Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
I have never had any problems with my car in the past. I went to take in my car to recieve a simple oil change at jiffy lube. Out of no where my car starts smoking from the engine and the tail pipe. They told me it was just burning off oil. Then more and more smoke started coming from the car. My husband said he watched the mechanic pour water on the car (he said to remove oil they spilt) we ended up having to have it towed the next day because it wouldn't even start up. The new mechanic from gates Chevy world said it looked like my cover gasket valve was cracked and needed replaced. How d
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
There is a possibility the valve cover gasket had a weak seal and began to leak. The exhaust manifold is mounted just below the valve cover on one side of the engine, so leaking or spilled oil may come into contact with the exhaust manifold and burn from the heat. Whether the damage was caused by the previous service or a manufacturer defect, it will be hard to tell. But this is not usually the outcome of an oil change.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Although the valve cover gasket is well protected from the top and bottom, it is very delicate and prone to damage from the sides. Over a period of time the gasket becomes brittle and will crack due to exposure to dirt, debris, heat and other elements.
A leaking valve cover is a prime issue in a gasket. The common signs of a leaked valve cover are filthy cover, oil burning smell, engine failure, engine knocking, and a lit check engine light. Sometimes you might also see white fumes from the engine.
It is not recommended that you drive with a leaking valve cover gasket, as this can lead to overheating and engine insufficiency, as well as extensive engine damage.
Your valve cover gasket may be leaking for a variety of reasons. It could be shrunken, cracked or rotten, or your valve cover itself may be cracked or broken or one of the valve cover bolts may just be loose, allowing a little leak. Your car may have 1 or 2 valve covers depending on its configuration.
Leaking mystery
The telltale sign of a valve cover gasket that has lost its seal is an oil-covered valve cover or a burning oil smell when the engine is running. As oil leaks from a valve cover, it can contact a hot exhaust manifold and burn. Smoke can then waft into the cabin.
If a valve is over-tightened, it deforms the tubing and the connection, as mentioned earlier.
Common source of oil leaks: valve cover gasket
The best place to start tracking down the source of an oil leak is with the valve cover gasket, perhaps the most common source of engine oil leaks.
When running your vehicle, the valve cover will have to do its job and keep the oil from leaking out. Most of the gaskets on your car last anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 miles.
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.
The result is a loss in coolant, which can lead to overheating of your engine if you drive it for any length of time. Hot escaping coolant can also cause burns if you`re checking under the hood and can also start a fire, which is why a blown head gasket needs to be treated quickly.
One of the major reasons why an engine leaks oil after an oil change is from rotted engine gaskets, oil seals, or bad connections. If you get under the car, check the oil pan seals and oil pan drain plug. You`ll then want to check the timing cover seal and valve cover gaskets to see what shape they`re in.
Although valve cover gaskets don`t necessarily need sealers or cements, it`s a common practice to glue the gasket to the valve cover. There are a number of sealant choices, too. For this application, Permatex No. 1, RTVs or Permatex High Tack gasket sealant work well.
There is an easy way to find out if your engine`s head gasket has blown. Simply check under the oil filler cap. If the gasket is not damaged, the inside of the oil cap will be mostly dry. If you discover a milky brownish-yellow substance that is similar to the thickness of a milkshake, you probably have a gasket leak.
The effect of setting the valve lash too tight can result in the valve not fully closing on the seat. This will allow cylinder pressure to escape along with high-temperature combustion gases. It is possible then for the temperature of the valve head and valve seat to become so high that rapid burning can occur.
Too much or too little valve clearance can result in poor performance or a rough idle because the engine can`t “breathe” normally and operate at peak efficiency. Too much clearance means the valves will likely clatter and, over the long term, cause damage to the valves, camshaft lobes or rocker arms.
A bad enough head gasket leak will cause the engine to lose compression. This can lead to the engine running roughly at idle, knocking and even stalling. However, other problems can cause the engine to run roughly or knock.
It`s really a pretty simple system, but does an important job. The re-circulating air removes moisture and combustion waste from the crankcase, preventing sludge. This extends not only the life of your oil, but the engine as well. The PCV relieves pressure in the crankcase, preventing oil leaks.
This is a common misperception, but, most of the time it has nothing to do with the turbocharger functionality. More than 95 percent of the time, oil leakage is caused by a few issues: Oil drain line that is too small. Oil drain line restricting oil flow.
Cracked Gasket: The Core Culprit in Most Engine Oil Leaks
More often than not, a sudden oil leak after oil change is caused by a malformed or cracked gasket. Gaskets are usually made of urethane or rubber, and they can harden over time.
Inconsistent Oil Changes
Irregular oil changes can lead to damage to the valve gasket. Over time, oil can become too thick due to a build up of soil and dust. Thicker oil can add extra pressure to the oil gasket seal, which can cause the seal to become weak and leak.
Head gaskets typically last 200,000 miles, which is considered about the lifetime of most cars. That means, if you look after your car and follow the service schedule, you should never be faced with a blown head gasket.
The camshaft seal is used constantly, which will usually lead to it wearing out over time. The camshaft seal is made to last for around 80,000 miles but in some cases, it will wear out prematurely due to damage to the camshaft. The heat that the engine produces can lead to the seal becoming damaged over time.
