Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Cost (2026)

Replacing a valve cover gasket costs about $75–$300 at an independent shop in 2026: about $75–$150 on a 4-cylinder or the front bank of a V6, and $160–$300 for a rear-bank cover on a transverse V6, where the intake manifold comes off. Manufacturers’ warranty times run 0.5–0.8 hour for an easy-to-reach cover and 1.1–1.6 hours for the harder ones; gasket sets cost about $24–$96.

Sources: chain price pages, retailer and manufacturer list prices, official documents (below) · Prices checked 2026-11-09 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology

Valve Cover Gasket Replacement cost by service type

ServiceParts / fluidLaborTypical shop total
4-cylinder or V6 front bank$24–$28Fel-Pro VS 50530 R (Toyota 4-cyl)0.5–0.8 hrGM 3.8L V6 front cover recall times$75–$150[1],[2],[3],[4],[5]Gasket set + 0.5–0.8 hr × $100–$150/hr
Transverse V6, rear bank or harder-to-reach cover$52–$61Fel-Pro VS 50773 R (Honda V6)1.1–1.6 hrHonda rear cover 1.1; Hyundai 3.3L front 1.6$160–$300[4],[5],[6],[7],[8]Gasket set + 1.1–1.6 hr × $100–$150/hr
Pickup V8 / EcoBoost gasket sets$42–$96Silverado to F-150—Labor not published — get a quote[9],[10]Gasket set list prices; labor varies widely on trucks (see below)

Many valve cover sets include the spark plug tube seals; replace them at the same time, since oil in the plug tubes can cause misfires. Ford’s 2.7L EcoBoost F-150 bulletin pays 6.7–7.6 hours for both valve covers plus the oil pan versus 3.2–4.1 for the pan alone, so truck valve covers can be a multi-hour job. Before tax, shop-supply and disposal fees. Where we derive a total, labor is hours × $$100–$150 per hour[4],[5]. See the methodology.

DIY vs. shop vs. dealer

WhereCostWhat you get
DIY$25–$95Gasket setA front or 4-cylinder valve cover is a common DIY job with basic tools and a torque wrench. Rear-bank V6 covers need the intake manifold removed.[1],[7],[10]
Chain / independent shop$75–$300Gasket set plus manufacturer labor hours at $100–$150/hr. We found no chain that posts a valve cover gasket price.[4],[5]
Dealer$190–$340V6, derivedThe same V6 job at dealer labor rates ($125–$175/hr).[6],[7],[11],[12]

Honda’s rear-cover procedure includes seating new spark plug seals in the plug tubes before the cover goes back on; check the tubes for oil whenever the cover is off.[7]

What drives the cost

  • Access: a front-bank cover took GM 0.5–0.8 hour; Honda’s rear V6 cover takes 1.1 hours because the intake manifold comes off.[2],[3],[7]
  • Trucks: on the 2015–17 F-150 2.7L, Ford pays 3.5 hours more for valve covers plus oil pan than for the pan alone.[13]
  • Collateral damage: Hyundai’s Santa Fe bulletin adds an alternator check (2.2 hours with alternator replacement) because the leak drips onto it.[8]
  • Tube seals and grommets: many sets include them, so the parts price usually covers both.[10]

When you actually need it

Fix it when oil is seeping from the cover edge or you smell burning oil. GM recalled 3.8L V6 models because oil from the front valve cover could drip onto the exhaust manifold and start an engine-compartment fire.[2]

Hyundai warned that a leaking front cover on the 2007–09 Santa Fe 3.3L could disable the alternator and eventually shut the engine off. Honda traced a Pilot burning-oil smell to oil weeping onto the rear catalytic converter.[8],[14]

If oil in the plug tubes has caused a misfire, see the P0300 misfire code guide.

Related: oil pressure warning light.

