Tune up?

[Cyber-Mav]

40 years ago as a kid i used to hear this term a lot. People saying they got to take the car for a tune up since its running rough.
What was the tune up? Another way of saying a service?
Is it only for carb cars mixture adjustment?

 

[Dis86]

40 years ago as a kid i used to hear this term a lot. People saying they got to take the car for a tune up since its running rough.
What was the tune up? Another way of saying a service?
Is it only for carb cars mixture adjustment?

Basically replacing/realigning/servicing parts of the fuel, air or timing aspect of the engine.

 

[Abraxaz1]

Old cars had a lot of components that needed constant monitoring and adjustments, such as:
* Carburettor, need de choking and setting up
* Some cars had adjustable tappets or replacement heads
* Timing, chains need tensioning, as they slacken off they can adjust timing
* Decarbing valves
* Distributor, new arm and graphite contacts, these wear down causing poor spark

 

[JRS]

New plugs, new points and rotor arm for the distributor and verify timing, maybe re-build the carb with new gaskets, jets, diaphragm etc. but at least re-set it up. Adjust valve lash to spec if OHV and solid lifters/tappets.

Then get the engine warm, thrash the bejeezus out of the car and call it good

 

[sigma]

Are we talking about th Italian tune up or the non-Italian?

 

[JRS]

Are we talking about th Italian tune up or the non-Italian?

Fair point, because tune-up is often used as shorthand for 'beating the **** off a car'.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

Are we talking about th Italian tune up or the non-Italian?

I assume Italian tune up means fix electrical issues and replace head gasket?

 

[sigma]

I assume Italian tune up means fix electrical issues and replace head gasket?

 

[andy_mk3]

It certainly doesn't exist any more on modern cars, all the 'tune-up' items are computer controlled now. It's purely a case of replacing on service items like filters and spark plugs.

 

[SkodaMart]

A tune up was just that.
Everything was done manually with no engine sensors.
Basically it would involve replacing points and condenser, setting dwell angle, adjusting ignition timing in the main.
Plugs also need to be cleaned and gapped, engines could run rich and foul the plugs, especially on short journeys.
Carburettor settings where pretty constant and reliable once set - you didn’t need to mess with much other than idle speed.

 

[BUDFORCE]

You can tune a car, but you can't tuna fish.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

Manual choke those were the days...