Whether you are experiencing notable issues with your vehicle’s engine or are just looking for a maintenance check, receiving an engine tune-up has many benefits. It can be easy to dismiss small issues with your vehicle, but the longer you put off that humming coming from your engine or ignore the oil light, the bigger the problem you will eventually experience. This is why you should regularly get an engine tune-up.

What is an Engine Tune-Up?

An engine tune-up is a specific type of maintenance service performed on a vehicle’s engine to optimize its performance, efficiency, and overall operation. While many of the tasks involved in an engine tune-up overlap with a standard car tune-up, the focus of an engine tune-up is primarily on the engine itself. 

Some of the main aspects of an engine tune-up include a spark plug replacement, ignition system inspection and maintenance, fuel system cleaning, idle speed adjustment, compression test, and more. 

5 Engine Tune-Up Benefits

An engine tune-up provides several benefits for the engine itself, the car as a whole, and the environment. 

1. Prolongs Lifespan of Vehicle

One of the biggest benefits of an engine tune-up is that it can prolong the lifespan of the vehicle. Regular tune-ups will help identify and address issues with the engine and prevent costly repairs later on. 

Because so many functions of a vehicle come from the engine, giving it attention will help improve several parts all at once. Engine tune-ups can extend transmission life, ensure cooling system efficiency, maintain proper lubrication, among other aspects.

2. Improves Performance

Engine tune-ups significantly improve engine performance. Because there are so many aspects of the engine, here are just a few specifics:

Enhanced combustion: An engine tune-up can significantly improve the performance of a vehicle in several ways by optimizing various engine components and systems. A tune-up ensures that the air-fuel mixture in the engine cylinders is properly balanced. This leads to more efficient combustion, which in turn generates more power from each stroke of the engine. As a result, the vehicle accelerates more smoothly and has improved throttle response.

Smooth Idling: Adjusting the idle speed and cleaning the throttle body can result in a more stable and smoother idle, making the vehicle more comfortable to drive in stop-and-go traffic. 

Prevents Knocking and Pinging: Engine knock or ping occurs when the air-fuel mixture ignites prematurely in the engine, causing a knocking sound and potentially damaging the engine. An engine tune-up can address issues that lead to knocking, such as incorrect ignition timing or spark plug problems, ensuring smoother and safer engine operation. 

3. Improved Fuel Economy

Engine tune-ups can improve fuel economy by optimizing various engine components and systems that directly influence the combustion process and overall engine efficiency. One of the primary objectives of a tune-up is to ensure that the air-fuel mixture entering the engine is at the correct ratio. When it is at the correct ratio, combustion is more efficient and leads to better fuel economy. 

Worn or fouled spark plugs can lead to incomplete combustion, resulting in reduced power and wasted fuel. During a tune-up, old spark plugs are replaced with new ones, ensuring a consistent and efficient ignition of the air-fuel mixture. 

Components of the ignition system are also inspected and replaced, if necessary. A properly functioning ignition system ensures that the spark reaches the spark plugs consistently, leading to efficient combustion and improved fuel efficiency.

4. Reduced Emissions

A tune-up can contribute to lower emissions. For one, when the air-fuel mixture entering the engine is at the correct ratio and combustion becomes more complete, it reduces the production of harmful emissions. Along with this, a tune-up  may involve adjusting the ignition timing to ensure that the spark occurs at precisely the right moment, minimizing unburned fuel and emissions. 

Over time, fuel injectors and the throttle body can accumulate carbon deposits and dirt, which can disrupt the fuel delivery process. Cleaning these components during a tune-up improves fuel atomization and distribution, leading to more complete combustion and lower emissions.

There are many more ways an engine tune-up can reduce emissions, which are all beneficial for the car and the environment.

5. Peace of Mind

Car owners can experience peace of mind when they know their engine is taken care of and properly maintained. A well-tuned engine is less likely to experience unexpected breakdowns or performance issues. Properly maintained and tuned-up vehicles tend to be safer to drive, as well. Knowing that your vehicle is in top condition can make you feel safer on the road.

Our professionals at Ray’s Muffler Service can tune-up your engine and full vehicle. We offer many other services, including oil changes, transmission repairs, and AC repair and service. Contact us today to get started on your car maintenance.

Whether it’s biting your nails or popping your knuckles, we all have bad habits. Those little things that we don’t think are that serious can create bigger problems down the road.

