If you suspect there is any issue with your vehicle's valve cover gasket or there are concerns about its age or condition, book an inspection with a professional mechanic with immediate effect. Driving the vehicle with a leak from the valve cover gasket may lead to further complications and damage, a fire hazard may develop if oil leaks onto hot engine parts.

While the rocker gasket cover is not checked during an MOT, any sort of leak that is excessive will result in an MOT failure. It's best to find out the source of the leak and get it fixed by a qualified mechanic.

Rocker cover gasket can last between 50,000 - 100,000 miles but can sometimes wear out prematurely and will start to get brittle.

A valve cover gasket leak can be serious because it may allow oil to drip onto the engine which can cause permanent damage if the car continues to be driven without repair. In worst-case scenario, it can also cause a fire.

The rocker cover gasket is located between the rocker cover and the top of the cylinder head on an internal combustion engine. Its purpose is to seal the top of the engine so that oil and coolant do not leak out, and to prevent dirt and debris from entering.

If the rocker cover gasket is leaking, the engine can lose oil and may eventually overheat.