

If you think you may have a timing cover gasket leak, but don’t want to pay the high price to replace the gasket, it’s tempting to buy “Stop Oil Leak” fluids. All these things add a lot of labor to the process and make replacing the gasket with a relatively expensive maintenance item. Oftentimes, other parts like the alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor must be moved or removed to replace or repair the timing cover gasket. The timing cover gasket can be fairly expensive to replace due to its location and all of the parts and accessories surrounding it. This makes timing cover leaks extremely difficult to diagnose if you’re not a well-trained technician. The timing chain whips oil from the crank all the way up to the top of your engine which, in turn, means that signs of a leak in the cover could appear anywhere from the bottom to the top of your engine. If you do have a timing cover, it will surround the entire timing chain. You can learn more about how timing belts and chains work in our last article. Others have a timing chain, which have a cover over the chain and drive gears to contain the engine oil so it is very possible that is where your leak is coming from. Some vehicles are equipped with a timing belt, which is mounted external to the engine’s lubrication system, so your engine won’t have a timing cover gasket to leak. Diagnosing the Problemīefore you worry about having a leak in your timing cover gasket leak, you should know that not all vehicles have timing belts. It can leak at some times and not others and leave drips in odd places, leaving you wondering what the problem is. But a timing cover gasket leak can spread oil all over your engine. Most leaks leave obvious indications in specific places that make it quick to tell what the problem is– for example when your oil pan is leaking it will leak oil on the ground right under your oil pan. Timing cover gasket leaks can be one of the trickiest leaks to fix.