Bad Driving Habits

Another aspect of life that people have bad habits in, whether they know it or not, is when they are driving. No one is a perfect driver but there are driving habits that can cause serious car issues long term. Here are seven common driving habits that might be damaging your car:

1. Overloading the Car

Every car has a designated weight capacity, and problems can happen when that weight is exceeded. Overloading the car puts extra strain on the transmission and engine. Transmissions can experience increased wear and higher temperatures when they have extra weight. The engine also has to work harder to cope with the increased weight, which can lead to overheating, reduced fuel efficiency, and accelerated wear.

Along with engine and transmission issues, overloading the car puts excessive stress on the suspension system. This includes the shocks and springs, and as a result, the car’s stability and handling can be compromised.

2. Driving on Empty

It is not uncommon for drivers to wait until their gas light turns on to fill up their gas tank. Driving on empty can be extremely risky. Even if your car says it can run another 30 miles on empty, that is not guaranteed. You may run out of gas completely in dangerous spots if you choose to risk it, and there is no way to guarantee that you will stay safe trying to get more gas. 

Beyond safety reasons, driving on empty can damage your car. The risk of stalling, especially during uphill driving or sudden acceleration, increases if you are running on an empty tank. You may also see that your alternator has to work harder to generate energy and electricity that is needed to power the car, which can lead to increased wear and tear on the alternator’s components, potentially reducing its lifespan.

3. Slamming on Brakes

Being one of those drivers that is slamming on their brakes every few minutes is not only annoying for passengers, but it also puts stress on the car that can lead to damages. There are situations where slamming on the brakes is necessary to avoid a collision or accident, but frequently stopping quickly can lead to compromising the car’s safety, longevity, and performance.  

When a car brakes suddenly, it generates a sudden and intense friction that can cause excessive heat. This type of braking eventually leads to reduced stopping power, decreased braking efficiency, and the need for frequent replacements.

4. Shifting Without Stopping

One of the most common driving habits that people don’t realize is damaging their car is shifting without coming to a complete stop. This often happens when you back out of a parking spot and shift from reverse to drive. An abrupt shift can put stress on the transmission, causing excessive wear.

When improper shifting occurs, the fluid pressure in the transmission is disrupted, impeding on the vehicle’s ability to properly lubricate and cool the internal components. This problem often results in increased friction that creates overheating in the transmission and premature failure. 

5. Hitting Speed Bumps and Potholes Too Fast

It may be tempting to not slow down for speed bumps, but they are there for a reason. Speed bumps are often in school zones, neighborhoods, and parking lots to protect pedestrians who may be on the road. Going too fast over speed bumps causes the suspension to compress forcefully. Foregoing speed bumps can also lead to a rougher ride, increase risk of accidents, and reduced handling.

Potholes are another roadblock that can get in the way of a smooth drive. Potholes are formed by holes in the road that grow from weather conditions, heavy traffic, and natural erosion. Like going too fast over speed bumps can damage the suspension, potholes have the same effect. Since the car goes down into the pothole, tires can be damaged, along with cracked and bent rims. Potholes can occasionally appear quickly, but when you have time to react, make sure you give yourself time to safely avoid them. 

6. Ignoring Warning Lights

Warning lights are most commonly on the dashboard of a car, and they indicate potential dangers and maintenance needed for the car. These lights are indicators that different parts of the car need attention, like the brake system, tire pressure, transmission, battery, and oil levels. 

Ignoring these warning lights can lead to serious consequences that can lead to compromising the safety of the passengers, damaging the car’s systems, and potentially costly repairs. In order to avoid major damages to your car, pay attention to those warning lights and address them urgently if they appear.

7. Riding the Brakes

Riding the brakes means that you keep your foot pressed down on the brake pedal when no brake is needed, or for a prolonged period of time. Constant friction between the brake pads and rotors is created when you keep your foot on the brake. This generates brake fluid to heat up and boil, leading to brake fade, along with causing the brake components to wear down quickly. You can tell that your brakes are not being as efficient when it feels like a soft or spongy pedal feel, with increasing distance required to come to a stop. 

Save Money on Your Vehicle

These seven common driving habits may be damaging your car so it is important to be aware of them. Now that you know these habits don’t do any good for you, you can start implementing good habits. One of the best things you can do to maintain the condition of your car is to get it checked and repaired when needed. Fixing small problems will ultimately save you more money in the long run. 

