VW Valve Cover Gaskets

Are your VW valve cover gaskets and VW cam tensioner gaskets leaking oil? How to Inspect the VW Valve Cover Gaskets and VW Chain Tensioner Gaskets for Leaks? Symptom such as interior oil smells and engine oil leaks are often caused by leaking valve cover gaskets or cam chain tensioner gaskets. Blauparts tech tip write-ups and instructional videos show you how to inspect your VW valve cover gaskets or VW cam tensioner gaskets of oil leaks. These write-ups and corresponding videos help to determine if your VW valve cover gasket or VW cam tensioner gaskets are leaking oil. What does VW valve cover gasket repair and replacement involve? Watch our video which shows a basic replacement overview of the VW valve cover gaskets and cam chain tensioner gaskets.

The most common indication of an oil leak is a foul burning odor in the interior of your VW. In our own service facility, we've serviced many 2.8L, 1.8L, and 4.2L engines that have problems with VW cam tensioner gaskets and VW valve cover gaskets leaking oil. TIP: Blauparts highly recommends replacing the VW valve cover gaskets and VW cam tensioner gaskets during timing belt replacement. From a labor standpoint, it's advantageous to determine if your VW valve cover gaskets and/or VW cam tensioner gaskets are leaking before installing your timing belt. Why? Because nearly all the VW timing belt disassembly and assembly procedures are used to perform VW valve cover gasket and VW cam tensioner gasket repair.

VW Valve Cover Gaskets and VW Cam Tensioner Gaskets Replacement

Videos 1-3 - Tech Tips on How to Successfully Replace an VW Valve Cover Gasket



Some people complain of a leaking VW valve cover gasket shortly after the initial repair. Correctly installing a new VW valve cover gasket so that it doesn't prematurely leak requires a little bit of extra work. Reliable VW valve cover gasket repair requires proper replacement techniques. These videos illustrate the keys to successful VW valve cover gasket replacement. The cleaning of the valve cover mating areas, proper application of RTV gasket compound, and the placement and torqueing of the valve cover.

Video 2 - VW Valve Cover and Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket Repair Overview

What does VW valve cover gasket repair and replacement involve? This video shows a basic replacement overview of how to change the VW valve cover gaskets and more specifically, VW cam chain tensioner gasket repair.

Video 3 - Burning Oil Smell? Common VW Oil Leaks Explained

What causes this burning oil smell and what is the solution? This video explains that the common cause may be the failure of the VW cam chain tensioner gaskets. Oil laden smoke often emerges from the passenger side rear of the VW engine (V6 30 valve). Inspecting the underside of your VW may help you pinpoint the exact location of oil leaks and the likely cause(s).

BLAU® VW Valve Cover Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket Kits

Blauparts over 27 years of VW valve cover gasket removal and VW cam tensioner gasket repair experience has been put to work for you! BLAU® VW valve cover gasket kits are assembled to include everything you'll need to get this job done right! The VW valve cover gasket parts included in these kits are made by the very best OEM ISO 9001 / TS16949 quality certified manufacturers.

We're pleased to announce that our valve cover cam chain tensioner gasket kits for 2.8L 30 valve models has been improved! In Blauparts service facility we've found that these models have had oil leaking from the VW cam chain tensioner gaskets and VW valve cover gaskets. The installation guidelines are now more complete with additional step-by-step instructions, detailed pictures, and specific tips on setting cam chain timing during reassembly. Our kit also includes a tube of automotive RTV gasket material to apply to gasket corner sections as described in our installation instructions and the above Video 1. These improvements make BLAU™ VW valve cover gasket kits the most comprehensive and complete kits on the market. We care about our customer and want to help the installer perform a successful and reliable VW valve cover gasket repair.

VW Enhanced Plus Valve Cover Gasket and Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket Product Update

Our Improved cam chain tensioner gaskets, camshaft valley seals, and valve cover gaskets are made of a heat and shrink resilient material that stays more pliable for better sealing vs stock. Additionally, using our quality philosophy of continual improvement, we're pleased to announce new improvements to our 2.8L, 4.2L and 1.8L valve cover gasket kits. 1) The material composition of the valve cover gasket is now firmer than before allowing for a more positive seal when the valve cover is tightened or torqued to specification. 2) The front and back ends of the gasket along with the corners are now 2mm taller; compensating for long term gasket shrinkage as well as providing a more reliable compression seal during initial installation.

