What is a Tune-up for a modern engine?
Carbon tracking on a 112,000 mile spark plug
From the mid 2000’s and up, the term Tune-up has been replaced with preventative maintenance. Newer engines don’t have anything to adjust. Everything is pre-set from the factory and you only replace parts if they fail or if you like to follow your maintenance schedule listed in the owner’s manual.
Converter meltdown due to a miss fire condition.
A modern engine can be adjusted through software changes, electronic tuning. Software tuning is not a normal undertaking and it voids the manufactures warranty. Programmers and software changes can build big power. All that power comes at a cost, more wear to the engine. When an engine replacement costs around 6,000.00 when it fails. What did you gain? You may also not pass emissions when it’s time for tags.
PCV hose failure.
You can make changes by putting aftermarket performance parts on the engine. Many parts you can bolt on will not void a warranty in most cases. Some bolt on parts can shorten engine life and cause emissions issues.
Replacing the exhaust system can have a big effect in power output. Exhaust changes effect how loud the tail pipe sounds. A loud exhaust is not needed to build power. The exhaust only needs to flow efficiently. Too much flow “big pipe exhaust systems” can hurt low rpm torque making your engine sluggish at lower speeds “city driving” and with the a/c on.
GM HEI Distributor showing a vacuüm advance and mechanical timing advancement weights.
The days of the real tune-ups, when engines had a real distributer, plug wires and a carburetor. It was a common to have 2 or 3 tune-ups a day back in the 80’s and 90’s. The carburetor needed adjustments at lease every time the season would change or around emissions time. The distributer had mechanical parts in it that would wear out. Hoses failed, air pumps died, catalytic converters would melt down. Yep, the good old days, nothing lasted for ever.
Modern cars have owners spoiled. driving a car a 100,000 miles or 10 years and never-changing the spark plugs, coils or installing a new fuel filter is amazing. Modern engines are built better and run cleaner. The improvements do have a price.
Ignition wire failure because it made contact with the hot exhaust manifold.
When parts fail, the price to fix the failure can be very large. When sticker shock sets in, many clients ask why is it so expensive.
I can only tell them that in the good old days it cost the same, it was just done in smaller installments over a 10 year period.
