Why I didn't post last week and blog 2 - Preforming a Basic Tune-up

Hey guys, sorry I didn't post at all last week. I lost my job Monday and my car has been giving me trouble , bad piston rings, so between looking for a new job and putting new piston rings on my car I haven't been able to post. My car is up and running now but still no luck finding a new job. I will try to post twice or three times a week until I find another job but then it will probably go back to once an week. So with that out of the way, lets get started with the second blog on how to preform a basic tune-up.

The basic tune-up is simple, new spark plugs and new plug wires. Diesel engines do not have spark plugs, they use glow plugs, I will be covering that in my next post. This post is how to do a tune up on gasoline engines, to do this, you will need a 1/4 inch ratchet with a 5-10 millimeter socket ( this can be replace by a pair of linemen pliers but it is not recommended), a 3/8 inch ratchet with a spark plug socket (again this can be replaced wit a ratchet and a normal socket but it is not recommended as a spark plug socket is made to grip the spark plug) most spark plugs are 5/8 or 3/4 inch, new spark plugs and new plug wires, with some vehicles you may need and extension to reach the spark plugs.

The first and most important step is to unhook the battery cables from the battery, you do this to prevent yourself from being shocked while changing the plug wires. To do this you first need to pop open the hood and locate the battery, in some vehicles the battery is located under the engine bay fuse block. once the battery is located you can unhook the battery cables, this is where we need the 1/4 inch socket and the 5-10 millimeter socket or the linemen pliers. It is Very Important that you unhook the negative (black) battery cable first. if you unhook the positive (red) battery cable first you could shock yourself if you slip up and your tool touches the frame. once you unhook the battery you can move on to the next step.

Second, unplug the plug wires from the distributor cap or coil pack and the spark plugs. be very careful that you do not break the plug wires or the connector on the cap or coil pack or the spark plug. After this, you can take out the spark plugs, this is where you would need the 3/8 ratchet and the spark plug socket. While taking out the spark plugs be careful not to break the spark plugs or strip the plug holes. The first image is a distributor cap setup and the second image is a coil pack setup.

Step three is to put in the new spark plugs and the new plug wires. This step is simply step two in reverse. It is recommended but not required that you put anti-seize on the threads of the spark plugs. If you do this step, not a lot of anti-seize is required, only a small coat on the spark plug threads. Be sure not to drop or cross-thread the spark plugs. if you drop the spark plugs the crystal inside it will shatter and if you cross-thread them the plug treads and the plug holes may be damaged.

The last step is to hook up the battery cables to the battery. Again this is step one in reverse, red cable then black. when this step and you double check that the battery cables are tight you can close the hood and have completed a simple tune up.