Mercury Mystique 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

(16)

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.

Customer Ratings

(16)

Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Service

How much does a Valve Cover Gasket Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercury Mystique Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $201 with $55 for parts and $146 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1998 Mercury MystiqueV6-2.5LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$1046.29Shop/Dealer Price$1163.12 - $1543.99
1997 Mercury MystiqueV6-2.5LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$1046.29Shop/Dealer Price$1169.18 - $1554.60
1999 Mercury MystiqueV6-2.5LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$1001.29Shop/Dealer Price$1123.76 - $1508.85
1998 Mercury MystiqueL4-2.0LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$282.15Shop/Dealer Price$314.21 - $406.97
1996 Mercury MystiqueL4-2.0LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$270.05Shop/Dealer Price$294.93 - $375.50
1995 Mercury MystiqueL4-2.0LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$285.05Shop/Dealer Price$310.09 - $390.77
1997 Mercury MystiqueL4-2.0LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$285.05Shop/Dealer Price$311.69 - $393.57
2000 Mercury MystiqueL4-2.0LService typeValve Cover Gasket ReplacementEstimate$282.15Shop/Dealer Price$309.49 - $398.71
Show example Mercury Mystique 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 Mercury mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercury owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(16)

Rating Summary
14
2
0
0
0
14
2
0
0
0

Randy

23 years of experience
138 reviews
Randy
23 years of experience
Mercury Mystique V6-2.5L - Car is not starting - North Fort Myers, Florida
Knowledgeable friendly a pleasure

Luke

18 years of experience
322 reviews
Luke
18 years of experience
Mercury Mystique L4-2.0L - Oil/Fluid Leak - Austin, Texas
Arrived on time was quick to asses the problem.

Luke

18 years of experience
322 reviews
Luke
18 years of experience
Mercury Mystique L4-2.0L - Brake Shoes (Rear) - Austin, Texas
Always very punctual and went the extra mile sacrificing some free time when the store messed up his parts order. Very happy with the experience.

AL

13 years of experience
245 reviews
AL
13 years of experience
Mercury Mystique V6-2.5L - Alternator - Denver, Colorado
very professional and knowledgeable!!!

Excellent Rating

(16)

Rating Summary
14
2
0
0
0
14
2
0
0
0
Number of Mercury Mystique services completed
176+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercury MECHANICS
600+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Good Quality Hood Protector
Hood Hood protectors go by several different names. You might call it a wind deflector, a bug deflector or a hood deflector. They all boil down to the same thing. It’s a small, plastic accessory that fits along the front...
Industry News for Automotive Techs: September 17-23
Michigan is sued over dealer licenses, new self-driving car policies, introduction to ADAS diagnosis, and Tesla safety concerns are the top stories.
How to Become a Certified Mobile Vehicle Inspector (State Car Inspector Certified) in North Carolina
Automotive technician jobs include mobile vehicle inspectors. Learn how to do car checks in North Carolina through many community colleges.

How do I turn on the CD player?

To turn on the CD player, press the CD/AUX button.

Cooling system, running hot, no heat

If it is below freezing the coolant may be frozen if it did not have enough antifreeze in it or your thermostat froze shut or went bad can cause you to overheat without getting any heater. You will need to...

When I try to start my car, it sounds like it’s turning over but can’t start. Power goes to my lights and radio, but the car itself cannot start. Is there any chance that’s a blown fuse? I was having battery issues for a little while, so I was worried I may have blown my starter

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