The abuse that most of the cars on the road today withstand is nothing short of amazing, and consumers need to realize that they are ultimately responsible for keeping their vehicle at its best. While some minor maintenance tasks may not appear to be a major deal when considering the components of an engine, an individual must understand that the whole vehicle is a system that could malfunction if any of the parts are not performing their intended function. Keeping a car in tune is luckily not a very difficult feat, and it certainly is one that most backyard mechanics can do without relying on any type of professional assistance or equipment. The following guide will help an individual know what is necessary in order to keep a car tuned and ready to put up with everything the road conditions and environment has to throw at it.
An air filter is perhaps one of the easiest things to replace on the majority of vehicles, and the cost of a replacement could quite possibly be between $5 and $10. Although it only takes a couple minutes to swap out an air filter, driving with a clogged or dirty unit can lead to fuel economy issues. The problems only get worse and include possible negative effects on the vehicle’s air sensors and an eventual situation with the air and fuel mixture that an engine requires. A car needs to have an adequate amount of air for the combustion process to work, and individuals certainly don’t want to take the chance of foreign particles being allowed to enter the expensive parts of the motor. Backyard mechanics should be able to swap out an air filter in less than 10 minutes, but the improvement that will be noted is definitely worth the small amount of time required.
Fuel injected vehicles are limited by the amount of gasoline that is sprayed by the injectors, and clogged or dirty components can prove to be very costly. While fuel economy may be the first thing to suffer, other issues could potentially arise that would end up costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars to fix. Using fuel injector cleaner is something as simple as pouring an additive into the gas tank, but it can save money and keep a vehicle at its prime.
Spark plugs and wires are perhaps forgotten until an engine experiences a drastic lack of performance or major decrease in acceleration. Waiting until a vehicle idles rough is not an acceptable way to determine if the spark plugs or wires need to be replaced, and a backyard mechanic can improve their acceleration and fuel economy by keeping their vehicle in tune. A simple tune up does not take very much time, but the results are absolutely worth the effort and whatever money the parts will cost. If an individual is not sure if the spark plug is fouled, any auto parts store would be more than willing to take a quick look if one has already been removed from the motor.
While there are plenty of other simple tasks that a backyard mechanic can do to increase performance, the above jobs are probably among the easiest to complete. Keeping a vehicle in tune is not only good for the environment, but it also helps conserve gasoline by being as efficient as possible. Although an individual may not necessarily be motivated to save the environment, the money that will be saved in fuel costs is often enough to entice individuals to take care of their vehicle. The most important thing for backyard mechanics to realize is that a properly tuned car can withstand much more abuse than a vehicle that is already struggling to perform. Taking small steps proactively can be an excellent way to avoid major mechanical failures and unexpected break downs, so an individual should always ensure that their vehicle is working at the best of its ability.