How Do I Tune Up My Car?

Most vehicles have ignition systems and a throttle bore. The vehicle's ignition system is the component that ignites the fuel air mixture inside the combustion chamber. When an ignition system fails, it can cause various symptoms such as stalling, rough engine under power, service engine light (check engine) and complete engine shut down. Be sure to keep your vehicle's engine and fuel system clean to assure the proper operation of your vehicle. The step by step instruction below is characteristic of today's ignition and air intake systems. Most vehicles today need a tune up every 35,000 to 65,000 miles depending on driving conditions. Before starting determine which tune up parts are needed. Inspect the particular system on your car or truck then purchase the appropriate parts to complete the job.
READ COMPLETELY BEFORE STARTING!

Step 1 - Identify Throttle Bore (air intake plate and bore)

Cleaned Throttle Body
Most vehicles have an air intake system that will become clogged with air contaminants that the air filter cannot keep out of the system. This condition is called "coking" and can cause stalling as well as variable idle condition and poor mileage. The throttle bore in this illustration has been cleaned for visual purposes. Usually the throttle bore and plate are coated with a dark light tar that needs to be cleaned with every tune up.

Step 2 - Cleaning the Throttle Bore and Throttle Plate (air intake plate and bore)

Most vehicles have a throttle cable that can be held open to help with the cleaning procedure. Open the throttle bore and with a cleaning towel and cleaner, (rubbing alcohol works well) continue cleaning until the throttle bore and plate are clean.

Step 3 - Identify Tune Up Components

Most vehicles have two kinds of ignition systems. The first is DIS (distributor less ignition system) and COS (coil over spark plug) no spark plug wires. If you can't identify which system you have, follow this link to get the right system for your car (car repair manuals). Confirm your vehicle to determine the tune up parts needed. A typical tune up includes spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter, spark plug wires, distributor cap and ignition rotor. You must determine which parts are needed before you start.

Step 4 - Remove Plug Wire Retainer Guide

Remove the spark plug wires retainer clip(s). These are important in keeping the plug wires separated and controlled to avoid any contact with undesirable components (exhaust manifold, drive belts etc). Clean and inspect the spark plug wire separators for reinstallation.

Step 5 - Remove Plug Wires

Remove the spark plug boot end and twist the boot to break the airtight seal created round the plug wire boot. Then gently pull the spark plug wire from the spark plug. Remove the plug wire from the coil terminal. It is important to change the spark plugs and wires ONE AT A TIME to make sure you don't get the wires mixed up.

Step 6 - Matching to Replace Plug Wires

Remove all plug wires from the packaging, straighten them out and organize the plug wires from largest to shortest. Match up spark plug wires by length and reinstall one at a time.

Step 7 - Remove Spark Plug

Next, remove debris from the spark plug hole, (canned air works best) then use a socket wrench and spark plug socket to loosen and remove spark plug (counter clockwise). Inspect spark plug for damage.

Step 8 - Replace Spark Plug

Remove the spark plug from the box or container and inspect the new plug for damage that could have occurred in shipping. A spark plug has a porcelain isolator that is fragile and can crack easily. Next inspect the spark plug gap using a spark plug gap checker. The "air gap" should be measured as per manufacturer specifications. Most plug gaps are between .035 and .045 thousands of an inch. This gap is important because it determines the amount of resistance used to "time" the system. An incorrect spark plug gap will result in poor running, low power, poor mileage and a check engine light notice. Reinstall the spark plug and install the new spark plug wire. Most of the time a spark plug will come "pre-set" and ready to install. Continue the process until all spark plugs and spark plug wires have been replaced. Be sure to use OE (original equipment) parts for your car to insure the proper performance from your vehicle. This tutorial has outlined a tune up on a gasoline power engine, four cylinder 1995 Saturn SL1. Most gasoline powered cars and trucks are similar.

Alternator and Charging System

A battery is needed to power the operating system of your car. Once the vehicle is running an alternator that is driven by the engine charges the battery. While in operation the alternator creates electricity, about 13.6 to 14.3 volts, and recharges the battery to its original state of charge. The alternator is one of the hardest working electrical components in your vehicle. When your vehicle is running the alternator is busy creating electricity to provide the engine and the car accessories with needed power. When the car is not running and your battery is severely discharged some electrical components such as alarms or other memory retaining items may still operate or operate poorly. Typically, these components are designed to operate properly at 12 volts; if the system voltage is low it can cause erratic symptoms.

Common Problems and Solutions
When jump-started a severely discharged battery can cause the alternator to overload and internally fail. If this occurs replace or charge the battery before replacing the alternator. This will help prevent a second alternator failure. Most vehicles use a multi-ribbed belt connected to the engine to rotate the armature inside the alternator. If the belt fails it should be replaced immediately. Belt tension should be taught. If it isn't, check the belt tensioner, it may need to be replaced or the incorrect size belt may have been installed. Either of these conditions can cause the vehicle to stall and not restart.

Additionally, problems can occur if the alternator is overcharging the system. Some symptoms of overcharging include a swollen or seeping battery, both headlight bulbs failing at the same time, and other electrical component problems. To perform an alternator system check for this condition use a voltmeter on both positive and negative terminals while the engine is idling. If the voltmeter reading is over 15 volts this is an indication of an overcharging alternator. The alternator should be replaced with an OE (original equipment) unit. While an inferior rebuilt alternator is often much cheaper, it can fail prematurely causing another costly replacement.

The most common alternator problem is "undercharging." This condition is often accompanied by symptoms such as a low state of charge on the battery, poor or erratic performance from electrical components and dim headlights and other lighting systems. The first symptom of an undercharging alternator is a slow cranking engine. The next symptom is a "machine gun" sound when the engine is cranked as the system voltage drops below normal operating levels. In order to correct this problem a replacement alternator must be installed after the battery has been replaced or charged.

Maintenance
To ensure that your alternator lasts as long as possible there are several things you can do. Be sure all battery connections are tight and both terminals are clean. This should be inspected periodically regardless of when the battery was changed as even new batteries can have problems and be defective. While the engine is off, visually inspect the alternator belt and replace the belt if cracks or tears are observed.

Hybrid Battery/Charge/Braking Information

Introduction:
Hybrid batteries are responsible for supplying electrical power to the electric motor and the remaining accessories of the vehicle such as the air conditioner and the lighting system. The technology responsible for today's battery advancements have been the result of millions of dollars in research funding. Because of these advancements additional goals of auto manufacturers can be realized. One obstacle battery manufacturers have had is the ability to quickly recharge the battery. In the past if the battery was charged too fast it could explode or catch fire. Additionally, the rate in which the battery was charged at has directly relegated to how long the charge would last. Lithium-ion batteries addressed this issue by allowing accelerated rate of charging with limited damage to the battery.

Hybrid Battery Cut-away

The internal parts of the hybrid battery consist of many smaller cells connected together with an electrical framework. This framework determines which batteries to use and charge depending on the "state of charge" of the cell. Lithium-ion batteries have enabled manufacturers to achieve long awaited goals for battery charge rate and power output capabilities. Even the "lifetime" of these batteries has been extended mainly because in the shift from using lead to copper for the battery contents.

The charging system for the hybrid car is a combination between the combustion engine alternator, regenerative brake system or a "plug in" from an outside source.