My 1973 VW Beetle is leaking oil from the valve cover. How can it be fixed?

I noticed a spot of oil on the heat exchanger.My 1973 VW Beetle is leaking oil from the valve cover. How can it be fixed?
Change the valve cover gasket.My 1973 VW Beetle is leaking oil from the valve cover. How can it be fixed?
get new valve cover gaskets, while yer at it, check %26amp; adjust the valves. :D





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Compleat Idiots guide to How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive





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along with cool detailed fun art it gives you step by step instructions for repairs, maintenance and all that
The cover bolts may need to be re-torqued or the gasket may need replacement.
Go buy a Chilton's or Haynes manual from your local auto parts store and a set of gaskets and some shop rags. Then follow the step by step instructions on the procedure in question. And wha-la your fixed. The only tool you should need is a screw driver to unsnap the valve cover clips ( 1 per cover ) pull them downward. Remove the covers then wipe 'em clean especially along the edges where the gasket sits. If you have to scrap out the old gasket be very careful not to scratch the surface. I prefer a large dull driver with no sharp edges. Once you have the cover clean and the head has stopped dripping. Carefully rub fresh oil around both sides of the gasket and place it in the cover. Slowly position to cover back in place being sure not to shift gasket position, hold it tight to the head and re clip cover strap ( screw driver again ). You should never use silicone or any other type of gasket crap in this procedure. If done well the leak will stop, Good luck!
Valve cover gaskets. But a word of warning: if you are running those shiny chrome valve covers, there is your problem. They just simply do not have the right texture to hold the gasket. Instead, the gasket gets sucked in and leaks. Regular black covers are cheap and good. And you won't need any gakset cement. Just place them wqhere they go. If necessary put a little grease to hold them in place in the covers--usually not needed. A thin coating of grease on the gasket surface will held keep it from bonding to the head. Be sure the head surface is clean before putting it together. Check the cover for flatness against a flat surface while it is off. You may be able to tweak it back to flat--otherwise replace.
I've fought chronic leaks on the air-cooled and finally was given the solution- Scrape off all the material stuck to both the head and the cover.





Snap the cover on without a a gasket.





Get a flat nosed punch and custom fit the valve cover to the head by tapping the sealing surface of the valve cover to fit the mating surface on the head.





I have used both cork and rubber gaskets with equal results. If they continue to slip out of position- you can( in a fit of desperation) glue them into the valve cover with gorilla snot, yellow terror, ie contact cement. Let dry over night.





Don't change out working gaskets. Only change them when they leak.
ausrin, I wished i lived close to you. all your problems are so simple. gaskets are so simple. the hardest part is going to the store for them. snap off the clip that holds them on, clean everything really good and replace.

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