Audi Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Kit - Enhanced Plus

VW Enhanced Plus Valve Cover Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket Kit Example:

(Applies to V6 2.8L 30v V6 engines)

  • Neoprene Perimeter Valve Cover Gasket - Improved
  • Neoprene Center Valve Cover Gasket - Improved
  • Cam Chain Tensioner Gaskets - Improved
  • Camshaft Valley Seals - Improved
  • Viton Front Cam Sprocket Camshaft Seals
  • Viton Cam Reference Sensor Seals
  • Viton Rear Camshaft End Cap Seals
  • Driver Side Timing Chain Tensioner
  • Passenger Side Timing Chain Tensioner (Note: Cam chain tensioner assemblies incl. pads and tools # 3366.)
  • Tube Silicone RTV Gasket Compound (To be applied to gasket corner sections as described in our installation instructions & video.)
  • Blauparts® step-by-step installation guidelines. (Now includes detailed pictures and specific tips on setting cam chain timing during reassembly. Applies to 2.8L and 2.7L 30V)

Mfg. by OEM Quality TUV / ISO 9001 / TS16949 Certified European Manufacturers

How to Inspect the VW Valve Cover Gaskets and VW Chain Tensioner Gaskets for Leaks?

Leaking VW Valve Cover Cam Chain Tensioner GasketsHere are some basic how to steps for inspecting the driver side and passenger side VW cam tensioner gaskets and VW valve cover gaskets of a V6 models to see if they are leaking oil.

Checking VW V6 driver side valve cover gasket and cam tensioner gasket for oil leak:

  1. Remove your splash pan (a.k.a. belly pan).
  2. Look to see if you have oil coming down on the driver side front of the engine. In the early stages, oil runs down the rear timing belt cover. In the later stages, it leaks right above the oil cooler and on to the oil filter. Do you have oil residue on the splash pan in the same area (Image 1)?
  3. Remove the driver side VW valve cover decorative plastic trim (says 5v on it).
  4. Examine the front lower corner of the VW valve cover area right where the 2-pin electrical connector attaches to the VW cam chain tensioner assembly and the VW cam chain tensioner meets the back side of the timing belt cover (see Image 2). As shown in the picture, note the oil leaking near the VW cam tensioner electrical plug area. Too, note the oil leaking onto the VW A/C compressor and VW power steering hose. All the oil residue is because the VW cam tensioner gasket and/or VW valve cover gasket is leaking oil and needs repair.

Checking VW V6 passenger side valve cover gasket and cam tensioner gasket for oil leak:

  1. It is difficult from the passenger side of the engine bay compartment to determine if an VW valve cover gasket or VW cam tensioner gasket is leaking. This is because the VW cam tensioner is on the rear of the passenger side cylinder head right next to the fire wall. The mass air flow intake tube is also in the way and obstructs any visual view of the VW cam chain tensioner.
  2. The best way to inspect for a possible VW cam tensioner gasket oil leak on 2.7L turbo models is to look for oil dripping down onto turbocharger (see picture). The best way to inspect for a possible VW cam tensioner gasket oil leak on 2.8L 30V is to look for oil dripping down onto the passenger side exhaust down pipe (header pipe). This is best viewed from putting the car on a auto lift. If there is oil on the turbocharger or exhaust down pipe (header pipe) it causes a foul burning oil odor into the passenger side of the engine bay area which travels into interior of your VW. There can also be oil smoke coming up from the back side of the engine near the fire wall. If you smell this or see the oil smoke your VW cam tensioner gasket or VW valve cover gasket is leaking oil and needs repair.

VW valve cover gaskets are sold under the following O.E. part numbers:

058 198 218
051 103 483A
078 198 025
078 103 483C
078 103 483J
058 198 025A
034 198 025A
034 198 025D
034 198 025F
077 198 025
077 198 025A
026 198 025A
027 198 025