Valve cover gaskets?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Tech' started by MAK, Sep 6, 2017.

  1. MAK

    MAK Well-Known Member

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    I took the Colony Park back to my dealer for oil leaking from the valve covers, they said the gaskets were shot. no real surprise there. In March of this year the dealer replace all the intake manifold gaskets. I will admit right now I don't know the 1st thing about engines other than where they are located. so my question to all of that know is:
    Can they replace all the intake manifold gaskets without removing the valve covers?
    I have a mechanic that says no way the would have removed that part of the engine and should have known that the valve cover gaskets were bad.
    another mechanic says that they could have replace the intake manifold gaskets without touching the valve covers.
    my issue they labor involved not the cost of the gaskets.
    car has the basic 302 Windsor v8
    thanks
     
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  2. Grizz

    Grizz Are we there yet???

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    Man, I'm thinking to take that intake mani. off you would have at LEAST noticed the leaking valve covers. Did you say this was at the dealership?
     
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  3. MAK

    MAK Well-Known Member

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    yup it's the local Lincoln dealer, used to have Mercury when it was around
     
  4. Grizz

    Grizz Are we there yet???

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    I'd call B.S. I imagine if the valve covers don't have to be removed they're at least what?? 1 inch above the intake mani. If your in there, and as easy as valve cover gaskets are to do,(1 hour of labor??) you would think they'd sell them to you. In fact, since when has a dealership NOT upsold a customer? Also it might help to not show up in your wife's Mercedes.:tiphat: It's like I asked a friend one time why he didn't include the official title for doctor in his name. He looked at me completely straight faced and said "because it always reflects on my bill." Speaking of which, did you check and see if they charged you for valve cover gaskets on the initial bill?
     
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  5. MAK

    MAK Well-Known Member

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    Grizz
    no they didn't charge me for valve cover gaskets, and it wouldn't matter what I showed up in have known the their lead salesman for 12 years, and there GM - salesman sold my wife a Cadillac SLX in 08 and then the Mercedes in 11. Tried to sell me a vette when I was trading in my Crossfire - but the vette couldn't handle the incline of my driveway no matter what angle he tried. I wasn't going to take the nose off a new vette. think I'm just going to have to suck it up and pay for it - its the principle not the 200 bucks
     
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  6. kevdupuis

    kevdupuis Membrane

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    All intakes I've replaced I've removed the valve covers even if it was just to have full access to the mating surfaces for cleaning, since dealer mechanics are paid by the job they take the quickest route on a job.
     
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  7. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

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    $200 to have new valve cover gaskets put on a Colony Park??????????? I'll admit it's been awhile but check the regular auto parts stores. I'm thinking more like $20 max for a set of gaskets and another $5 for some Permatex or other gasket sealer.
    If you don't want to do it ask the auto parts counter person about a shade tree mechanic. This is one of the simplest jobs done on an engine.
     
  8. joe_padavano

    joe_padavano Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely. The only Ford intake gasket that requires the valve covers to come off is on the FE family of motors, not your SBF.
     
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  9. Grizz

    Grizz Are we there yet???

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    Mak,
    How did I know you have a Mercedes?! Weird. You wouldn't also happen to be a doctor as well? Oh the thrill of coincidence! I'd go in there and raise a little hell, especially since you've done so much business over there. Bottom line is they should have at least told you. Model t is right, the cost of the parts is next to nothing especially at shop cost. They were there anyways, it should have been done with the intake. I'd go in there and give everyone a good tongue lashing just for wasting your time bringing it in twice. Furthermore, I can almost guarantee that had you done that much business at my shop we would have done the valve covers at no cost if you were already paying for an intake job. Probably would have changed your oil too. But there were no corporate bean counters involved in the equation either. Go down there and raise a little hell mak, if not for yourself for all of us here!
     
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  10. KevinVarnes

    KevinVarnes Well-Known Member

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    As stated you can absolutely change the intake manifold gaskets without touching the valve cover gaskets. I would also say that it is very possible to remove the intake and not notice a valve cover gasket leak. I had a pretty bad valve cover gasket leak on a Ford 3.8. Looking at the engine above and below it was almost impossible to determine the source. All you could see was oil that had leaked onto the converter below. I guessed it was either the intake or valve cover gaskets. I started with the valve cover gaskets because they are cheaper and easier. Turns out the gaskets themselves were in great shape, but when they were installed they must have shifted before the valve covers were tightened down because it was obvious by the imprint in the gasket that it was not installed properly.

    Valve cover gaskets on the 5.0 Ford are not that difficult to install in this chassis. With some basic hand tools you could probably do it yourself depending on your mechanical aptitude. I would say it is slightly more advanced than changing the oil in your car.
     
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  11. MAK

    MAK Well-Known Member

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    Grizz - nope not a doctor, have been in department store retail entire life until I bough my 3 stores, but do have a pre-med degree but beer was my major - oh the late 60's and early 70's - a good time was had by all

    KevinVarnes - I have the mechanical ability of a Nat
     
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  12. WagonKiller

    WagonKiller Well-Known Member

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    If it is a 5.0 with the fuel injection plenum(depends on the year), I can see it costing this much. Plenum has to come off to access 1 valve cover. Personally knowing and working on fords over the years I never would of done an intake job and NOT done the valve cover gaskets. The gaskets are cheap and not that difficult with the intake things out of your way. This guy needs to find a dude like me where he lives.
     
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  13. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

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    Being an older Ford I'm guessing it's the original carburated engine. I agree, I'd changed the valve cover gaskets while the intake was off. Then again, maybe the valve covers were dry at the time.
    Even a Nat takes a short cut at times.:cheers:
     
  14. joe_padavano

    joe_padavano Well-Known Member

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    Why? The two are completely unrelated (again, unless one has an FE motor). Frankly, if I told a shop to change the intake gasket and they came back and did other work I had not authorized, I'd be pissed.
     
  15. ModelT1

    ModelT1 Still Lost in the 50's

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    Either I or my youngest son did all of our automotive work. I agree, we've had intake manifolds with the rear rubber gasket not installed right and only replaced the intake gaskets.
    It's sort of a toss up. If the valve covers appeared dry I'd possibly skipped them. I mentioned this above also.
    It's really hard to say, not seeing the engine.
     
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