1. Park the car on level ground and turn off the engine. Allow it to cool down completely.
2. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. This will prevent any electrical accidents while you are working.
3. Remove the engine cover. It is located on the top of the engine and usually held in place by several bolts.
4. Remove the valve cover bolts. There are 10 bolts that hold the valve cover in place. Remove these bolts using a socket wrench.
5. Gently pry off the valve cover. Use a flat-head screwdriver to carefully pry the valve cover off the cylinder head. Be careful not to damage the gasket or the cylinder head.
6. Remove the old head cover gasket. The old gasket is located between the valve cover and the cylinder head. Remove the old gasket using a scraper or gasket remover.
7. Clean the valve cover and cylinder head mating surfaces. Remove all of the old gasket material and any other contaminants from the valve cover and cylinder head mating surfaces.
8. Apply a new layer of head cover gasket sealant. Apply the gasket sealant to the cylinder head mating surface only, not the valve cover.
9. Place the new head cover gasket in position. Be sure that the gasket is properly seated and aligned.
10. Replace the valve cover bolts. Hand-tighten the bolts until they are snug, then tighten them further using a socket wrench.
11. Reconnect the negative terminal of the battery.
12. Start the engine and allow it to run for a few minutes. Check for any leaks. If there are no leaks, you have successfully replaced the head cover gasket.
