Car Tuning 101

Your car should find a tune-up, or significant provider, every 30,000 miles. And, this could be the most effective preventative care tip a car owner could get. The components of a fantastic tune-up will check into and replace all of the things which cause ordinary wear and tear on your vehicle. If tune-ups are overlooked, this may lead to harm and additional issues that cost far more than a tune-up. Additionally, tune-ups can provide you better gas mileage. On top of that, tune-ups can be performed by yourself, saving you the high price of labor.

Here are the things you'll have to do as you tune your own car, in addition to an explanation why it's strongly advised.

1. Fuel Filter- You may wish to replace your fuel filter. Dirty fuel filters may result in difficulty starting the vehicle, can restrict the motor, and cause the car to lose power.

2. Sparkplugs and sparkplug wires- you may wish to replace them, as poor plugs can rob your car of fuel efficiency and also remove from drivability. Bad spark plugs can even trigger disputes, meaning a costly tow. Bad wires can also cause problems. (See our article on this procedure )

3. Distributor cap and rotor- these two components are typically made from plastic, so they deteriorate with age and use and cracks can grow, allowing moisture in. Due to this, metal contacts on both can corrode, which causes misfiring.

4. Valves- you may wish to check and adjust your valves as needed. Additionally, you may wish to replace the valve-cover gasket, particularly once you see oil on the surface of your engine.

5. Belts- you may wish to look at all your belts to be certain that they're not worn. If they show signs of extreme wear and tear (fraying, tension) you can replace these too.

6. Air filter- A dirty air filter blocks airflow into the motor, which makes it work harder. This leads to a decline in horsepower and fuel economy.

7. Fluids- check all your fluid levels beneath the hood. If any seem to be thirsty, give them exactly what they need. (Transmission, brake, etc.)

8. Battery- give your battery a cleanup. (see our article on this procedure )

9. PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation)- this should be replaced as a clogged breather filter prevents the PCV from siphoning the blow-by gases and moisture created by engine combustion. This causes oil breakdown and sludge buildup.

The preceding nine hints will be the usual for tune-ups. When giving your car a once-over, you might also need to test your brakes, wiper blades, lights and other gauges. Also, while much of the aforementioned components can be changed using a significant service every couple of years, from time to time, you might have to replace one or more as a standalone project. However, all in all, after this guide will keep you with a smooth, dependable ride!.