GMC Sonoma 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 GMC Sonoma Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $185 with $31 for parts and $154 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1993 GMC SonomaV6-2.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$249.58	Shop/Dealer Price$273.31 - $335.59
1993 GMC SonomaL4-2.5L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$229.87	Shop/Dealer Price$249.21 - $302.68
1992 GMC SonomaV6-2.8L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$750.17	Shop/Dealer Price$833.80 - $1072.13
2004 GMC SonomaV6-4.3L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$648.08	Shop/Dealer Price$737.35 - $996.41
1992 GMC SonomaV6-4.3L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$223.27	Shop/Dealer Price$242.60 - $292.36
2003 GMC SonomaL4-2.2L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$563.44	Shop/Dealer Price$631.85 - $827.64
2003 GMC SonomaV6-4.3L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$648.08	Shop/Dealer Price$737.39 - $996.46
1992 GMC SonomaL4-2.5L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$229.87	Shop/Dealer Price$249.23 - $302.72

Show example GMC Sonoma 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 GMC mechanics

Real customer reviews from GMC owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(96)

Rating Summary

92

1

0

2

1

92

1

0

2

1

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Lewis

17 years of experience

118 reviews

Lewis

17 years of experience

by Brian

GMC Sonoma V6-4.3L - Throttle Position Sensor - Dallas, Texas

Super he showed up on time and as always the case repaired the vehicle in a very professional competent And Timely manner Lewis really does know what he's doing highly recommend anybody have this man work on their car Lewis is completely honest.

Nicholas

22 years of experience

354 reviews

Request Nicholas

Nicholas

22 years of experience

Request Nicholas

by Chris

GMC Sonoma V6-4.3L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Denver, Colorado

Courteous and well informed. Completed thorough pre-inspection and communicated immediate needs of car and those that could wait. Really helped when negotiating with dealer.

Doug

35 years of experience

139 reviews

Doug

35 years of experience

by Jeffrey

GMC Sonoma V6-4.3L - Check Engine Light is on Inspection - Riverside, California

I was real happy with Doug he checked the truck over and explained to me what is wrong and what I needed to have it repaired. he was on time and after we met he went right to work. I know when I need some answers or work on my truck I will call Doug.

Matthew

34 years of experience

1438 reviews

Request Matthew

Matthew

34 years of experience

Request Matthew

by Precious

GMC Sonoma V6-4.3L - Car is not starting - Hampton, Virginia

I appreciate Matthew’s assistance this morning. He was courteous and knowledgeable.

Excellent Rating

(96)

Rating Summary

92

1

0

2

1

92

1

0

2

1

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

How to Drive a Prius in the Winter

Driving Driving during extreme weather conditions brings its own challenges. For example, snow and ice can make roads slippery, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles. It can also be hard to stop when the roads are too slick....

P2441 OBD-II Trouble Code: Secondary Air Injection System Switching Valve Stuck Closed Bank 1

P2441 P2441 code definition Secondary Air Injection System Switching Valve Stuck Closed Bank 1 What the P2441 code means P2441 is an OBD-II code for the engine control module (ECM) detecting no exhaust pulse while monitoring the exhaust pressure sensor...

How to Prepare for the Idaho Driver’s Written Test

If If you are preparing to get your license in Idaho, you know that you first need to pass your written exam so you can then take your road test. The written exam, while it isn’t difficult, does cause some...

Air conditioner blowing warm air. Heat blowing warm air. Neither hot or cold

If the A/C system is full and pressures are reading correctly, and the cooling system is in proper working order (thermostat opens, no overheating, etc.), then most likely the problem lies with the dash. The climate control head unit may...

2010 Mini Cooper S - P0974 Trouble Code: Shift Solenoid A Control Circuit High

Hello - there are known issues with the valve body wearing out faster than should be normal on this transmission. I would check with a reputable transmission shop in your area for a rebuilt valve body. these are available with...

Vibration from passenger side front wheel.

Occasionally, you will be able to measure enough play in the bearing that you can condemn it without further testing. You have to check the factory spec. to see what is allowed and will have to use a dial indicator....

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