Prevent Oil Leaks With Your Functional Mercedes Valve Cover Gasket |
If you are a Benz owner, you might as well sit back and feel every bit of it. One thing that can prevent you from doing so is a leaky engine. One source of an engine leak may be a problem in the valve cover gasket.
Your Mercedes valve cover gasket works as a seal between the cover and the engine to prevent oil from flowing out. At the same time, it keeps dust and debris out of the engine.
Different engines may have up to four valve cover gaskets. A valve cover gasket can be made of rubber, cork or silicone. Although rubber and cork are much cheaper, silicone is proven to be the most durable when it come to sealing purposes. The gasket usually sits beneath the valve cover, which is the metal lid that sits on top of the cylinder head on most cars.
Your Mercedes valve cover gasket may become saturated throughout time and therefore may cause a leak. Saturation may be caused by build-ups that really depend on how often you have your oil changed. The most common kinds of build-up you'll see are carbon, dirt, debris and old-gasket residue. Symptoms of a leaking valve cover gasket would be an oil leak down the cylinder head of the engine. You can check for the presence of oil on top of the cylinder head and near the spark-plug connections. The rubber gasket sits beneath the valve cover -- the metal lid that sits on top of the cylinder head on most cars.
You should replace your Mercedes valve cover gasket if it's already leaking. It's a relatively simple job but it really needs a great deal of attention too. Before plunging in, prepare a few tools, new gaskets, and a gasket adhesive.
Before anything else, it is important to let your engine cool off first before starting the task. First, disconnect the negative terminal from the battery. Second, remove the PCV valve and the breather hoses with a firm grip. While doing this, you may also want to disconnect any electrical connectors near the rear of the crankcase. Third, remove the bolts securing the valve cover. Fourth, disconnect any tubing that may still be connected and carefully remove the cover. Clean the cover completely no matter how saturated it is, do this with utmost caution. Fifth, install the gasket into the cover. Sixth, apply a sealant to the corners where the camshaft bearing caps and crankshaft angle sensor cap meet the cylinder head. Seventh, tighten the bolts, you may need further instructions in doing this step. Eight, reconnect all electrical wiring and battery. And finally, check if there are still leaks by running your engine and if there's none, then you're ready to go.
Charlotte Reed is a writing hobbyist and a Mercedes Benz Enthusiast. For more about Mercedes Valve Cover Gaskets, kindly visit: http://www.mbpartswarehouse.com/mercedes_valvecovergasket.html
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