More repair costs

AC recharge (freon) costTransmission fluid change / flush costTPMS sensor replacement costBrake pad replacement costCar battery replacement costCoolant flush costSpark plug replacement costSerpentine belt replacement costTiming belt replacement costWater pump replacement costWheel alignment costTire rotation costShocks and struts replacement costWheel bearing replacement costCV axle replacement costAlternator replacement costStarter replacement costCatalytic converter replacement costFuel pump replacement costRadiator replacement costHybrid battery replacement costEV and Tesla battery replacement costHead gasket replacement costOil pan gasket replacement costCoolant leak repair costTransmission leak repair costIgnition coil / misfire repair costABS wheel speed sensor costOil change costAll repair costs →

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to replace a valve cover gasket?

About $75–$300 at an independent shop: $75–$150 on a 4-cylinder or easy-to-reach V6 cover and $160–$300 for a rear-bank V6 cover. Gasket sets cost about $24–$96.

How long does a valve cover gasket replacement take?

Manufacturer warranty times are 0.5–0.8 hour for a front-bank GM V6 cover, 1.1 hours for Honda’s rear V6 cover and 1.6 hours for Hyundai’s 3.3L front cover.

Can I drive with a leaking valve cover gasket?

A slow seep isn’t an emergency, but don’t ignore it: oil dripping onto a hot exhaust manifold is a fire risk (the reason for GM’s 3.8L recall), and oil in the plug tubes can cause misfires. Keep the oil topped up and get it fixed.

Should spark plug tube seals be replaced with the valve cover gasket?

Yes, where they’re replaceable. Many gasket sets include them, and the cover has to come off to reach them anyway.

Sources

  1. PartsHawk, Fel-Pro VS 50530 R valve cover gasket set, 2002–11 Toyota Camry / 2009–12 Corolla / RAV4, accessed 2026-11-11.
  2. General Motors (recall bulletin 15757C, via NHTSA), 3.8L V6: oil from the front valve cover onto the exhaust manifold, fire risk — replace valve cover and gasket, labor times (2016-09), accessed 2026-11-11.
  3. General Motors (recall bulletin 07035B, via NHTSA), 3.8L V6 (L67): replace front valve cover and gasket — labor time (2016-02), accessed 2026-11-11.
  4. Ratchet+Wrench, 2026 Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey (posted labor rate distribution, p. 13) (2026-06-29), accessed 2026-11-09.
  5. Ratchet+Wrench, Industry Insights: U.S. Auto Repair Shops and Labor Rate Trends (PartsTech 2025 shop survey) (2026-08-19), accessed 2026-11-09.
  6. PartsHawk, Fel-Pro VS 50773 R valve cover gasket set, 2008–17 Honda Accord / Odyssey / Pilot V6, accessed 2026-11-11.
  7. American Honda (Service Bulletin 15-020, via NHTSA), 2003–15 Accord V6: replace rear cylinder head cover gasket — labor time, spark plug tube seals (2015-05-30), accessed 2026-11-11.
  8. Hyundai Motor America (TSB 24-01-026H, Campaign 976, via NHTSA), 2007–09 Santa Fe 3.3L: front valve cover gasket replacement, oil onto the alternator — labor times (2024-04), accessed 2026-11-11.
  9. PartsHawk, Victor Reinz 15-10416-01 valve cover gasket set, 1999–2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 V8, accessed 2026-11-11.
  10. PartsHawk, Victor Reinz 15-10491-01 valve cover gasket set (with spark plug tube seals), 2011–17 Ford F-150, accessed 2026-11-11.
  11. Dealership Guy, Reynolds and Reynolds: repair orders, rates increase for shops (Fixed Operation Golden Metrics 2026) (2026-08-17), accessed 2026-11-09.
  12. Reynolds and Reynolds, The Fixed Operations Golden Metrics 2025 (dealer effective labor rate) (2025-08), accessed 2026-11-09.
  13. Ford Motor Company (TSB 23-2083, via NHTSA), 2015–17 F-150 2.7L EcoBoost oil leaks: oil pan, and valve covers + oil pan — labor times (2023-03-17), accessed 2026-11-11.
  14. American Honda (Service Bulletin 25-006, via NHTSA), Pilot: oil weeping onto the rear catalytic converter, burning oil smell (2025-07-21), accessed 2026-11-11.