Vehicle Tuneups: You Can Do it Yourself

Do you have any sense for how easy it is for you to perform your own automotive tuneup? Do you happen to know how often it should be done to keep your car, truck, or SUV running well? For the latter, turn to your owner's manual. For the former, read on!

To perform your automotive tune up, you need some materials you probably don?t have on hand. Specifically, you need to get:

* Replacement spark plugs
* Spark plug wrench
* Replacement filters - these usually include an air filter and a fuel filter at a minimum but you also may need a PCV (inlet) filter
* Replacement ignition wires - these run between the spark plugs in the engine cylinders to the distributor cap
* Torque wrench - this is often required for removing existing spark plugs and replacing them
* Spark plug gapping tool - some plugs today come pre-gapped, but ask your auto parts store for information that can save you time and effort
* Clean and dry cloths
* Stiff-bristled brush for cleaning debris
* Compressed air - by can or by air compressor

Each item requires that you either check your owner manual first to be sure you get the right type of plugs and wires for your vehicle or follow guides found within auto parts store to match your vehicle requirements. This is critical because you can end up with the wrong spark plug or a wildly different filter from the kind your vehicle uses.

Before you buy everything, check your auto parts stores. Some auto manufacturers as well as third-party companies offer complete tune-up kits designed for specific makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUVs. Such packages can save you money as well as time. Some of the fancier kits also pack a video or CD/DVD so you can see the pros do it to help you perform the job.

Yet you need to be sure you get the right kit for your automobile and that you follow the tune-up kit instructions to the letter. Anything less than total compliance can potentially leave your car in rougher shape than it was before the tune-up.

Also before you buy, compare prices carefully. Sometimes, having a garage with a great tune-up deal may cost you less than buying the parts yourself and doing the tune-up. But look at the fine print and ask questions of the garage. I?ve seen several that offer very competitive pricing yet don?t always replace all the filters and may simply just clean and reinstall the same spark plugs. Normally, you want to replace all these components as part of a full tune-up rather than simply shake out filters and wipe oil from the spark plug.

The first job in a tune-up is typically to replace the filters. But where those filters may be hide can be a mystery you need to unravel. The air filter is usually positioned close to the carburetor and the engine block. If you look for the big old-fashioned round filters, however, you can be sorely mistaken. My Toyota, for example, uses a slim rectangular filter that is half the size of one of my older cars.

The PCV and fuel filters can be even tougher to find. Consult your owner manual or buy a supplemental book like a Haynes or Chilton manual for your make and model of vehicle. These will help you locate, remove, and replace your filters far more easily than you can with most manufacturer owner manuals.

Next up is the spark plugs and wires. Find the ignition wires that run between the distributor cap and the engine block where the spark plugs reside. These must be removed and, hopefully, replaced with the new wires you have. But before you replace the wires, you need to change the spark plugs.

Follow any instructions you have for gapping your spark plugs. Then use a spark plug wrench ? such as one that comes in a kit ? to remove the spark plugs one by one. As you remove one, you can install the replacement plug, again following your instructions to the letter. Only once the spark plugs are in place should you install the ignition wires.