How to Tune-Up a Car Yourself

Tuning up a car isn't as difficult as some people think. Read your owner's manual to understand the basics. Properly maintaining your vehicle will insure that it lasts a long time. Doing it yourself will not only save you money, it can provide a great deal of satisfaction.
Keep in mind that this article describes a total servicing, way more than a simple 'tune-up' at the local garage!

Things You'll Need:
* Gumout Carburetor & Fuel Injector Cleaner
* Fuel Filter
* Air Filter
* PCV Filter
* Oil Filter
* Synthetic Oil
* Spark Plugs & Plug Wires
* Distributor Cap & Rotor (if equipped)
* zMax Engine Formula (micro-lubricant)

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1. Start off by cleaning as much varnish as you can from the fuel system. Use Gumout Carburetor & Fuel Injector Cleaner in the tank. This cleans the gas tank & fuel lines leading to and including the Carburetor or Fuel Injectors. Plan it so that you burn at least one treated tank full before performing the rest of the tune-up.
For a personal alternate fuel system cleaner, read my related article How to mix your own Fuel Additive.

2. Replace the fuel filter, PCV & air filters after cleaning the fuel system. Use quality filters such as Fram filters or K&N.
Since you have the breather open at this point, spray clean the throttle & choke plates of the carburetor, intake manifold or throttle body with Gumout carburetor cleaner. Spray clean the MAF sensor with CRC (Mass Air Flow sensor) cleaner. Closely inspect all vacuum lines, fuel lines, brake lines, electrical wiring, belts and hoses for wear, cracks, heat damage and rodent chews. Replace or repair as necessary. Top off the brake fluid, power steering and windshield washer fluids. Use a hydrometer to check the strength of your anti-freeze. If it is dirty or weak, go ahead and flush the coolant system, refilling with at least a 50/50 mix. Prestone makes a good choice.

3. Removing carbon build-up is another important step of any tune-up, especially for a vehicle typically driven short distances at low speeds. Carbon build up can cause burnt valves, premature wear on valve seals, oil burning, loss of compression/power and hot spots on piston heads. Perform a simple, non invasive steam cleaning. With the engine at operating temperature, open the air cleaner to access the intake. Grab a 16-20 ounce bottle of water, remove the cap and hold your thumb over the opening. Increase engine speed to about 2,000 RPM by moving the throttle linkage. Slowly, and I mean slowly, drizzle water into the intake. The engine will start to bog down. Stop the water and maintain the idle speed until it picks back up. Repeat this process until you empty the bottle. Take the vehicle out on the road and drive it a few miles. Hit the highway. This will insure that all the moisture and loosened carbon deposits have been removed. You could also treat your gas and engine oil with zMax or Lucas micro-lubricants to remove and prevent carbon buildup.

4. Inspect the Battery terminals. You can dissolve crusty build up with a little bit of water and baking soda. Be careful not to allow any to enter the vent caps or to short out both terminals together. Remove the Negative first, and reconnect it last. Dry the terminals and battery posts with a shop rag, then clean them using a battery terminal brush. Spray coat the terminals with Permatex Battery Protector & Sealer or apply petroleum jelly, after tightening, to protect them from the elements.

5. Move on to the ignition system. Start by replacing the spark plugs & plug wires. Bosch Platinum+2 plugs and Accel plug wire sets are good choices. If you have trouble with a seized plug or two, follow the link in the resource area to a related article. Inspect and replace the Distributor Cap and Rotor. For you classic car owners, replace the points and set the dwell. Some newer vehicles have a 'Distributor-less Ignition' system which has no Cap or Rotor and eliminates maintenance.

6. Adjust the timing. Unless you have a Classic car, a computer controls your ignition timing. When replacing a Distributor these days, simply line up the marks and lock it down. For the Classic car owner, knowing how to use a timing light is essential. Disconnect and plug the vacuum advance, set the idle to the required RPM at operating temperature, loosen the hold down clamp and gently rotating the distributor until the strobe indicates the spark at the proper point (usually advanced 8-10 degrees before TDC), then tighten the clamp. Wear a pair of insulated neoprene gloves to protect yourself against stray ignition voltage. A damaged plug or coil wire, or a cracked cap could send 40,000+ volts through you as you adjust the distributor.

7. Adjust your air/fuel ratio at this point. Since the greater majority of 'Classics' have carburetors, you might have more than one mixture screw. If needed, drill and remove factory installed caps to access them. With the engine running at operating temperature, slowly turn each screw clockwise one at a time until the engine just starts to idle rough. Then back each screw out half a turn. Referred to as a 'Lean Best' setting, this will give you the best MPG under most operating conditions. Adjust richer, if you are willing to sacrifice MPG for power.

8. Change the oil & oil filter. Up-size your oil filter whenever you have room enough in the engine compartment. Just match the bottom plate. For example, all three filters in the photo have a 2-C plate. They all have the same thread and seal, meaning you could use any one of them. Look at the difference in length! However, look closely at the filter designated for your vehicle; if your filter mounts to the side of the block, it likely has a built-in one-way check valve which prevents oil from draining out once the engine is turned off. This 'priming' of the filter ensures the quicker flow of lubrication on restart, reducing wear.
The point is NOT to extend your regular engine oil change intervals, but rather to keep your oil cleaner with more filter element. An added benefit is the additional transfer heat through the longer canister surface. This helps reduce thermal breakdown.
Castrol Syntec (Synthetic Oil) makes a great choice. No matter which brand you choose you should stick with it. Use the proper viscosity for optimum protection in your climate. Refer to your Owner's manual. Treat your oil with zMax or Lucas micro-lubricants help to keep your engine clean of carbon buildup.

9. *Side note:
If you have a computer controlled engine and have disconnected the battery, as mentioned in Step 4, the ECM may go into 'Open Loop' also known as 'Limp Mode.' The computers' memory cleared and it will temporarily enrich the air/fuel mixture while it compiles information received from its' control sensors. This relearning process usually takes no more than 5 minutes. During this period drive your vehicle normally, without jackrabbit starts or sudden stops.

Tips
* Warm up your engine first, then shut it off before changing the oil. Warm oil is more viscous, removes more sediment and will drain faster.
* Be sure that the old oil seal came off with the filter & wet the new one with clean oil before installing.
* Upgrade your oil drain plug to one containing a magnet to capture and remove metallic particles.
* Using a Sharpie, write the date and mileage of your oil change directly onto the filter, as a reference.
* Tighten by hand only, otherwise the oil filter will seize and be VERY difficult to remove next time.
* Use compressed air to clean any dirt or rust from the Spark Plug ports before removing and installing new Plugs to insure that they seat properly.
* As a finishing touch to your tune up, check and adjust the air pressure in your tires in accordance to the rating found on the sidewall.

Warnings
* Properly dispose of any and all waste oil and fluids at a recycle center.
* Anti-Freeze is toxic to humans and animals when ingested.
* While under the hood with the engine running, be mindful of loose clothing around moving parts.
* Do not use an extended length Oil Filter where it would extend beyond the engine's drain pan or not be protected by a skid plate under off road conditions.

Copyright 12/26/2008 All Rights Reserved. Questions? Comments? Contact Me
Photo Credit: http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com/2007/07/chevrolet-corvette-roadster.html

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