A term I frequently hear around the shop is gasket Sometimes it seems as though every car in the shop is leaking from some gasket and therefore needs a new one. As I am not a mechanic, I finally had to ask:
- What is a gasket?
- How many gaskets are in a vehicle?
- How much do gaskets cost?
Here is what I learned.
What is a gasket?
Dictionary.com defines a gasket as “a rubber, metal, or rope ring, for packing a piston or placing around a joint to make it watertight.”
DriverSide.com tells us, “Gaskets are literally everywhere in your vehicle. Your vehicle is composed of thousands of parts, many of which are joined together. Sometimes the seal between these parts — between the cylinder head and the engine block for example — is crucial. In these cases, a gasket is used to help provide a proper seal. These gaskets can be made of paper, cork, rubber or metal plates, and can often fail, requiring replacement to keep more expensive parts from failing.”
How many gaskets are in a vehicle?
There are many gaskets in many different parts of the vehicle and every brand of car has a different amount. There are gaskets in the engine block, cylinder heads, intake manifold, oil pan, rear main, timing and valve covers, transmission and more. So the most reasonable answer to the question is that most vehicles have dozens of gaskets.
How much do gaskets cost?
Depending on size and material, gaskets range from 25 cents to 500 dollars. The labor cost to remove and replace gaskets depends on its location so it also varies widely. Costs can range from 45 dollars to thousands of dollars.