The valve cover covers the regulator train. The valve train consists of rocker arms, valve springs, push rods, lifters and cam (in an overhead cam engine). The valve wrap could be removed to adjust the valves. Oil is pumped up through the pushrods and discrete beneath the valve cover, which keeps the rocker arms lubricated.

Holes are situated in various places in the engine head so that the oil reticulates rear down to the oil pan. For this reason, the valve cover should be oil-tight, it is often the source of oil leaks. The valve cover is often indistinct on older cars; because at some point the regulator cover screws were over-tightened, winding the valve covers. This happens as the valve cover is made of very thin sheet metal and cannot endure the force of an over-tightened bolt.

One way to decide if your valve cover is bent is to remove the gasket and put the valve cover back on to the tube head. When the valve wrap and cylinder head come into contact, the cover must sit flat. If it rocks, it is bent. Cast aluminum valve covers cannot be straightened, they require to be replaced. Sheet metal valve covers could be straightened. A symptom of a twisted or leaking valve cover is a theft of the valve cover gasket.

This means that the gasket is the sealing one area and not sealing another area. This state produces a leak; oil could be leaking down the side of the engine. Some valve covers are hard to access, as they are covered with other engine parts. Chronic valve cover leakage could sometimes be fixed by using two gaskets glued together as an alternative of using just one