Need to remove the left valve cover to get the water pump housing out. I'm wondering if the valve cover gasket can be reused. New gasket is like $50+, so I am wondering if I can reuse it with some gasket dressing, or even make a new gasket with Permatex Right Stuff. Just trying to keep this repair affordable.

Hi 04xtype04,

This should help, Thermo is talking gaskets on the last thread, Stu
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-x-type-28628/

As long as the valve cover gasket is still soft and pliable you can re-use it, if it's hard and brittle it's going to have to be replaced.

If you decide to re-use it, I'd wipe it down with brake cleaner and put a thin film of Ultra Black on it and put it back in if your absolutely have to. Don't remove the gasket and try to put the valve covers on with sealant only as that's not going to work well at all.

Ok good advice. I went to the auto parts store today and asked the same question. He recommended basically the same thing. If the rubber was not brittle or broken, it could be reused, but he recommended not using any sealants. He said the rubber should be enough if if it not damaged. Since the gaskets are so expensive he said he would just replace them when you have to. I am hoping it's in good enough condition I can reuse it. I agree with you ltmax, a sealant only gasket does not seem very reliable for the valve cover. That is a lot of area you would be trying to cover with a bead of gasket maker. I think I will just reuse my old gasket if it looks reusable, and if I have to I can order the gasket set. It was $85 for the two valve covers and spark plugs. Not terribly expensive but when you consider for other cars they're like $10, it kind of feels like a lot. Would you recommend using a little bit of the black rtv with the old gasket? I am thinking if I ever want to take it off again and reuse the gasket, if I rtv it I may not be able to reuse the gasket again in the future if I ever have to take the valve cover off again.

I'd put a thin but complete film of Ultra Black on the old gasket just because I don't want to do it twice.

Ok will do... Thanks guys.

If it were me, I'd but a complete set off e-bay (Part# VS 50615 R) for $60 and do it once and never have to worry about it again a year or two down the road. The gaskets for the 2.5 and 3.0 are exactly the same (even though for some reason the catalog says they are only for the 3.0).

Since it's just the front one, if you want to reuse them; just put a little dab of ultra black on all the corners where the gasket makes a real sharp bend and over the small seam up on the cylinder head where the two pieces are bolted together and you'll be just fine.

Did the job a few months ago and it was very simple.

Good luck and congrats for doing it yourself!

Check out PARTS GEEK.COM eg. got upper/lower o rings for $20.00 and valve cover gaskets for cheap, I got everything shipped to the house for $60.00. Thats both sets O rings.plug O rings, valve cover gaskets and a set of Chinese handcuffs(for the brake booster plentum end) (throw away the brass insert that comes with it just use the plastic parts and the O ring)

Thanks for the link but the valve cover gasket alone is listed at $61.35 on that site before shipping.

Do not put sealant on both gasket sides, just cover side so it comes off with the cover.

Doh... Good idea but I already put it back on. It was stuck in the cover so I just cleaned the engine up and put a real thin coat of black rtv on it, and a little extra in the corners and sealed it back up. It went pretty good. It was a little tricky to get the valve cover off, but figured it out. Putting it back together though one of my spark plug coil bolts was acting weird and not tightening, almost like it was stripped out. I found the cause is a crack on the valve cover, where the threads go to the problem coil. Seems like it's not gripping the bolt enough to tighten down the coil. Noticed this when I changed my spark plugs, just forgot about it. Kind of rigged up a fix for it. Put some steelwool in the hole with the bolt to kind of grip the threads better and some jb weld on the cracked part. It worked good enough to hold the coil in firm but I may have to replace the valve cover or come up with a better fix for the threads on that coil.