Uro brand aftermarket valve cover

redscare

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Location
Boulder Creek, CA
TDI
2014 Sportwagen TDI
Bought this valve cover from ecs tuning.
$75 verse $199 for the oem one.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-uro-parts/valve-cover/038103469e~uro/
I couldn't find any reviews positive or negative, so I guess I can be the guinea pig.
Looks like a quality part. Gasket is not bonded to the cover like oem, so maybe its replaceable at some point.
I'm going to install it with ultra blue on the cover to rubber gasket side to help keep the two attached.
I have 380k on my alh and have run liqui moly and total quartz.
I post an update in a few weeks.













 
Last edited:

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Subscribed, I don't want to pay that much to fix my seeping cover too.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Make sure you swap the baffle over. I have had mixed results with Uro branded stuff. It almost always looks fine, but sometimes does not fit properly. Plastic dipstick tubes come to mind. They either refuse to snap into the metal tube or they fit too loose, or they are too tight with the dipstick itself.

I have never used an ALH valve cover, and would be curious if it has a replaceable gasket, can you GET a gasket by itself if necessary?
 

ktmkris

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Location
monroe nc
TDI
MALONE TUNES DEALER , 2005 beetle tdi dsg, 1998 vw beetle 2.slow, 2003 beetle turbo s, 1998 beetle 2.0, 2006 beetle bew
I have used some uro branded parts. For the most part it is decent on hard parts. My father has a uro brand oil pan that was very nice quality. I have not had good luck with the uro electronic parts.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
When I look at those photos I question if that unit should be used with traditional sealers (other than the 2 drops at the cam).
..............................I have never used an ALH valve cover, and would be curious if it has a replaceable gasket, can you GET a gasket by itself if necessary?
Think you meant to say Aftermarket ALH valve cover.
 

[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
I just brake clean my old dried up gasket and smear RTV on it every time it is off. It's extra labor, but not $100 worth of extra work.
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
i just used one, was a little frustrating getting the gasket to stay in place but seemed high quality otherwise, next time i'll dab a little super glue to hold it ... it does come with the baffle seal and a new puck grommet
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Good time to take apart and clean the separator mesh in the breather assembly, too. Once you remove it (four screws) you can release the clips and take it apart.
 

jackfolstam

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2016
Location
CA
TDI
MkI Rabbit ALH swap
Don't use super glue on rubber, it makes it brittle and crack immediately.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
i just used one, was a little frustrating getting the gasket to stay in place but seemed high quality otherwise, next time i'll dab a little super glue to hold it ... it does come with the baffle seal and a new puck grommet
I use to use weather strip adhesive on valve cover gaskets.
Non on the engine side, only the cover side.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Yes, the shop manual would be for the factory cover, no sealant, although you want to put 2 small dabs at the 90 deg. spots near the cam.
The URO is a different animal, looks to me like it would seal better with no product, maybe a light coat of thin oil. Reason I ask is some folks have leaky valve covers.
 

alex_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
May 15, 2001
Location
Los Angeles, CA
TDI
TDI GLS, 2001, Blue
Why not try this: Permatex® Ultra Rubber Gasket Sealant & Dressing


It's designed to hold gaskets in place during installation and provides outstanding oil and fluid resistance.


My original valve cover was leaking after the black RTV hardened and cracked. I put this stuff on and the engine's been leak free for at least 6 months. The original valve cover has 187K miles / 19 years on it.


It was around $7 I believe.
 

redscare

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Location
Boulder Creek, CA
TDI
2014 Sportwagen TDI
update: 1 week of driving.

So far, no visible leaks.
The oem valve cover was leaking off the back side of the head and down the block.

I used permatex ultra blue on the valve cover to gasket for 2 reasons.
1: the oem gasket is permanently sealed at this area.
2: the uro gasket is bonded in only 4 places with some type of glue and does not sit in the right place when you move the valve cover upside down.
I installed the cover, hand tightened the bolts and left it for a few hours. re-tightened to factory torque (or close to it) and let it sit for a day for sealant to cure.

I put sealant at the corners of the cam like bentley recommends.
Time will tell how good the rubber from uro parts is.
At any rate, Im saving money as the oil would already be 1-2 liters low by this time. (yes, the leak was that bad.)
 

alex_tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
May 15, 2001
Location
Los Angeles, CA
TDI
TDI GLS, 2001, Blue
Good luck and keep us posted. I think many of us are tempted by the much more reasonably priced uro valve cover. If yours hold up over time, I think many will benefit from your experience.
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
update: 1 week of driving.

So far, no visible leaks.
The oem valve cover was leaking off the back side of the head and down the block.

I used permatex ultra blue on the valve cover to gasket for 2 reasons.
1: the oem gasket is permanently sealed at this area.
2: the uro gasket is bonded in only 4 places with some type of glue and does not sit in the right place when you move the valve cover upside down.
I installed the cover, hand tightened the bolts and left it for a few hours. re-tightened to factory torque (or close to it) and let it sit for a day for sealant to cure.

I put sealant at the corners of the cam like bentley recommends.
Time will tell how good the rubber from uro parts is.
At any rate, Im saving money as the oil would already be 1-2 liters low by this time. (yes, the leak was that bad.)
You still happy with the Uro valve cover after 2 years? My original is wet and am thinking of buying the Uro part.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
Mine was leaking like a SOB down the back -- here's how I fixed it for under $10.

1. Remove the valve cover (duh)
2. Remove the inside baffle (it's screwed in) and fill cap and set them aside where they will stay CLEAN (remember, anything that gets in there goes in the engine!)
3. Clean the interior of the valve cover AND CRUNKED GASKET with brake cleaner. Clean it VERY WELL. If you wish clean the baffle separately but be careful with brake cleaner on that as some of them will damage plastic, and it's plastic. You need to get *ALL* residue and oil off, especially but not exclusively from the gasket and gasket well area. Replace the baffle in the valve cover.
4. Clean the top surface of the cylinder head VERY WELL; put brake cleaner on a RAG and wipe repeatedly until it is completely clean and dry. There must be NO oil or residue on the mating surface of the head.

4. Get a tube of the ULTRA BLACK oil-resistant Permatex. Lay an even and thin bead on the valve cover gasket and a very small amount in the corners of the head where recommended for the cam cap. More is NOT BETTER but the bead on the valve cover gasket MUST stand proud of the ridge by 1/8" or so in which the gasket resides and should be across the entire "well" the gasket rides in. Let the valve cover sit with the gasket surface pointing upward for 30 minutes BEFORE mounting it so the sealant skins over, then put it on and insert the bolts but DO NOT TIGHTEN -- run the cover bolts down with your fingers so they make contact but do NOT compress the material.

5. WAIT a couple hours so the material is partially-cured THEN torque the valve cover bolts to spec.

6. IMPORTANT: Wait overnight before starting the engine.

That's it. Not even so much as a smudge of oil anywhere from around it since.
 
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