Electric vehicles have seen a sweeping increase in the last few years, and all of the metrics indicate that they will only grow in popularity. There is a great appeal in a greener, cleaner method of transportation, but the surge of electric vehicles does lead mechanics to wonder how their careers will be impacted. In this article, we discuss how electric cars affect mechanics and the future of the industry.

The Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles wouldn’t be as popular as they are without a significant list of benefits. For starters, they provide a smoother experience on the road and have sleek almost futuristic designs. These are just the surface level benefits, however. Perhaps most important is the fact that electric vehicles are more energy efficient—as much as 85–90% efficient.

This efficiency is tremendously beneficial for drivers. It means major savings on fuel, averaging out around $800 every year, and the use of renewable energy, avoiding fossil fuel consumption. This in turn leads to reduced emissions. In fact, electric cars are nearly emission free, which is the reason so many legislative entities are so keen on them.

Maintenance for electric vehicles is also less expensive as electric cars need significantly less of it. Oil changes, muffler repair, and replaced timing belts and spark plugs are a thing of the past, and electric vehicles run more cleanly, cause less wear and tear. 

While electric vehicles are great for drivers and the planet, they don’t have the same appeal for mechanics, especially as we gain greater evidence for how electric cars affect mechanics’ job outlook.

Servicing Electric Vehicles

Servicing electric cars is a multifaceted process. In some ways, they still require traditional maintenance. Electric vehicles still need their tires rotated, their transmission fluid cycled, their suspension and brakes checked, and their windshield wipers replaced. In this sense, electric cars affect mechanics minimally, but that’s about where the status quo stops. 

While some of the components of electric vehicles are the same as those of traditional combustion engine vehicles, they have significantly fewer moving parts, approximately 100 times fewer. While traditional cars have about 2,000 moving parts, electric vehicles only support about 20. Of the parts that are removed, many are mechanics’ usual bread and butter:

• Fewer fluids, so no oil changes
• No engine, so no gaskets, cylinders, fuel filters, or fuel injectors
• No emissions, so no exhaust system or catalytic converter
• No belts, hoses, or chains

Because of the nature of electric operation, electric vehicles need less maintenance anyway, independent of fewer parts. Combustion is necessarily a very explosive process, and the engine and the rest of the vehicle take most of that backlash. Electric vehicles don’t have that problem, so the wear and tear is significantly reduced. 

The same is true of the brakes. Electric vehicles use regenerative braking, a process that converts energy from the brake pads into electricity to recharge the battery. All of these features combine so electric cars affect mechanics by giving them less to do.

Most of the maintenance electric cars require is of the software variety. Computer programming will be more relevant for such vehicles than traditional nuts and bolts knowhow. This will require a pretty dramatic adjustment of how mechanics operate.

How Will Electric Cars Affect Mechanics’ Work?

As mentioned above, the population of electric vehicles will only continue to grow. States like California are pushing to stop the production of new combustion engine vehicles entirely in the next 15 years. This will have a tremendous impact on mechanics in the workforce. In fact, the estimates for California anticipate that nearly 32,000 mechanics will lose jobs by 2040 if new combustion engine vehicles are discontinued. 

This is a frightening prospect for many in the automotive industry, but others have a hopeful view on how electric cars affect mechanics’ job outlook. Instead of looking at autocare as a dying trade, they consider the change as a chance to get out of their comfort zones and learn a new way of servicing cars. In their minds, the job hasn’t shrunk, it has expanded. 

This is born out by the fact that, in order to service electric vehicles, mechanics must maintain their fundamental expertise in mechanics in addition to adding an understanding of software engineering. Those who can adapt become a valuable asset and are often paid more. Maintenance of electric vehicles is becoming a mandatory requirement in many tech schools. Truly, a hybrid model is the way of the future.

Some mechanics, especially veterans of the industry, are electing to maintain the same work instead of learning the ropes of the new kind of car. This is understandable, since learning a whole new skill set can be difficult. Traditional vehicles with combustion engines are not going away any time soon, so this reticence in some may not be a problem. However, in order to stay relevant in the changing climate, it is wise to keep up with the changing times and embrace, not fight, how electric cars affect mechanics.