Car Tune Up Series

car tune upReal-World Mastery: Necessary Life Skills

May 6

Written By Speak up for Kids ADMIN

Replace Spark Plugs, Plug Wires, and other Ignition Parts (Key Engine Components).

Spark Plugs

Replace spark plugs and wires/coil boots. Your car’s ignition system consists of spark plugs, plug wires, coils, and other electrical components that create the air/fuel ignition for your car to run.
Spark plugs are small metallic objects with a metal tip or electrode. Due to high heat and electricity from the engine, they wear down from repeated use.
Signs of a worn spark plug are usually a misfire, or when the fuel and air in the cylinder fails to ignite.
When you are replacing a spark plug, you should use the same plug recommended for your model of vehicle. Look at your owners manual to see what spark plug your car uses.
Lightly apply some anti-seize on the threads of the plugs before you install them. DO NOT GET THE ANTI SEIZE ON ANYWHERE BUT THE THREADS.

Let the engine run with new filters

Engine Air Filter

Your engine air filter filters out gallons of air for every gallon of fuel. This will clog over time.
A clogged air filter will limit performance, but it won’t limit Miles Per Gallon on a fuel injected engine.
If you have a carbureted engine, it can reduce your Miles per Gallon at about 2-6% or up to 14%.

Cabin Air Filter

Some car models have cabin air filtration that needs to be replaced to make sure the air inside the car is clean.
Dirty cabin air filters can lead to harmful contaminants getting into your car.

Oil Filter

Dirty oil in your oil filter leads to wear and tear on your internal engine parts.
Your oil filter filters contaminants out of your car. If not replaced after a while, it can clog.
Worst case scenario, it can lead to high oil pressure and clogging.
You should replace your oil filter regularly at the recommended intervals, read your owners manual to see when it should be replaced.

Fuel Filter

A dirty fuel filter and a contaminated fuel tank can lead to clogging in your fuel filter and low fuel pressure.
Your fuel filter should be replaced along with every oil change.

PCV Valve

Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve. It can get clogged if there’s carbon build up.
PCV Valve failure can cause your engine to consume oil at a faster rate than normal, poor fuel condition, engine misfires, and even blow your gasket.

Keep Your Auxiliary Systems In Check With New Belts and Hoses.

Serpentine Belt

Your serpentine belt is a series of pulleys that is located at the front of your engine.
Your serpentine belt will wear down and you will need to replace it.
Look at your belt for any signs of cracks, fraying, fluid contamination, and other signs of damage.

Belt Tensioner

Your belt tensioner helps to maintain a correct belt tension for your car.
If you have a weak belt tensioner, this will cause premature belt wear on your car.
Tight or sticking belt tensioners will result in wear and tear to your water pump.
Turn the belt off, rotate the tensioner through the arc of travel. Normally it should give firm tension.
Check your idler and tensioner pulley while the belt is off too. Make sure you look at any accessory pulleys for a good rotation. If you hear any rough noise, replace them.

Timing Belt

Your timing belt is what controls the internal timing mechanisms on your engines. The timing belt has a lifespan of 80,000 to 100,000 miles. Then it has to be replaced. You should replace it at the recommended lifespan.
This can cause terrible damage to your engine.
Look for leaks and other signs of damage.

Hoses

Your radiator hose and other heater hoses transfer coolant throughout your engine and radiator in order to manage heat from the engine.
The radiator hose is going to be made from rubber usually and sustain wear and tear. Look for leaks, cracks, bumps, bulges, and other signs of damage in your hose. Make sure your engine is off and cool, you can press on the hose to look for signs of damage.
Look at your hose clamps for any sign of damage or loss of tension. DO NOT DO THIS WHILE THE ENGINE IS HOT OR RUNNING.
If you have a poor hose, it could fail and make your engine overheat. This can cause serious damage to your engine.

Maintain Your Car With The Right Fluids

Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid. The required fluids to keep your car running.

Motor Oil

Through repeated use, your oil circulates through your engine and is thus exposed to heat and pressure. This will cause your oil to get contaminated.
Use an oil filter will prevent larger particles from being recirculated.
Take out and replace your oil filter when doing an oil change.
You should replace your motor oil at the recommended mileage/time interval that the manufacturer recommends. Look at your owners manual.

Coolant

Your engine’s coolant system prevents your engine from overheating in the summer and from freezing in the winter.
Engine coolant will break down overtime and become contaminated from repeated use. This leads to degradation of your coolant system.
To improve your car’s cooling system, flush your cooling system with a flush product that can remove debris from your cooling system.
Read your owner’s manual to see which coolant will work best with your vehicle.
Mix your coolant with water or a pre-mixed product.

Brake Fluid

You need brake fluid, without it your car will not stop.
Brake fluid will absorb moisture from the air. This moisture makes it so that your brakes won’t work as well.
Signs that your fluid needs replacing is dark and muddy fluid (hygroscopic contamination).
Brake fluid should be replaced for fresh fluid. Let the brake system run through the while system to see if it runs clean.
You should change your brake fluid every 2 years or so.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

One of the telltale signs that you need to change your transmission fluid is if it's BROWN. If your transmission fluid has a muddy look to it or smells burnt, you need to bring it into a mechanic.
Read your owner's manual to know when you should change out your transmission fluid.

