How to Tune an Old Car
Cars require a lot of attention and maintenance in order to keep them functioning properly. A neglected vehicle can experience a variety of problems, and these problems mean expensive trips to the local mechanic and replacing internal parts. A car that has not been properly maintained will eventually become unusable, or even potentially dangerous to other drivers on the road. Many people choose to perform routine tune-ups on their car themselves. However, very few people actually do this properly. If you are going to perform a tune-up on an old car yourself, it is vital to be certain you are correctly performing this procedure.
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Things You'll Need
- Wrench
- Rotor
- Cap
- Plugs
- Dwell meter
- Timing light
- Engine manual
- White correction fluid
Instructions
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1
Inspect the machinery carefully before beginning the tune-up. Make sure there are no leaks, the cooling system is working, the battery is fully charged, the fuel system is clean, all the linkages (choke, accelerator, transmission shift) are moving smoothly and the wiring is in good condition.
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2
Find the dead center point on your balancer or pulley, and crank the engine until it reaches this point. Ensure that the distributor cap is pointed at the cylinder marked #1.
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3
Remove the old points, condenser and rotor. Suck on the vacuum hose so ensure that the vacuum advance plate is still moving smoothly. Use a wrench to loosen the distributor's hold-down screw and adjust the points to allow for a correct mechanical gap, which will be shown in your engine manual. Once complete, install the new rotor and cap.
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4
Remove the old spark plugs. Gap the new plugs and carefully install them without tightening them too hard. Secure the plug wires on them and ensure that the wires are positioned into the distributor cap and coil.
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5
Connect a dwell meter, making sure the red lead goes to the points side of the coil and the black clamps onto a ground point in the engine. Start the engine and take a measurement of the dwell angle. If the angle is not in the middle of the allowable range, move the point gaps until the desired range is realized.
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6
Using a timing light, set the timing by connecting the light and marking the proper timing position on the pulley. Following the instructions in your engine manual, make an easily visible mark with white correction fluid (from an office supply store) to indicate the timing position. After disconnecting the vacuum line, start the engine.
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7
Rotate the distributor while the engine is running until the timing mark lines up correctly with its pointer. Once it does, tighten the hold-down on the distributor.
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8
Warm up the engine and adjust the carburetor screws by turning them slowly clockwise until the engine starts to run rough. When it does, turn the screw back one turn and adjust the other screw until the engine runs smooth again.
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Set the engine idle speed according to your preference, and reattach all necessary components. Drive the car and check to make sure everything sounds smooth.
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