Hi,

What's the different between a valve gasket and a head gasket?
The pictures are different on both.
If I have a oil leak on the edge between the valve covers, do I need to change
the valve gasket only?

thanks

 

A valve cover gasket is much different that the head gasket. What you need is the valve cover gasket, all you do is take off the valve cover to install the gasket. As far as a head gasket, you have to take off the whole head which is a lot of work.

 

yeah then you have to torque every single bolt to the right psi and do it in a pattern. same with intake manifold exhaust manifold valve cover and all the bolts in the head keepin it on the engine

 

Another way to look at it is, A valve cover gasket only has to keep oil inside.of it, at atmosphereic pressure (ie. the oil inside is not under any pressure).
Whereas, a head gasket has to keep in the combustion charge of each cylinder, oil and the coolant. And ALL 3 are under extreme pressures.
Just my .02 cents
HTH

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sleepyIntegra &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... If I have a oil leak on the edge between the valve covers, do I need to change the valve gasket only?</TD></TR></TABLE>What kind of car do you have that's got a gasket "between the valve covers"? Anyway, you need to replace the gasket that's located wherever the leak actually is. Got a picture?