Chevrolet Prizm 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 Chevrolet Prizm Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $186 with $46 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1999 Chevrolet PrizmL4-1.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$253.80	Shop/Dealer Price$282.10 - $358.90
1998 Chevrolet PrizmL4-1.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$244.79	Shop/Dealer Price$271.32 - $346.80
2001 Chevrolet PrizmL4-1.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$237.15	Shop/Dealer Price$261.80 - $331.56
2002 Chevrolet PrizmL4-1.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$237.15	Shop/Dealer Price$261.80 - $331.56
2000 Chevrolet PrizmL4-1.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$237.15	Shop/Dealer Price$263.27 - $334.14

Show example Chevrolet Prizm 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 Chevrolet mechanics

Real customer reviews from Chevrolet owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(3)

Rating Summary

3

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Anthony

10 years of experience

49 reviews

Request Anthony

Anthony

10 years of experience

Request Anthony

by Gregory Kruszka

Prizm 2000 - Valve Cover Gasket - Naperville, IL

Very helpful, answered questions unrelated to the service performed. I will definitely request him again. He was early, completed on time.

Bobby

25 years of experience

83 reviews

Bobby

25 years of experience

by Larry Mattocks

Prizm 2002 - Valve Cover Gasket - Charlotte, NC

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first time service experience visit with Bobby. He serviced my vehicle with great knowledge and provided additional service recommendations. In addition, Great customer service! A highly recommended.

Rodney

30 years of experience

574 reviews

Rodney

30 years of experience

by Tyrone Anderson

Prizm 2001 - Evaporative Emission Control Canister - Sacramento, CA

Very professional and well mannered. Came out, did the install and gave me a couple of pointers as well. Very satisfied customer.

Jermaine

22 years of experience

147 reviews

Request Jermaine

Jermaine

22 years of experience

Request Jermaine

by Alvin Henderson

Prizm 1998 - Car is not starting - Hyattsville, MD

Excellent service!

Excellent Rating

(3)

Rating Summary

3

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

How to Transfer a Car Title in Arkansas

Like Like all other states in the country, Arkansas requires a vehicle title to prove ownership of a vehicle (within certain limits, ages, and vehicle types). The state requires both the buyer and the seller to complete several specific steps...

How Long Does a Windshield Washer Pump Last?

In In order for a person to be able to see where they are going on the road, their windshield will have to be clean. Without a clear line of sight, it will be very hard for a person to...

How to Apply a Clear Base Coat to a Car

Much Much of a vehicle's appeal has nothing to do with its performance and is purely superficial. Although a car's speed and agility on the road is important, it means very little in terms of the total package if it...

Car starts and turns off

Hi there. If the engine is cranking over fine and it just will not start then I would start by cleaning out the throttle body. It is common for the throttle body to become dirty over time which can cause...

2006 acura mdx. Heat not working up front but working fine in the back. Anything come to mind that i could check?

If you have the controls set to heat, and there is airflow but the airflow is cool, that typically means that the heater control valve (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/heater-control-valve-replacement) is stuck or otherwise non-functional. To have that component inspected, and replaced or serviced...

Car shakes at 60 mph and higher stops when I let off gas

Check your lug nuts first! It may not be the problem, but it's a good first step. Usually, a shake like the one you describe is a tire balance issue. But if it came on suddenly as you say, it...

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