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What's Included in a Tuneup?

Posted by Unknown Friday, February 7, 2014 0 comments

Actually, there is no such thing as a tuneup in the traditional sense of replacing parts to bring the ignition and fuel systems up to specs for maximum performance and efficiency, and there hasn't been for years.

About the only things left from the traditional tuneup are new spark plugs, which is typically done every 100,000 miles, and replacing the air filter periodically. The federal EPA and Department of Energy say that replacing a clogged air filter will not improve gas mileage but can improve acceleration 6% to 11%. The agencies do not say what benefit can be derived from fresh spark plugs, but computers that control today's engines adjust the air-fuel mixture and spark timing to compensate for wear, such as when the electrodes on spark plugs are worn down.

Even so, some car owners still dutifully take their car in periodically to have it "tuned up." Instead, service technicians will inspect and perhaps test the fuel, ignition and emissions systems to look for faulty vacuum hoses, oxygen sensors and other parts that can hurt performance. The federal government, for example, says a bad oxygen sensor can give engine computers false readings and reduce fuel economy as much as 40%.

Having your vehicle serviced and inspected periodically is a good way to extend its life and keep it operating efficiently. However, walking into a repair facility and asking for a tuneup is a bad idea because it indicates you're still living in the previous century and have extra money you would like to spend. Some in the auto-repair business will take advantage of those opportunities.

Look in the owner's manual for your vehicle (or separate maintenance schedule) to find what the manufacturer recommends, and see if you can even find the words "tuneup." For example, we looked at the maintenance guide for the Ford Fiesta that also applies to other Ford vehicles. The first mention of anything related to a traditional tune-up was to replace the engine air filter every 30,000 miles. The only other related item was to replace the spark plugs every 100,000 miles.a

How to Perform a Basic Tune up for Your Car

Posted by Unknown 0 comments

Basic car maintenance is necessary to ensure that your car is in good running condition. In addition to this, maintaining the vehicle prevents additional damages that might cause you to spend more on major repairs as well as parts replacements. In case you are financing an expensive or cheap new car through a bad credit auto finance and the premiums involved are higher, basic maintenance can also help minimize your overall expenses by preventing major car engine breakdown. One of the regular maintenance that should be conducted to the car is the so-called “major service” or simply known as the “tune up”. This procedure is actually easy and does not require the service of a professional mechanic. This simply means that you can do the basic tune-up by yourself. However, if you are not yet knowledgeable on how to do this, you can conduct some of the car advice offered online or simply stick to the instructions provided below.

Steps

1
Replace the car’s fuel filter. One of the most important things to do when doing the basic tune up for your expensive or cheap new car is to replace its fuel filter. You can do this by locating the filter, remove the old one and replace it with a new one. In case you don’t know where the fuel filter is, try to consult the vehicle’s user manual. This might be very necessary if your car has no fuel-injection system. But if it has, you can just do the cleaning occasionally or when there are clogs on the car’s injectors.
2
Replace the car’s spark plugs. The spark plugs of the car should also be checked and replaced when needed. These spark plugs are vital in the vehicle’s fuel combustion mechanism so it is important to maintain these in good working condition. Any failure of the spark plugs might cause the engine to stall so you should prevent this from happening by regular replacement.
3
You should also use the best spark plug as replacement. There are the so called platinum type spark plugs that could provide you with extra 30, 000 miles before replacement. It is also important to change the vehicle’s spark plug wires for better results. When doing the replacement, don’t hesitate to use high-quality wires.
4
Replace the vehicle’s condenser and points. The car’s points and condenser should also be changed every six months in case you have an older vehicle type. However, when you change these, make sure to check the ignition timing to make sure that the vehicle performs well.
5
Make sure that the valves are properly adjusted. The engine’s valve should also be adjusted regularly unless your car uses a hydraulic version. Try to replace the car’s valve-cover gasket in the event that you see the presence of oil on its topmost part.
6
Change the car’s oil regularly. Finally, you also need to make sure that your car gets regular change oil. You can change the oil every 3,000 miles. When you do this, check the air filter and try to clean it to ensure better performance. Change the air filter after every 15, 000 miles.

Outomotive Tricks

What's Included in a Tuneup?

How to Perform a Basic Tune up for Your Car

Steps

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