a“ Systems today more durable, sophisticated From page 23 pampering, plus dozens of tiny lit- 3M / WINDOW TINT SPECIAL $149.00 & UP 985-7058 _ 1705 Welch St. SPECIAL PRICES IN EFFECT U |ALL TREATS ERVICE > ° 980-8501 : * PARTS. -_. - 980-2055 BODY SHOP. 980:5423° . oe CUSTOMER Ia CARE tle adjustments, in order to keep performance and fuel consump- tion within proper limits — and by that we’re talking eight miles per gailon! Now let’s look at today’s chariots. A hi-voltage electronical- ly triggered (pointless) ignition, combined with premium lead-free gasoline, means that your spark plugs and ignition system should L NOVEMBER 9, 1991 WINTER PACKAGE IN EFFECT TILL perform quite reliably, without fuss, for as long as 40,000 miles between servicings (although some manufacturers may recommend servicing before that). The wires, coil, cap and rotor should last almost as long as the plugs. (And that’s assuming your car has a separate distributor in the first place -~ many cars today don’t.) As for the fuel system, don’t even think of trying to adjust it unless you have a Ph.D. in elec- tronics and a warehouseful of test equipment. Note also that when a new car leaves the factory, certain specifications in the electrical and fuel systems are set precisely. The reason for this precision is that government emission laws have to FOR MOST NORTH AMERICAN BUILT CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS . : TRICKS COMPLETE TUNE-UP* Includes new Champion “Copperplus”’ sparkplugs, scope test ignition, adjust all ignition specs and road test vehicle. * V6 and V8 engines Slightly extra. Reg. $89.95 $6995 COMPLETE COOLANT FLUSH Including 4 litres of Anti- Freeze, pressure test cooling system, & inspect hoses etc., Reg. $63.95 $4995 COMPLETE LUBRICATION, OIL CHANGE & FILTER Including checks of all levels, battery condition, hoses, inspection of cooling system, lubrication of hinges, locks, B etc., reg. $40.95 Includin: a be met and oniy specific, cali- brated settings will do this. As the car wears over normal usage, these settings change slight- ly all by themselves. Furthermore, if the car is brought to a mechanic for any service whatsoever, he may alter these settings even more to make the car run better. . Therefore — and this is the im- portant part — after a few years the car is really no longer running at the specifications it was when it left the factory. So far, so good. Now, you br- ing the car in for a tune-up. Here’s what happens. In theory, the mechanic doing the tune-up on today’s modern car should check the settings the car is currently performing at, and, if everyone is happy with the car’s performance, try to keep those settings through the tune-up. But very few do that. Instead, the vast majority will simply replace basic ignition parts like plugs and wires. That’s where their profit is — new parts — and then simply reset everything back to those origina! factory specifica- tions. To most shops today that’s all a tune-up is anymore: replace and reset. But is this ‘‘rsplace and reset’* procedure really needed? And, if so, when? According to experts, all you really need to keep chugging along during most of your car’s useful life is a good quality fuel, replacement gas filters as needed, and, occasionally, a bottle of fuel injector cleaner. Modern ignition parts should not be replaced unless defective or severly worn. Modern fuel systems, as explained, are totally non-adjustable. And the so-called: ‘seasonal tune-up’’ has veritably gone the way of the. dodo. Except for one small problem. A lot of mechanics out there have managed to develop a strong sen- timental attachment to that old- style tune-up — an attachment that might have more to do with finances than feelings. The numbers tell the real story: These days an ignition tune-up (new plugs, silicone wires, cap and rotor) can easily run well over $150. And that’s assuming the car ran well when it first rolled in! The fact that these new bits and pieces may not absolutely be needed often tends to be overlooked. So what’s the answer? If your car’s driveability changes for any reason, or the ‘‘check engine’’ light comes on end stays on, then go ahead and have things looked at. Other than that, have your igni- tion system serviced no_ earlier than every 30,000 miles and no later than every 45,000. At this juncture you should. have the plugs, cap and wires changed, the ignition should be **scoped’’ and the exhaust gas should be checked to make sure the emissions are within the cor- rect tolerances. And if anyone should try to get you to have a tune-up for no reason other than that the seasons have changed, strike that person off your Christmas list. Robert Appel is the author of several car manuals. He lives in Ontario. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.