Can somebody tell me what a tune-up consist of? What exactly is done? Some say spark plug replacements and some say more. Anybody??
What Does A "tune Up" Consist Of?
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The definition varies. The big drivers are the year, miles and what has already been done recently.
Basics are plugs, cap, rotor, inspect & lube the drive train (OIL, Lube Filter) (engine, transmission, transfer, drive shafts & differentials), check the brake pads & rotors, check the fluid quantity and quality in the brakes & steering, check tire preassure & wear & rotate, change or clean (some factory ones) the air filter, check & top the radiator with matching coolant, change the wiper blades, vac the interior, wash it.
The advanced class gets to throw in testing for driveline slop/clunk, wheel bearing tension, head gasket symptoms with Blackstone reports, changing the fuel filter, cleaning the sock, checking the AC charge, completely flush and fill the coolant system, check the toe, check rotor run out and lube the antenna.
What did I miss?
The definition varies. The big drivers are the year, miles and what has already been done recently.
Basics are plugs, cap, rotor, inspect & lube the drive train (OIL, Lube Filter) (engine, transmission, transfer, drive shafts & differentials), check the brake pads & rotors, check the fluid quantity and quality in the brakes & steering, check tire preassure & wear & rotate, change or clean (some factory ones) the air filter, check & top the radiator with matching coolant, change the wiper blades, vac the interior, wash it.
The advanced class gets to throw in testing for driveline slop/clunk, wheel bearing tension, head gasket symptoms with Blackstone reports, changing the fuel filter, cleaning the sock, checking the AC charge, completely flush and fill the coolant system, check the toe, check rotor run out and lube the antenna.
What did I miss?
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I agree the the "Grench". use bosch wires if possible.
use all OEM parts from cdan
yeah, Cdan is awesome. i got my valve cover gasket, spark plug gaskets, throttle body gasket, spark plugs, spark plug wires, dist. cap and rotor, and air filter in 2 days!!!
now the only problem I have is that my OLD spark plug gaskets are stuck, hardened and flaking apart in my valve cover....i read on here where pple just chip them out with a hammer and screw driver...ugh
so i guess that is what i am doing tomorrow...
now the only problem I have is that my OLD spark plug gaskets are stuck, hardened and flaking apart in my valve cover....i read on here where pple just chip them out with a hammer and screw driver...ugh
so i guess that is what i am doing tomorrow...
- Thread starter
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Cdan?
NO. Use OEM ignition parts. If you "noticed a difference" when you put on Bosch plug wires, then you needed new plug wires to begin with.
PCV valve and grommet and a valve adjust if it hasn't been done in a while on a 3FE, which includes a new valve cover gasket and new valve cover bolt grommets.
A tune up is commonly refered to just doing what is needed for the engine. A service is what you are referring to when you start listing other work needed. So that said, a tune up is usually cap, rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wire, air filter(if needed), fuel filter (if needed), adjust timing. (back in the old days would also include points, adjusting the valves and in more modern engines would only include spark plugs, fuel and air filter).
As for the valve cover, it is a service item, not really associated with a tune up, but a service item. I use only OEM parts and they last the longest and give the best value(IMHO). As for the spark plug tube seals, I do not use a screw driver, but a toe and heal bar. there are seal pullers that work well also. The screw drive is OK but not really meant for prying or beating on.
Service would be lube and oils, seals(engine, drive train, brake, P/S), include either adjusting the wheel bearing or repack the bearings, or replacing parts. All this is listed in either your owners manual or a field service manual. I you do not have either you may want to purchase the FSM and go to basing lineing (doing all the service work you can afford to do at the time) that way you can then keep a record of the work and when it was performed.
Good luck, robbie
As for the valve cover, it is a service item, not really associated with a tune up, but a service item. I use only OEM parts and they last the longest and give the best value(IMHO). As for the spark plug tube seals, I do not use a screw driver, but a toe and heal bar. there are seal pullers that work well also. The screw drive is OK but not really meant for prying or beating on.
Service would be lube and oils, seals(engine, drive train, brake, P/S), include either adjusting the wheel bearing or repack the bearings, or replacing parts. All this is listed in either your owners manual or a field service manual. I you do not have either you may want to purchase the FSM and go to basing lineing (doing all the service work you can afford to do at the time) that way you can then keep a record of the work and when it was performed.
Good luck, robbie
If you go to jiffy lube or meineke, a tune up is probably 6 spark plugs and an oil change.
If you want to know what you should do (or have done) for a tuneup, there is good advice in the previous posts.
If you want to know what you should do (or have done) for a tuneup, there is good advice in the previous posts.
When my FZJ goes in the shop for work, she gets an engine diagnostic (w/print-out)... before anything else happens... (even though I do my own tune-ups)
As for spark plugs/wires - Toyota or NGK.
As for spark plugs/wires - Toyota or NGK.
