This valve cover gasket seals the joint between the cylinder head and the valve cover on the host tractor's engine. It prevents oil leaks and keeps contaminants out of the valvetrain area. A degraded gasket allows oil to seep past the cover, which can lead to low oil pressure in the top end and oil accumulation on the exhaust manifold. Elring manufactures this gasket to the same material specification and profile as the original, so it compresses to the correct thickness when the cover bolts are torqued to spec. On reinstallation, clean both sealing surfaces and replace the gasket; do not reuse the old one.