Power Steering Fluid

Repeated use over time can cause wear and tear to the power steering pump.
Your power steering fluid should NOT appear muddy, as it should be around the Maximum and Minimum levels in the reservoir.
Look at your owner’s manual for the right fluid type to use and the correct change intervals.

Set ignition timing - if applicable
Replace engine air filter
Replace fuel filter - if applicable
Clean the throttle body - if applicable
Perform a fuel system cleaning
Replace distributor cap and rotor - if applicable
Replace PCV valve - if applicable

Clean and Degrease: With a regular garden hose or something similar, lightly spray the bike and scrub the frame of the bike. Make sure not to spray TOO HARD on the frame of the bike. This is just to remove simple dirt and debris. Use degreasers that are specially designed for bikes such as WD-40 Bike Greaser. Do this regularly and let the degreaser sit and settle for 5-10 minutes.
Safety Check: The safety check is an important aspect of the bike maintenance and tune up process. Properly inspect all parts of the bike.

Frame and Fork: Properly inspect the frame and fork of the bike, make sure that there are no serious scratches, dents, rust spots, and other damage to the Frame and Fork.

Cockpit: Inspect the handlebars of the bike to make sure there are no cracks in the handlebars. Also make sure that the underside and saddle aren’t cracked. Use a torque wrench.

Wheels: Properly look at your wheels to make sure that there are no tears or cuts in the tires. Make sure that the tires are properly inflated. Hold the wheels and move them side to side to look for loose hubs in the wheels.

Brakes: Make sure that your brake pads have proper alignment. An important part of brake inspection is to make sure that your brakes don’t have significant wear and tear on them. If your brakes are on your handlebars. Make sure that the brakes don’t let you touch the handlebar.

Drivetrain: Your drivetrain is your bike chain, one of the key parts that makes your bike work. It's important that you make sure it is working properly. Spin your bike chain to look for any skips in the chain. Use a Chain Checker to go over the chain to see any wear and tear.

Check the Condition of Wipers

Check your wipers every six months and replace them once a year. If you live in a particularly sandy or dusty area such as the beach (more rural areas of Florida like Plantation or Belle Glade), you will need to replace your wipers more often.

When you inspect your wipers, lift the arm of the wiper and thoroughly inspect the rubber of the blades for any wear and tear (do this for both wipers). Once you’re done, put them back on the glass.

If you need to replace your wipers:

Measure both the blades with a tape measure. You want an exact length.
Look at your owners manual to get an exact measurement of your wipers.

Tip: You should always measure both of your blades. The passenger side window wiper is usually a different size than on the driver's side. You should also look at the measurements of your back windshield wiper (if your car has one).

2 Remove your old windshield wiper

Make sure that your car is off and parked (engage your emergency brake).

Fully extend the arm of the windshield wiper, it needs to be fully extended.
At the bottom of the wiper blade (where the blade meets the arm), look for small tabs or buttons.
Push the tab or button and pull the center of the wiper blade towards the bottom of the arm.
Gently slide the blade off the arm.
If you’re a beginner you should replace one blade at a time. Just in case you need to look at a properly installed blade for personal reference.

Be careful of bare wipers with your glass, if you let the wiper slap against your windshield, the metal could crack your windshield.

3 Properly Line Up Your New Windshield Wiper Blade

After you have removed the old wipers, look at the new wipers. You will see a plastic clip on the side that attaches to the wiper’s arm.
Hold the wiper blade upside down and line up the hook shaved curve of the wiper arm with the curved top end of the new wiper.

4 Attach the New Blades to Your Windshield

Move the hook on the wiper’s arm over the plastic clip on your new wiper.
Pull the windshield wiper up so that the clip’s edge properly slides into place.
Pull tightly so that the entire plastic assembly on the new wiper clicks properly into place.
Gently place the arm down against the windshield and check to make sure the entire blade touches the glass.
Repeat the process for your other wiper blade.

5 Test Your New Wiper Blades

Spray a garden hose on your windshield or use your wiper fluid to see if the new wiper blades are working as they should be.

You must connect jumper cable clamps securely and in the correct sequence to reduce risk of personal injury or damaging the car’s electrical system.
After jump-starting the car, disconnect the cables in reverse order and drive the vehicle for 20 minutes to allow the alternator to charge the jumped battery.
Cars that won’t jump-start might need a new battery or a new starter.
Do not attempt to jump the battery if it is cracked or leaking.

SAFETY FIRST

Park your car on a flat and dry surface. Make sure that your car is off. Then open your hood. Make sure that you have the correct air filter that fits into your car. Check your owners manual and consult with an auto shop to make sure that you have the right air filter for your car.

FIND THE HOUSING

Find the air filter housing in your car. The airbox is usually found near the engine along a duct that travels from the front of the car. Older cars' (with carburetion) air filters tend to be more bulky with a round cover that's either metal or plastic. New cars that have fuel injection, their air filter is usually more square or rectangle shaped, found slightly off between the engine and the grille.

REMOVE AND CLEAN FILTER AND HOUSING

Remove the old air filter and any debris in the air filter. With a screwdriver, take all the screws out of the air filter cover, and then remove the air filter. Make sure you keep all the screws you took out in order so you can screw the air filter cover back into place. Consult your owners manual as to how the air filter is installed in your car, because you’ll need to replicate it.

INSTALL NEW AIR FILTER

Install the new air filter. Match the direction and placement of the old housing. Close the air filter housing and secure it the way it was before.

Edited by TN