Audi Fox Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Service

How much does a Valve Cover Gasket Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Audi Fox Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $111 with $16 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1975 Audi FoxL4-1.6L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$146.55	Shop/Dealer Price$171.94 - $208.74
1976 Audi FoxL4-1.6L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$126.55	Shop/Dealer Price$151.97 - $188.79
1979 Audi FoxL4-1.6L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$126.55	Shop/Dealer Price$151.97 - $188.79
1978 Audi FoxL4-1.6L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$126.55	Shop/Dealer Price$151.93 - $188.72
1977 Audi FoxL4-1.6L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$126.55	Shop/Dealer Price$152.00 - $188.84

Show example Audi Fox Valve Cover Gasket Replacement prices

What is a valve cover gasket and how does it work?

Each cylinder head on your car’s engine has an aluminum or plastic valve cover bolted to it. Between this valve cover and the cylinder head, there is a gasket that keeps engine oil from leaking out. The valve cover bolts keep the gasket compressed, thus preventing leaks. Over time the gasket becomes brittle from the engine’s heat or the bolts loosen, creating an engine oil leak.

When to consider replacing a valve cover gasket?

Look for these signs of oil leakage at the valve cover gasket:

Oil seepage or dripping. Should the joint between the valve cover and the cylinder head fail, oil often becomes visible on the valve cover or cylinder heads. Usually, the oil will attract and hold dirt.
Oil accumulating inside the spark plug well. The spark plug tube seals are part of the valve cover sealing system. If the tube seals are leaking, you will see oil on the spark plugs or wires. The valve cover gasket and tube seals are all replaced at one time if either fails.
Oil leakage at the rubber grommets. The bolts holding the valve cover to the cylinder head sometimes have rubber grommet seals under the bolt heads. If these seals are leaking, you will see oil seepage around the bolt heads.

How do mechanics replace a valve cover gasket?

Remove engine cover. Some engines have plastic covers over the entire top. The plastic engine cover is removed to access the valve cover(s).
Remove components. On 4 cylinder engines, the valve cover is usually readily accessed once any electrical components and emission control tubing are removed, plus any accelerator linkages that might be in the way. On 6 or 8 cylinder engines, depending on which valve cover gasket is leaking, removal of the air intake plenum might be required, as well as additional steps.
Remove valve cover. Once the valve cover(s) is accessed, the cover retaining bolts are removed and the cover pulled off. The valve cover sealing surface is checked with a straight edge to be sure the cover is flat and thus reusable.
Install new gasket. The new valve cover gasket is applied along with new rubber grommets under the retaining bolt heads. If there are spark plug tube seals, these are replaced as well. In some applications, oil resistant RTV (room temperature vulcanization) sealant must be applied to specific segments of the sealing surface, along with the new gasket, to ensure a complete and effective seal. The cover is bolted back on, using a calibrated inch pound torque wrench, and all other components are restored to their original position.
Check for leaks. Finally, the car engine is run and a visual check is made for oil leaks.

Is it safe to drive with a valve cover gasket problem?

Yes, as long as the amount of oil leaking is small, and there is no leak onto hot engine parts such as the exhaust manifold, it is safe to drive your car until you have an opportunity to fix it.

If you notice oil leaking on to the ground beneath your car after it is parked, you do not have a small leak, and it needs to be found and repaired as soon as possible. Any leak, of course, means your oil level is dropping as you drive the car. If you have a leak, be sure to check your oil more frequently than usual so you do not run low on oil and damage the engine.

When replacing a valve cover gasket keep in mind:

The mechanical components of a car engine will typically outlive the gaskets used to seal the engine. However, many of these gaskets, including the valve cover gaskets, are relatively easy to replace.
Never add stop leak type products to engine oil or other vehicle fluids. Not only are these materials not approved or specified by the original equipment manufacturers, but they also can create additional problems that may be costly to repair.
Often, if a car is old enough to have a valve cover oil leak, there will be oil leaks elsewhere on the engine, so you should request a complete leak inspection. It may be more cost effective to repair multiple leaks during one service call.
Often, the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve is inserted into a rubber grommet in one of the valve covers. An old rubber grommet is a potential leak source, as well as connections to the PCV valve. These components should be inspected and considered for replacement while there is access to the valve cover.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Audi mechanics

Real customer reviews from Audi owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(49)

Rating Summary

48

0

0

0

1

48

0

0

0

1

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

David

36 years of experience

195 reviews

David

36 years of experience

by Shawn

Audi TT Quattro L4-1.8L Turbo - Valve Cover Gasket - Los Angeles, California

On time, fast, experienced, and friendly. Couldn't ask for better.

Theodore

16 years of experience

1587 reviews

Request Theodore

Theodore

16 years of experience

Request Theodore

by Ami

Audi A4 Quattro L4-2.0L Turbo - Valve Cover Gasket - Sammamish, Washington

He was great! Knowledgeable and quick!

Mung

21 years of experience

31 reviews

Mung

21 years of experience

by JOHNNY

Audi A4 Quattro V6-2.8L - Valve Cover Gasket - Tulsa, Oklahoma

GREAT DISCUSSING MY CAR ISSUES WITH MR. MUNG. HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE. WILL BE ASKING FOR HIM AGAIN.

Doug

34 years of experience

139 reviews

Doug

34 years of experience

by Ivan

Audi A4 L4-2.0L Turbo - Valve Cover Gasket - Corona, California

Doug did a great job explains everything he’s doing recommends but doesn’t pressure you into anything.. end results were great!

Excellent Rating

(49)

Rating Summary

48

0

0

0

1

48

0

0

0

1

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

I Hit the Brakes Very Hard. Did I Create a Flat Spot on My Tires?

Almost Almost everyone, at some point in his or her driving experience, will slam on the brakes. Slamming on the brakes is generally more than just an emotional response to a situation. When you're avoiding an accident or reacting to...

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Volkswagen TDI

The The 2012 Volkswagen TDI is a diesel powered car that is fuel efficient while offering an affordable starting price. It comes in a two door hatchback or a four door compact style with an automatic or manual transmission. A...

P2188 OBD-II Trouble Code: System Too Lean at Idle Bank 1

P2189 P2189 trouble code definition The most environmentally friendly and power efficient air-fuel ratio is 14.7:1. The engine control module (ECM) is able to adjust the air-fuel ratio in limited increments if it defers from the 14.7:1 range. The P2188...

Car sputtering while idling.

There could be a number of issues that can cause this concern. If the issue only occurs after the engine has warmed up. A problem in the electronic throttle control actuator either in the motor or one of the sensors...

Service B notice won't go off

Hi there, thanks for writing in about your 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK320. The Service B indicator needs to be reset using a factory level scan tool. A qualified technician can reset the light (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/warning-light-is-on-inspection), but only after performing a complete B...

Car shakes and vibrates

I would recommend having the check engine light codes read by a qualified professional to determine what the cause of this issue is. When the check engine light in your vehicle comes on, trouble codes are then stored in your...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com