How to Tune-up Your Car

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Sockets
Spark Plug socket
Plug Gapper
Ratchet
New Spark Plugs and Wires
New air filter
Can of Gas Cleaner
Wire Brushes
Screwdriver

Step 1

The most important part of a tune-up is changing the plugs and plug wires. These are easy to locate: They are the large rubber wires that come out of your engine and go either to a distributer cap or electronic timing module. If you pull one off where it connects to your engine you will see the spark plug buried in a hole. Always do your plugs and wires ONE AT A TIME so you get them back in the right firing order. You will need a spark plug socket to get the old plug out and put the new one in. These sockets differ from regular sockets in that they have a rubber ring inside of them to hold the plug in place. They generally come in two sizes. The smaller size is for most vehicles while the larger size is for some trucks. Some plugs are rather hard to get to. For this I suggest extensions and swivel heads for your ratchet. There is nothing you can't reach with the right combination of swivel head and extension. Find the right fit for your engine's configuration and remove the first spark plug.
Step 2

Putting the new plug in is only slightly different than taking it out. You first have to gap it. You can get a cheap gapper just about anywhere. It's a little metal circle with numbers on it and it usually has a hole to use on a key chain. The auto parts store can tell you what the gap is. Just slide the plug up on the gapper until it reaches that number. NOTE: Some plugs have 4 prongs instead of 1 and don't need to be gapped. After the plug is correctly gapped screw it back in until it's hand tight. Then use the ratchet to give it another 1/4 turn. NEVER OVER-TIGHTEN spark plugs. They will break and be very hard to get out. Once the new plug is in, snap the appropriate plug wire onto it. Pay attention to your plug wires! They are usually all slightly different in length. Match them up to make sure you're using the right wire on the right cylinder. Trace the old wire, guiding the new one to your distributer or timing module. Unsnap the old one where it connects and connect the new one. Repeat these steps with every plug and wire ONE AT A TIME. If your car has a distributer cap, you sill want to change that and the rotor button that is under it. Most vehicles today are fuel injected and the timing modules last a lot longer, so you probably won't have to worry about that part.
Step 3

When you've replaced all of your plugs and wires, the rest of the tune-up is cake. Change your air filter next. It is located in a box that is usually secured with either clips or screws and has a large air hose coming from it. These boxes and hoses are almost always black and easy to find. In some vans you may have to take other pieces off or the battery out to reach it, but usually the air filter is very easy to get to. Take out the screws or pop the clips up (there are usually 4) and lift the box's cover. You sill see your air filter in the box. If it looks dirty it probably needs changed. The more air that gets through your filter, the better the air to fuel ratio will be and the better your vehicle will run. When engines run at their optimal fuel to air ratio they use less gas. Put a new air filter in and re-secure the box. You've just saved yourself money on your gas expense.
Step 4

Now you will want to ad a can of gas cleaner to help get impurities out of your fuel. Gas straight from the pump can contain impurities and the longer it sits in your tank the more dirt and water it can pick up. Dirt and water are both bad for your fuel injectors and cause you to use more gas. They can also cause your car to run like its going to die or cause it to quit running. Fuel cleaner is also referred to as 'dry gas' because it gets water out of your fuel. I usually use STP Fuel Cleaner. It comes in a red plastic bottle and only costs a few dollars. It can be added to every tank of gas, but you should use it at least every six months or so. Refer to the bottle for instructions and to determine how much gas a can will treat. Gas cleaner is usually added to a full tank and it usually requires the entire bottle.
Step 5

Next, inspect and clean your battery terminals. Wal-Mart offers a battery service in their Tire and Lube section, but you can buy a can of the same stuff they use for the price of one treatment. There are two cans that look like spray paint cans. One foams up and can be washed off. The other looks like red spray paint. Leave the second one on- it will protect against further corrosion. A cheaper way to clean your terminals is to take them off and use a wire brush to take off any corrosion. Be careful when working around batteries. Try not to get your face directly over it and always wash your hands afterwards. Once the battery is clean, you've completed a simple tune-up. Your vehicle should get a little better gas mileage and your vehicle should run a little better.

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on 4/17/2009 Great article ....keep up the good work...I gave you 5 Stars and RR on 5 of your articles,very informational...ty ...Please return the favor..Al