The owner of this 2007 Ford Focus complained of an engine oil leak dripping on their driveway and a burnt oil smell inside the car. Our Ford technician identified an engine valve cover gasket oil leak. The engine was cleaned, and the valve cover gasket was replaced.
In This Article
Diagnosis
Cause
Repair
Tips
Cost
Customer Satisfaction
Recommended Shop
Reviews
Diagnosis
Our Ford technician inspected under the hood for the source of the oil leak. There was so much oil covering the engine they lifted the vehicle on a hoist and did an under-vehicle inspection. The oil was running down the side of the engine and onto the hot exhaust. The leaked oil would then burn and create smoke, which would be drawn into the vehicle's passenger compartment fresh air vent.
Our service advisor explained that the leaking oil bakes onto the exhaust manifold and can not be completely removed. Even after the leaked oil is removed from the engine, the burnt oil smell would take a long time to go away. Two options to fix this problem were offered to the customer. The expensive option is to replace the exhaust manifold with a new part. The second option is to remove as much burnt oil from the manifold as possible and then wait a few months for the remaining oil residue to burn off. The engine cleaner eliminates most of the smell, and the burnt oil residue gradually disappears as the exhaust heat burns it off.
The technician recommended an engine shampoo cleaning and valve cover gasket replacement.
The vehicle owner decided to have us clean the exhaust manifold as best as possible, saving themselves the significant cost of replacing it.
Cause
Valve cover gaskets deteriorate with vehicle age and use. They also wear out from expansion and contraction caused by engine heat and need to be periodically replaced.
A regular vehicle inspection by a qualified auto repair technician would catch the oil leak before it becomes serious and contaminates the exhaust manifold.
Repair
Our technician started this Ford Focus valve cover gasket replacement by cleaning the leaked oil from the engine and exhaust manifold. Then, they removed components to gain access to the valve cover and removed it from the engine. Next, our technician removed the old valve cover gasket, cleaned, inspected, and prepared the valve cover and engine surfaces for the new gasket. The new valve cover gasket was installed, and the valve cover was installed onto the engine, tightening the valve cover bolts in proper sequence as described in the factory repair manual. All components removed during disassembly were replaced. As a final step, the technician ran the engine until it reached operating temperature and verified the valve cover gasket oil leak was fixed.
Tips
Replacing the valve cover gasket as soon as it starts to leak will minimize the amount of oil that gets baked onto the exhaust manifold. This significantly shortens the time for the after-repair burnt oil smell to go away. Not having to replace the exhaust manifold greatly decreases the cost of a Ford Focus valve cover gasket replacement.
Repair Cost
Ford Focus Valve cover gasket replacement cost varies depending on the vehicle year and engine model. The 2007 Ford Focus has three different 4-cylinder engines, each with a different valve cover gasket replacement cost. The turbocharged engine will have the highest cost due to additional components needing to be removed to access the valve cover.
A popular online auto repair price guide lists the most common 2007 Ford Focus Valve cover gasket replacement cost as $450 to $511 in 2023. The cost breakdown is 78% Labor and 22% Parts. This estimate excludes diagnostics, oil leak cleaning, environmental fees, disposal fees, and taxes.
Please contact us to get an accurate Ford Focus Valve cover gasket replacement price estimate for your vehicle.
Customer Satisfaction
The customer was happy with our suggested cost-saving suggestions and the outcome of this repair.
Recommended Ford Repair Service Shop in Ann Arbor, MI
Contact Abbott Street Auto Service for all your Ford services in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our Ford technicians have the skill and experience to accurately diagnose and repair your Ford Focus problems correctly. We are Ford service specialists.
You can trust Abbott Street Auto Service for your Ford service in Ann Arbor, MI. Abbott Street Auto Service also serves the surrounding areas, including Pittsfield, MI; Ypsilanti, MI; Saline, MI; and Dexter, MI.