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What Is Involved in a Car Tune-Up?

What Is Involved in a Car Tune-Up?

Just as regular check-ups with your doctor can help you stay healthy for years to come, scheduling periodic tune-ups for your car will help engine performance. A tune-up is a maintenance procedure in which your mechanic will check and adjust all of the systems in your vehicle that affect its combustion process. If you want to keep your car in top-notch condition, running smoothly and avoiding breakdowns, you should schedule regular tune-ups with your mechanic. Considering their great importance, however, you might be wondering what is involved in a car tune-up. What happens when you drop your car off with your mechanic? Why does your vehicle need tune-ups at all? When should you schedule a tune-up? Let’s find out . . .

What Is Involved in a Car Tune-Up?

What Is Involved in a Car Tune-Up?

First of all, it’s important to note that tune-ups vary from auto shop to auto shop. Give your mechanic a call to learn exactly what will happen when you drop off your vehicle. At Seeburg Service Center, we thoroughly inspect the engine during a tune-up, replacing worn and faulty parts. For most newer vehicles, we reset the computers that control fuel-to-air mixture, replace the spark plugs, spark plug wires/coil boots, and clean the throttle body/intake area for efficient flow/fuel atomizing. SOME vehicles require an even deeper step. New GDI (Gasoline-Direct-Injection) vehicles work like a diesel engine, but use gasoline. These engines don’t mix the fuel and air together in the intake – as a result, massive amounts of ‘gunky’ buildup occur. This buildup must be removed from the intake, and the oiling system, to keep the engine from getting damaged. These basic procedures are always a part of the tune-up process, but we may perform additional maintenance as well, such as cleaning a high pressure fuel system (on a GDI engine), or cleaning a crankcase breathing system, or even changing an air filter. If you have specific concerns, discuss them with your mechanic so that they can be addressed during the tune-up.

Why Are Tune-Ups Necessary?

Your vehicle’s engine loses efficiency over time through basic usage. A tune-up provides maintenance to correct this loss, impacting your car’s fuel economy by 4-12%. Plus, a tune-up can prevent minor problems from turning into major issues. When you drive away from the auto shop, your car will have an improved performance, increased safety, and better fuel economy. By scheduling regular tune-ups, you’re investing in the long-term health of your car, and over time this should help you save both time and money. Think of it as a way to add extra years to the length of your cars engine life!

When Should I Schedule a Tune-Up?

To determine when to schedule a tune-up, keep track of your vehicle’s mileage. Your owner’s manual should include the manufacturer’s tune-up recommendations, so you’ll know which milestones mark the need for a tune-up. In addition, monitor your vehicle’s miles per gallon and watch for a decrease in efficiency. When the miles per gallon average falls by 10% or more, a tune-up should be conducted. If your car is old, pulls many heavy loads, or completes a lot of stop-and-go driving, it will require more frequent tune-ups than a typical car. Finally, if your car’s engine is acting strangely (frequent stalling, engine running roughly, difficulty starting the car), testing and diagnostics should be performed BEFORE DOING A TUNE-UP. Often, there are many other things that can create running problems such as these, that are not tune-up related.

Is your vehicle due for a tune-up? If you’re located in southwest Missouri or northwest Arkansas, give ASE-certified Seeburg Service Center a call. Our experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly mechanics would be happy to give your car a check-up by inspecting the engine, adjusting the fuel-to-air ratio, replacing worn or faulty parts, and more. To schedule a tune-up, minor maintenance, or a major repair, please schedule online today. We look forward to hearing from you!

2 thoughts on “What Is Involved in a Car Tune-Up?”

  1. Pingback: what is a tune up – Priority Articles

  2. Pingback: What mechanics may do as part of a tune up? - Enginnering Works

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