Dodge B3500 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

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.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Service

How much does a Valve Cover Gasket Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Dodge B3500 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement is $420 with $168 for parts and $252 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1995 Dodge B3500V8-5.9L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$614.94	Shop/Dealer Price$705.41 - $962.22
1997 Dodge B3500V8-5.2L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$598.72	Shop/Dealer Price$686.01 - $940.44
1995 Dodge B3500V8-5.2L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$598.72	Shop/Dealer Price$686.05 - $940.52
1998 Dodge B3500V8-5.9L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$606.60	Shop/Dealer Price$695.90 - $956.27
1997 Dodge B3500V8-5.9L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$598.72	Shop/Dealer Price$688.70 - $945.16
1996 Dodge B3500V8-5.2L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$598.72	Shop/Dealer Price$686.30 - $940.96
1996 Dodge B3500V8-5.9L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$598.72	Shop/Dealer Price$686.08 - $940.56
1998 Dodge B3500V8-5.2L	Service typeValve Cover Gasket Replacement	Estimate$606.60	Shop/Dealer Price$695.90 - $956.27

Show example Dodge B3500 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 Dodge mechanics

Real customer reviews from Dodge owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(19)

Rating Summary

19

0

0

0

0

19

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

David

6 years of experience

27 reviews

David

6 years of experience

by david

Dodge B3500 V8-5.2L - Fuel Pump - Sugar Land, Texas

takes a longer than planned but excellent work thank you david

Pardeep

22 years of experience

1277 reviews

Request Pardeep

Pardeep

22 years of experience

Request Pardeep

by DAVID

Dodge B3500 V8-5.2L - Car is overheating - Campbell, California

Pardeep performed a diagnostic test on my van and found the overheating issue. He explained the next steps to fix the problem and ordered the parts. He is an excellent mechanic and very professional. I look forward to his next appointment to instaall the parts. David Knapp David Knapp

Pardeep

22 years of experience

1277 reviews

Request Pardeep

Pardeep

22 years of experience

Request Pardeep

by DAVID

Dodge B3500 V8-5.2L - Water Pump - Campbell, California

Pardeep did an excellent job installing a new water pump and bypass hose as well as an oil and filter change, on my 98 Dodge Utility Van. I recommend him highly!

Benji

23 years of experience

309 reviews

Benji

23 years of experience

by Mike

Dodge B3500 V8-5.9L - Car is not starting - Phoenix, Arizona

was able to take a look at my issue with the rv and make recommendations as to how to proceed

Excellent Rating

(19)

Rating Summary

19

0

0

0

0

19

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

P2794 OBD-II Trouble Code: Gear Shift Direction Circuit Low

P2794 means there is a problem with a gear shift or lever direction or position due to a worn transmission, an electrical issue or a bad sensor.

Understanding Electric Car Batteries

Know how your electric vehicle's battery works to maximize its life and efficiency — and whether replacement is covered by manufacturer warranty.

How Does Power Steering Impact a Vehicle’s Handling?

Many cars today, and almost all trucks and utility vehicles, feature power steering. Power steering (also known as...

Mechanical problem with my car - 2010 Infiniti EX35

Hello there, many different faults could cause your Infiniti EX35 to run poorly. With the coolant gauge reading hot and the lack of coolant it sounds like your car overheated. When cars overheat the computer will put them into a...

Why car is sluggish starting?

Hello, There are many different things that could potentially contribute to your car starting sluggishly, however I would recommend starting with checking the most common things like the starter, starter relay and starter solenoid. These are things that may not...

Have a 2015 Chevy suburban with 113000 miles. The fan starts running on high speed and continues to run loud about 5 min after I shut the truck off. I just got an oil change and a tune up but it’s still doing it

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 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com