I generally agree with GRENCH. But in reality the tune-up went the way of points ignition in the mind of a pro at about the same time that points went away. (Remember points?, then you are getting old!) Tune-up refers to working over the ignition system on a car in which the system would not last much more than 3000 miles without attention. We have come a long way since then! The term is still used by limited lube shops to sell work that is rarely needed. Manufacturers recommend a general service at every "X" thousand miles that covers the whole vehicle. The engine is a small part of it. The servicing costs more and takes care of the whole vehicle, not just the ignition. It is needed at much longer intervals, and overall is less expensive. The "tune-up" part of the service consists of replacing the plugs and chipping the deposits off of the contacts inside the distributor cap. We check the cap for cracks and rinse out the dust. We check or replace the rotor. That is it! We don't even replace the plugs in an 80 if it has the right ones in it. 80's run Platinums or Iridiums which run 60,000 to 120,000 miles. We just take them out, look at them, lube the threads and put them back. For this you pay how much?
The down side is that the shop feels the need to "do" something for the money, so they put in new plugs. They throw away your factory platinum plugs and put in a spanking new set of junk from Champion or Autolite. Don't even go there!
The down side is that the shop feels the need to "do" something for the money, so they put in new plugs. They throw away your factory platinum plugs and put in a spanking new set of junk from Champion or Autolite. Don't even go there!
I mostly use independent shops, I found a good shop in the 1980's and am still going to them. The charge is usually 1 hour labor, or is part of the service.
I dug up an old "Smart Engine Analyzer Computer Diagnostic Report Technical Summary" I had done in '98.
(So this is old..)-Cranking Systems Analysis
-Charging Systems Analysis
-Ignition Primary System Analysis
-Timing Systems Analysis
-Ignition Secondary System Analysis
-Cylinder Power Analysis
-Idle Fuel System Analysis
-Cruise RPM Fuel System Analysis
What is wrong with bosch wires? I'd bet that all aftermarket wires are going to meet the ohm specs.
I replaced some spark plug wires on my lexus ls400 with some duralast wires (autozone)the other day and the car runs good and probably will for 100,000 more miles. There is no sense in paying inflated prices for oem wires. There is no sense in replacing wires which meet the ohm specs unless something else is wrong with them.
I replaced some spark plug wires on my lexus ls400 with some duralast wires (autozone)the other day and the car runs good and probably will for 100,000 more miles. There is no sense in paying inflated prices for oem wires. There is no sense in replacing wires which meet the ohm specs unless something else is wrong with them.
Aftermarket wires are great, thats why toyota spent so much money on their inferior design when they could have sourced the aftermarket ones. Same goes with brake pads etc, why use oem when ya can go get some from autozone and not pay inflated prices for them.
for newbs, the above is sarcasm, some things you get what you pay for.
Years ago I went down the dark path of aftermarket components. Had some Jacobs heavy duty 8mm wires. Worked great for the first year. All plug boots had completely seized to the plugs. After hours spent trying to do a simple plug change, I had to cut them all off. That was money well spent.
Did platinum plugs which failed 3 months after installing them (not at the same time as the wires BTW). The electrodes were completely disintegrated.
Had an aftermarket rotor and cap once that failed when the center contact wore out in a few months.
Did Rancho HD OffRoad front brake pads with a lifetime warranty. Wore down to the backing plate in 1/3 the time as OEM. Apparently the squeal tabs rotted out and fell off because it turned into a lathe while my wife was driving. Had to get new rotors and I didn't know how to do that myself at the time. That was nice trip to the local dealer.
Had a K&N air filter for a while too. Did my own testing with a smear of Vaseline to catch particles downstream of the filter. Threw that in the trash as well.
Let's talk about NAPA alternators and aftermarket fan clutches, shall we. You get pretty good at swapping out parts using those.
After a while even I was able to learn that OEM products are far superior to anything out there. I believe there is a reason why they cost more and I'm OK with that. You get what you pay for. Funny thing is that once you make friends with John Hocker or C-Dan or whoever your favorite parts guru is, OEM parts really don't cost too much more, they come right to your door, and they always fit.
Did platinum plugs which failed 3 months after installing them (not at the same time as the wires BTW). The electrodes were completely disintegrated.
Had an aftermarket rotor and cap once that failed when the center contact wore out in a few months.
Did Rancho HD OffRoad front brake pads with a lifetime warranty. Wore down to the backing plate in 1/3 the time as OEM. Apparently the squeal tabs rotted out and fell off because it turned into a lathe while my wife was driving. Had to get new rotors and I didn't know how to do that myself at the time. That was nice trip to the local dealer.
Had a K&N air filter for a while too. Did my own testing with a smear of Vaseline to catch particles downstream of the filter. Threw that in the trash as well.
Let's talk about NAPA alternators and aftermarket fan clutches, shall we. You get pretty good at swapping out parts using those.
After a while even I was able to learn that OEM products are far superior to anything out there. I believe there is a reason why they cost more and I'm OK with that. You get what you pay for. Funny thing is that once you make friends with John Hocker or C-Dan or whoever your favorite parts guru is, OEM parts really don't cost too much more, they come right to your door, and they always fit.