logo

BMW 318is Valve Cover Gasket Replacement at your home or office.

Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(7)

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

(7)

Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Service

How much does a Valve Cover Gasket Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 318is Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $204 with $36 for parts and $168 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1997 BMW 318isL4-1.9LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$351.44Shop/Dealer Price$400.36 - $530.11
1996 BMW 318isL4-1.9LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$340.63Shop/Dealer Price$385.84 - $512.81
1999 BMW 318isL4-1.9LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$246.39Shop/Dealer Price$268.09 - $324.42
1998 BMW 318isL4-1.9LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$246.39Shop/Dealer Price$268.09 - $324.41
Show example BMW 318is 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

Number of BMW 318is services completed
77+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1200+
experts on our platform
Yourmechanic was featured in

New York Times NBC CBS Forbes INC Tech Crunch

Learn more about us

Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Real customer reviews from BMW owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(7)
Rating Summary
7
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0

Lucas

30 years of experience
938 reviews
Request Lucas
Lucas
30 years of experience
Request Lucas
by Ben
BMW 318is L4-1.8L - Power Steering Belt Replacement - Burbank, California
Awesome guy. Awesome service. Highly recommend.

David

29 years of experience
142 reviews
Request David
David
29 years of experience
Request David
by Harvey
BMW 318is L4-1.8L - Thermo Fan Switch - San Diego, California
David's technological and mechanical trouble shooting abilities and professionalism is beyond reproach. He is not only thorough but easily explains what troubles found but also explains how the found discrepancy affects the car. If I need to call 'Your Mechanic' again, I will insist that David come again. He is the best car mechanic I have met to date.

Casey

25 years of experience
152 reviews
Request Casey
Casey
25 years of experience
Request Casey
by Jay
BMW 318is L4-1.8L - Car idle is rough - Snohomish, Washington
Great guy! Good communication and very courteous. Diagnosed and repaired my idle issues in a short timeframe. I can't remember when my car has run this good!

Theodore

17 years of experience
1794 reviews
Request Theodore
Theodore
17 years of experience
Request Theodore
by Jason
BMW 318is L4-1.9L - Clutch Master Cylinder - Lynnwood, Washington
Very convenient! Thank you Theodore

Excellent Rating

(7)
Rating Summary
7
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
Number of BMW 318is services completed
77+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1200+
experts on our platform
Yourmechanic was featured in

New York Times NBC CBS Forbes INC Tech Crunch

Learn more about us

Recent articles & questions

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Hydraulic Brake Booster
Common signs include less braking power, a brake pedal that is hard to press, and fluid leaks.
Read more
P0156 OBD-II Trouble Code: 02 Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 2 Sensor 2)
P0156 P0156 trouble code definition Oxygen Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 2 Sensor 2) What the P0156 code means The purpose of the oxygen sensor is to monitor the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust and relay this information to...
Read more
How to Register a Car in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is a great state that is rich in both history and natural wonder. There is no mystery why so many people choose to make this state their home. If you are among the many that are moving to...
Read more

I got rust in my engine is there a way to get rid of it in truck?

The rear ABS sensor is mounted in the top of the rear differential. I am not sure if your question is about rust in your engine? Can you clarify the question? You also mention a problem about the engine dying...
Read more

Vehicle is difficult to start sometimes; Sounds like it's about to stall when at idle

In order to isolate the hard engine start (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-is-hard-to-start-inspection) the first test will need to be a fuel pressure and leak down test to see if the pressure is within specifications when the key is turned on and the pressure...
Read more

pontiac g6 runs for 3 seconds and then shuts off

Hello, and thank you for writing in. The issue can be anything from a fuel or spark issue, to a sensor or wiring issue. With that being said, there needs to be a series of tests done. Since there is...
Read more
  1. Home
  2. Estimates
  3. BMW
  4. 318is
  5. Valve Cover Gasket Replacement

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

Read FAQ
GET A QUOTE