SPARK PLUGS
IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS WHEN DOING A TUNE-UP OR REPLACING THE SPARK PLUG WIRES. SPARK PLUG GAP INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THIS INFORMATION PACKAGE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE ENGINE.

ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND
WITH SOME SPARK PLUGS NOW LASTING 50, 60, AND 100,000 MILES, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE A GOOD QUALITY ANTI SEIZE COMPOUND TO BE APPLIED TO THE SPARK PLUG THREADS PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. MANY OF TODAY’S ENGINES HAVE ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS, AND AFTER MANY MILES SPARK PLUG REMOVAL MAY BE VERY DIFFICULT. WORSE YET, THE THREADS IN THE ALUMINUM HEADS COULD BE DESTROYED DURING REMOVAL.

O ² (Oxygen) SENSOR(s)
WHEN CHANGING SPARK PLUGS, IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO CHANGE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE OXYGEN SENSOR LOOKS LIKE A FUNNY SPARK PLUG WITH A SINGLE OR SEVERAL WIRES COMING OUT OF THE TOP. MANY ENGINES HAVE ONE SENSOR, SOME ENGINES HAVE TWO SENSORS. SOME VERY LATE MODEL ENGINES HAVE AS MANY AS FOUR (4) SENSORS.

THERE ARE UNIVERSAL AND DIRECT FIT O ² SENSORS. THERE ARE 1,2,3, & 4 WIRE APPLICATIONS. DIRECT FIT IS PROBABLY YOUR BEST BET SINCE YOU CAN’T MAKE A MISTAKE WHILE MAKING THE CONNECTION. WITH UNIVERSAL MODELS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF INSTALLATION ERROR.

O ² SENSORS ARE USUALLY LOCATED IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD/MANIFOLDS OR HEADER EXHAUST PIPE. SOMETIMES THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE PIPE BEFORE OR AFTER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

THE O ² SENSOR MEASURES YOUR ENGINE’S EXHAUST GASES AND SENDS A SIGNAL TO YOUR VEHICLE’S ON-BOARD COMPUTER (ECM), WHICH IN TURN MAKES ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR ENGINE’S FUEL MIXTURE AND/OR IGNITION TIMING. THIS SENSOR IS ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED AND NEGLECTED ITEMS, AND ISN’T USUALLY REPLACED UNTIL IT FAILS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. MOST AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMEND CHANGING THE O² SENSOR EVERY 30,000/50,000 MILES.

FUEL SYSTEM (F.I./CARB) CLEANER
THERE ARE MANY INEXPENSIVE CARB/F.I. FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER ON THE MARKET. CHOOSE A QUALITY BRAND AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PRINTED ON THE CONTAINER. A GOOD CLEANER WILL HELP PREVENT ROUGH IDLE, STALLING AND HARD STARTING ASSOCIATED WITH MILDLY DIRTY INJECTORS OR CARBURETOR. IT MAY TAKE UP TO A TANK FULL OF GAS FOR THE CLEANER TO BECOME EFFECTIVE AND FOR YOU TO NOTICE A DIFFERENCE.

FUEL FILTER
DIRTY FUEL FILTERS CAN CAUSE ENGINE SURGES, LOSS OF POWER, ROUGH IDLE, OR STALLING. FUEL FILTERS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT LEAST EVERY 30,000 MILES. THEY ARE USUALLY LOCATED IN THE FUEL LINE NEAR THE GASOLINE TANK IN F.I. ENGINES, AND IN THE FUEL LINE OR CARBURETOR ITSELF ON CARBURETED ENGINES. THIS IS USUALLY A FAIRLY STRAIGHT FORWARD OPERATION ONCE THE FILTER IS LOCATED.

PCV VALVE
ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PCV VALVE FOR PROPER OPERATION. AFTER REMOVING, SHAKE THE VALVE LIGHTLY AND YOU SHOULD HEAR THE CHECK VALVE OPEN AND CLOSE FREELY. IF NOT, THE PCV VALVE SHOULD BE REPLACED.

AIR FILTER
THE AIR FILTER IS A COMMON SENSE REPLACEMENT. IF IT LOOKS DIRTY OR LIGHT WILL NOT SHINE THROUGH WHEN HELD UP TO A LIGHT SOURCE, THEN IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. A DIRTY OR PLUGGED AIR FILTER WILL CAUSE YOUR ECM (COMPUTER) TO MAKE FUEL MIXTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR CARBURETOR OR FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, CAUSING EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION.

       ALL OF THE ABOVE ITEMS ARE SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE PARTS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED AT YOUR LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE.

REMEMBER THAT THIS TUNE UP KIT WAS DESIGNED AS A MINOR OR P.M. (PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE) TYPE OF KIT. IF YOUR AUTOMOBILE ENGINE’S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME, OR INTERMITTENTLY, YOU MAY HAVE A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC OR DEALER.

ADDITIONAL PARTS THAT YOU MAY NEED
(AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE)