Video: How to Perform a Tuneup

How to Perform a Tuneup

A tuneup is something that should be performed on a vehicle as a part of regular maintenance in order to maintain good fuel economy and performance. Perform a tuneup by replacing spark plugs, air filters and more with help from an ASE-certified master automobile technician in this free video on car tuneups.

Video Transcript

Today we are going to talk about the procedures for doing a typical tune up in an automobile today. A tune up is something that should be performed as regular maintenance in your car to maintain good fuel economy, good performance, and low emissions. A typical tune up starts with replacing the spark plugs. Spark plugs are a wear item, and should be replaced at intervals somewhere between twenty-five and one hundred thousand miles. The next part of the procedure would be to inspect other ignition components such as distributor cap, rotor, and ignition cables for signs of arcing or carbon tracks. If there's any signs of arcing or carbon tracks these items should be replaced as well. They are not always replaced, just that there suspected to have some sort of a problem. The procedure then proceeds to replacing filters such as the fuel filter, the air filter, and if it has one the breather element. An emission control device called a positive crank case ventilation valve would also typically be replaced at this time. Then we proceed to the actually tuning part of a tune up. The vehicle is started, brought to normal engine operating temperature, and then we can begin to make the adjustments. Typically the first adjustment that ends up being made is setting ignition timing. After the ignition timing has been set, then we proceed to adjustments of the carburetor if it has one. At which time it is started by setting base idle speed, then proceeding to adjust idle mixture, re-checking idle speed, and then checking fast idle speed. If your vehicle has been built since 1981 chances are the vehicle is equipped with a computer that operates the engine. On vehicles like this many of the adjustments that we have talked about are not necessary. On vehicles that are computer controlled timing, idle speed, and other items as far as idle mixture are typically adjusted ten times a second by your vehicle computer. So the procedure does vary depending on what type of a system you have.

How to Perform a Tuneup

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