subject: Tune Ups and Engine Performance: This Simple Auto Service Can Help Your Car [print this page] Tune Ups and Engine Performance: This Simple Auto Service Can Help Your Car
Even though tune-ups have changed over the years, it is still important to invest in tune-ups in order to protect your engine's performance. While having a professional mechanic perform a tune up on your car is a good idea, you don't necessarily have to resort to a professional to do the job. Today's tune-ups are simple and straight forward enough that you can easily knock this auto service Durham out in one day. All you need are the right tools, and a really good check sheet.
However, if you do take in your car to a professional mechanic who specializes in auto repair Durham, they can look more thoroughly under your hood and catch potential problems that you might not be aware of. If you are concerned about running into a dishonest mechanic, check with other clients and see what they have to say about the shop. Look through certified Google reviews and see how stellar the business is. A business that has lots of positive reviews, and people who have had no major problems with their car can be traced back to a good reliable mechanic.
If you are ready to go at this tune up alone, then proceed to do the following: check for trouble codes. Today's cars are censored to flash the "check engine light" when there are issues with emissions. However, there are literally hundreds of potential problems that could go wrong with your engine. You can buy a good code reader online for about $100. You also need a laptop computer running Windows, as most of the great code readers run on Windows computers. By plugging in the end of the reader to your car's computer, the code reader will quickly scan and let you know of any potential errors that pop up. You can trace these codes on the internet and find out what the problem is.
If you don't have any codes come up, then you're good so far. Next thing you do is check around the engine for any cracked or damaged hoses, pipes, or fittings. Make notes of any replacements and prepare to make the changes. If you've been driving your car for 30,000 to 60,000 miles, it might be time to change the spark plugs. If your spark plugs are covered in oil or soot, then you might need a new oxygen censor.
Clean off any dirty valves and pipes and then work on the battery. Your battery shouldn't be dirty. So, give the battery terminals a good cleaning and replace any faulty terminals. Today's tune-ups don't have to be as cumbersome as they used to be, but they do have to be done periodically. If your car has been experiencing a lag while accelerating, then it's probably time for a tune up.
You can visit Auto Pro To Call, the leading Auto Service Durham provider in the RDU area.
