Engine Valve Cover and Gasket Repair

During the winter break of 2018, I took on the challenge of doing a vehicle engine repair job on my personal vahicle by myself in my garage with no prior engine work experience. My daily driver (a 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5s) had been leaking oil for over a year before this endeavor and I was tired of spending money on quarts of oil every two weeks. I knew engine work would’ve cost a fortune if I were to take it to a shop and I also knew that the leak was coming from a worn out valve cover gasket. So I did some research and after some digging I was able to find a DIY of someone doing the exact project. I spent less than $100 for the parts and used the time spent waiting for their arrival by studying everything and anything I could have to make this job go smoothly; what tools I needed, the layout of my engine bay, the exact steps to take, etc. A few weeks later I received a new valve cover and gasket and got to work. Three days were spent diligently ratcheting countless nuts and bolts while tutorials played in the background as well as in my mind. On the afternoon of the third day I finished the job, turned over the car, and to this day I’m still daily driving my Altima.