Can a car run without valve cover?

There is no harm with just cranking the engine without the valve cover, minus oil getting in bystanders’ eyes. If you run it without it for too long, well, no oil pressure + running engine = engine death. And cranking without spark plugs won’t hurt an engine.

What happens when your valve cover goes bad?

Over a period of time the gasket becomes brittle and will crack due to exposure to dirt, debris, heat and other elements. When this occurs, the gasket can lose its integrity and will leak, potentially causing cosmetic issues with leaking oil or reduced engine performance.

What’s inside a valve cover?

A valve cover is pretty much what it sounds like: A metal cover that sits inside the engine that covers the gasket and keeps the oil inside. The valve cover is sealed with a cork or rubber seal that keeps any oil from leaking out. Oil is used in your engine to keep the internal parts lubricated and working well.

Why do valve covers need breathers?

Herein lies the reason and function of the valve cover breathers. The blow by builds up in the oil pan as the combustion passes the rings. As it fills the block, it must be evacuated. If there is no way for this blow by to escape, the pressure would increase to the point that it would blow out gaskets in the engine.

Can you drive without valve cover gasket?

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.

How much does it cost to replace a valve cover?

The valve cover gasket replacement cost normally ranges between $240 to $320. While the new valve cover gasket shouldn’t be more than $100, it’s the associated labor costs that can exceed the $200 margin. That being said, $200 isn’t a small amount.

What causes valve covers to leak?

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.

Does valve cover need breather?

Yes you do need something to vent the crankcase pressure or you’ll start noticing stuff like blown out intake end seals, leaky rear main seal, dipstick blown out of the tube, etc… A hi-performance engine has more crankcase pressure so more “breather” is needed.