How Often is an Engine Tune-Up Necessary?

Posted: Nov 04, 2014
Author: Country Town Tire & Auto Service Center

Over the years and with advancements in automotive manufacturing, the idea of an engine tune-up and how often it is necessary has changed. In the old days, before fuel injection and before plug technology improved, a vehicle needed the spark plugs and wires changed often. Different vehicles have different recommendations now, which range from 30,000 miles to 100,000 miles or more. This is if you are talking of an engine tune-up strictly in the sense of changing the spark plugs and wires.

In reality, the term “tune-up” has evolved to mean performance checks on various components of the engine’s overall health and efficiency. The vehicle is checked for a number of potential issues by conducting a battery voltage test, power balance or dynamic compression, engine vacuum, fault code scan, verification of idle speed and ignition timing check, if possible.

There are numerous other components of an engine tune-up that we perform at Country Town Tire & Auto Service Center, depending on the needs, manufacturer recommendations and mileage of your particular vehicle. We might recommend replacing the O2 sensor or cleaning the fuel injectors and intake system, for example. Today’s vehicles are getting far more total miles than they used to, and it is not unheard of to have a vehicle hit 200,000 miles or more with proper regular maintenance, including an engine tune-up when needed.

If your car is showing any signs of struggle, such as lessened performance or decreased fuel efficiency, it just might be time for an engine tune-up. Give us a call today to schedule a time to bring it in!