How to Tune Up a Car - eHow How to - Discover the expert

Thomas Hinton

Thomas Hinton got his first car -- a Chevy Chevette --at the age of 15 and soon decided that knowing a little about auto mechanics would be beneficial. He started his training in a Texas vocation school and went on to receive credits in automotive mechanics from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

By Thomas Hinton, eHow Contributor

- last updated December 11, 2014

The term tuneup originally referred to a set of procedures to inspect and adjust certain components within the ignition system. Typically, these would include inspecting the spark plugs and replacing them or adjusting the gaps as necessary, as well as checking out the spark plug wires for damage. You would also inspect the rotor button and contacts within the distributor cap for burning and wear, and replace the cap as needed. Using a points file, you would touch up the point contacts, remove any transferred metal, lubricate the cam follower and adjust the points. Then you would start the engine and perform the dynamic or advanced timing procedure according to your vehicle manufacturer's specifications. You might need to adjust the idle speed after setting the timing, but generally you wouldn't need to adjust the carburetor further.

1. • Late-model engines don't use most of the components in the original procedure. However, the term has evolved along with the engines to include current technology. The spark plug and spark plug wire checks are still valid, along with the distributor, or ignition module terminal checks. Frequently, procedures such as fuel injector and intake component cleaning, air-filter replacement and PCV valve inspection fall under the tuneup umbrella, along with scans and tests designed to check the various sensors that supply the PCM with performance-related data.

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