A leaking heart valve may be mild enough that it causes no symptoms and requires no treatment to restore healthy blood flow. In mild cases, a leaking heart valve may not have any impact on your life expectancy. But in serious cases, a leaky heart valve often requires treatment such as a valve replacement or repair.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
After changing leaky valve cover gaskets and oil, I’m getting a rattle under cover and oil light and buzzer is now on 2000 Chrysler Town and Country
ANSWER : Hello. If you are getting this light and noise then you have low oil pressure. I would drain the oil and change the filter as it is possible that you got a bad oil filter. If the problem persists then you may have a bad oil pump. This needs to be checked so that you do not have any engine damage.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
ANSWER : There is a possibility the valve cover gasket had a weak seal and began to leak. The exhaust manifold is mounted just below the valve cover on one side of the engine, so leaking or spilled oil may come into contact with the exhaust manifold and burn from the heat. Whether the damage was caused by the previous service or a manufacturer defect, it will be hard to tell. But this is not usually the outcome of an oil change.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
What would cause an oil gasket cover to crack? I mean a big crack and not one but 2 covers?
ANSWER : Typically the causes of plastic cover breakage are overtightening of the fasteners used to retain the cover and/or if the cover mounting surface is distorted. The tightening torque is in the low inch pounds and if you don’t use an inch pound torque wrench it is easy to ruin the cover. Also, be sure any anti-crush metal inserts are installed in the cover which are used to prevent over torquing. It is also possible that internal components are contacting the cover so just be sure all components are installed properly per the Factory Service Manual. If you desire an inspection of what you have, and replacement of the cover, please refer to YourMechanic’s timing cover replacement page and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
2006 BMW oil filter gasket keeps breaking and oil leaks from oil filter. Oil leaks only after starting car in morning. PCV valve?
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
It sounds like you may need to replace the oil cap o-ring. If you haven’t done this before there are two O-rings to replace; a small green one on the base of the filter cap stem and the large black one that seals the filter cap (which seems to be the one you are having issues with). The large O-ring sits in a small square-shaped groove that is at the base of the oil filter cap. It is very easy to not properly seat the large O-ring because the threads for the oil cap are quite large and will accept the O-ring if you are not careful. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
I was told to change my valve gasket and valve cover. Should I?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. Five years is a bit on the early side to have a leaking valve cover gasket. The labor time is 3 hours to replace that gasket and YourMechanic typically charges around $400 (part and labor) but there is some variance from region to region. The second estimate that you received is clearly high but not sure if that second estimate includes a new valve cover. The original cover is normally re-usable and if anyone proposes to replace it, they should show you clear evidence of a major problem. It is best not to have engine oil leaks, but if the leak from the valve cover is small, not dripping on a hot manifold (fire hazard) or dripping onto rubber motor mounts, wiring, and so forth you can wait a little while to repair it. Here at YourMechanic, we can have a technician come to your home or office to perform your valve cover gasket replacement for you.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
Low oil pressure light comes on when idle. Check engine light is on as well. Both came on after getting an oil change 3 days ago.
ANSWER : It is possible that they put in the wrong viscosity oil. In rare instances, a defective filter will also cause low pressure. If there is too much oil, it will aerate and cause low pressure. Be sure the oil level is really not above "max". The P2187 code will appear if the oil fill cap is not tight but it will also appear due to a myriad of causes because that code only "generally" identifies a lean running condition. Consequently, numerous parts would have to be tested including the O2 sensor, gas cap seal, manifold air leaks, any vacuum leak anywhere including PCV and EVAP systems, exhaust leaks, and fuel system faults such as failing fuel pump, clogged filter and more. Since the car has relatively low mileage, you would not expect a failed oil pump, although the pressure sensor (or switch) could be bad. However, the occurrence of the oil pressure warning light is quite coincidental to the oil change, thus I would suggest bringing the car back and asking them to redo with a new filter and double check the viscosity of the new oil that they use. If the problem persists after that, you will have to test actual operating oil pressure (at idle for instance) as well as the oil pressure switch. Finally, if the oil pressure warning light comes on continuously, unless the warning circuit itself is malfunctioning, that means the oil pressure is too low to operate the engine without damaging it. Anytime the light comes on for more than literally an instant, you should shut down the car and thus an issue like this obviously has to be repaired.
If you’d like, a YourMechanic certified mechanic can come to your home or place of business to inspect the vehicle and perform an oil pressure light is on inspection to diagnose the vehicle and suggest potential repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
Would it cause damage to the other ignition coils if there is oil leaking from the valve cover gasket on my 2002 Infiniti I35
ANSWER : Hi there. If there is oil leaking into the ignition coil bores then that oil leak needs to be repaired first. If there is oil in multiple tubes then those ignition coils should be replaced also. If they are dry then only the coils that are misfiring or affected by the oil should be replaced. None of them should be replaced until the oil leak is repaired. If you need to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to you to [replace your valve cover gaskets and coils] https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/valve-cover-gasket-is-leaking-inspection
Read Full Q/A … : Can an oil change cause my gasket cover valve to crack?
