Im going to replace my valve cover gasket soon.

saw this gasket on rock auto for 30 bucks



I have a 2001 jeep cherokee.

I noticed that when i googled to see if there was anything else there were different shaped gaskets is the one i showed a picture of the right one to get?


or should i just use a type of silicone instead of a gasket?
let me know if you have any tips.

 

That looks like the right valve cover gasket if you ask me. The valve cover design was changed in 96 if I remember correctly which would explain why the gaskets looks different. I would shop around a little bit because $30 seems high for a valve cover gasket, but I never had to buy one for my Jeep.

 

Not to sure but 30 bucks does sound kinda high to me also I would shop around a little more. Can you pull your old one and use another car/truck to go buy a new one. If so you can match it up right then and there.(if it doesnt get all jacked up when taking it off. lol )

 

$30 is actually on the low end of the prices I've been seeing.

So Slugger, was it the right gasket? Did you find a better price? I need one.

 

A silicone gasket will work just fine instead. The valve cover isn't pressurized, so you'll be all right. And a tube of silicone gasket stuff doesn't run $30!! And you can use it for other stuff as well down the road.

 

True, but with silicone, if you need to redo the gasket (say opening the cover to look for cracks in your 0331 head or fixing a leak on the back of the valve cover), you have to scrape and clean up all the silicone before reassembly. With the $30 gasket, you throw it away and put in the new one. No mess, no fuss, done. Just wipe the surfaces clean and assemble.

 

according to autozone that is the right gasket and they want 31.99 for it at least thats the price were i live

 

whats your guys opinions on cork gaskets? (haven't changed the gasket yet)
doing it this weekend though.

 

i personally do not like nor use cork if its not torqued just right they have a tendency to leak(at least in my experience) if i cant get a rubber gasket i use permatex make a gasket but just me opinion

 

That's the right one, and that's a great price. I paid $35 or so. You'll see why they're that much when you take it out of the box.

Those little o-ring deals are for the screws, in fact they snap into the cover just like OEM. De-grease, pop the old o-rings out, then pop the new ones in. New gasket lays across the head perfectly.

 

When buying on the web buy based on description not the picture. Most times common stock pictures are used for common parts. The picture could be from anything, but if the description matches your application, you should be Good.
Rubber gaskets seem to work better than cork on valve covers. If you do use silicone only use it between the cover and the gasket. Not the head surface, it is a PIA to clean it off the head and to keep it out of the motor when you try to clean it.