This valve cover gasket seals the joint between the valve cover and the cylinder head on the host tractor engine. It prevents oil leakage from the valvetrain area and keeps contaminants out of the engine oil. A degraded gasket allows oil to weep onto the exhaust manifold or the exterior of the engine block, which can produce smoke and lead to low oil levels. The gasket is formed to match the original cover profile so that the cover bolts achieve proper clamping force without over-compression. On reinstallation, clean both sealing surfaces and tighten the cover bolts in the sequence and to the torque specified for the engine.