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General Information and Maintenance

An automotive tune-up is a periodic maintenance process that involves inspection, diagnosis, testing, and adjustment to maintain peak engine performance and efficiency. It consists of three key steps - analysis to determine necessary repairs or replacements, replacing worn parts, and adjusting settings to factory specifications. A complete tune-up should be performed every 12,000 miles or 12 months and more frequently under severe driving conditions to ensure optimal performance and compliance with emissions standards.

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54 views4 pages

General Information and Maintenance

An automotive tune-up is a periodic maintenance process that involves inspection, diagnosis, testing, and adjustment to maintain peak engine performance and efficiency. It consists of three key steps - analysis to determine necessary repairs or replacements, replacing worn parts, and adjusting settings to factory specifications. A complete tune-up should be performed every 12,000 miles or 12 months and more frequently under severe driving conditions to ensure optimal performance and compliance with emissions standards.

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raymond marcos
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Neither tune-up nor troubleshooting can be considered independently since each has

direct bearing on the other.


An engine tune-up is a service designed to restore the maximum capability of power,
performance, economy and reliability in an engine, and, at the same time, assure the
owner of a complete check and more lasting results in efficiency and trouble-free
performance. Engine tune-up becomes increasingly important each year, to ensure that
pollutant levels are in compliance with federal emissions standards.
A complete tune-up should be performed every 12,000 miles or twelve months,
whichever comes first. This interval should be halved if the vehicle is operated under
severe conditions, such as trailer towing, prolonged idling, continual stop and start
driving, or if starting or running problems are noticed. It is assumed that the routine
maintenance described in General Information And Maintenancehas been kept up,
as this will have a decided effect on the results of a tune-up. All of the applicable steps
of a tune-up should be followed in order, as the result is a cumulative one.
If the specifications on the tune-up sticker in the engine compartment disagree with the
Tune-Up Specifications chart in this section, the figures on the sticker must be used.
The sticker often reflects changes made during the production run.
It is advisable to follow a definite and thorough tune-up procedure. Tune-up consists of
three separate steps: Analysis, the process of determining whether normal wear is
responsible for performance loss, and whether parts require replacement or service;
Parts Replacement or Service; and Adjustment, where engine adjustments are returned
to the original factory specifications.
The extent of an engine tune-up is usually determined by the length of time since the
previous service, although the type of driving and the general mechanical condition of
the engine must be considered. Specific maintenance should also be performed at
regular intervals, depending on operating conditions.
It is advisable to read the entire section before beginning a tune-up, although those who
are more familiar with tune-up procedures may wish to go directly to the instructions.

An automotive tune-up is an orderly process of inspection, diagnosis, testing, and


adjustment that is periodically necessary to maintain peak engine performance or
restore the engine to original operating efficiency.
On an electronic ignition system, the basic tune-up procedures are as follows:
Remove spark plugs
Test compression in each cylinder.
Clean and/or replace spark plugs and gap spark plugs to manufacturers
specifications and install in engine.
If applicable, check the distributor cap and rotor for cracks and wear. Replace if
necessary.
Use tachometer to set idle speed to specifications (if adjustable).
Use timing light to set initial timing (most electronic ignition systems do not
require adjustments).
Figure 4 Spark plug heat
range.

COLD PLUG: The shorter HOT PLUG: The longer the


the path, the faster the heat path, the slower the heat is
is dissipated and the cooler dissipated and the hotter the
the plug. SHORT insulator plug. LONG insulator tip
tip means fast heat transfer, means slow heat transfer,
lower heat range and a cold higher heat range and a hot
plug. plug.

Replacing spark plugs


New technologies in spark plug and ignition system design have pushed the
recommended replacement interval to 60,000 miles (96,540 km) or even 100,000 miles
(160,900 km). However, this depends on car usage and driving conditions. This holds
true unless internal engine wear or damage and/or improperly operating emissions
controls cause plug fouling. If you suspect this, you may wish to remove and inspect the
plugs before the recommended mileage. Most platinum plugs should not be cleaned or
re-gapped. If you find their condition unsuitable, they should be replaced.
Distributor cap inspection
At every tune-up visually check the distributor cap and rotor for damage, burns or
corrosion. Check the spark plug towers and their terminals under the cap to be sure
they are free of corrosion that would inhibit proper spark distribution. Replace any
damaged or worn components. One often overlooked part of the distributor cap
inspection are the terminals on the underside. Small burn spots or deposits of corrosion
here can lead to engine misfiring.
Ignition timing
On many late model cars the ignition timing is completely controlled by the on-board
computer and is not adjustable. The following is a generic procedure for a point of
reference. Check the under-hood emissions sticker or refer to model-specific instruction
books for specific information on your car.
Ignition timing is the measurement, in degrees of crankshaft rotation, of the point at
which the spark plugs fire in each of the cylinders. It is measured in degrees before or
after Top Dead Center (TDC) of the compression stroke.
Because it takes a fraction of a second for the spark plug to ignite the mixture in the
cylinder, the spark plug must fire a little before the piston reaches TDC. Otherwise, the
mixture will not be completely ignited as the piston passes TDC and the full power of the
explosion will not be used by the engine.

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