Valve cover gasket
Seals the top of the engine so oil stays inside.
Signs it's worn: Burning-oil smell, oil on the side of the engine.
What's wrong with my car? · Engine
Burning-oil smell or oil drips under the car?
Usually: Oil leak: valve cover or oil pan gasket.
A burning-oil smell after a drive is usually a valve cover gasket dripping onto the hot exhaust. Drips under the front of the car are often the oil pan gasket.
The parts that fix it
Oil pan & gasket
The steel or aluminium tray bolted under the engine that holds the oil. Its gasket keeps it sealed.
Signs it's worn: Oil drips under the front of the car, a dented pan, a stripped drain plug.
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