Older vehicles are not often equipped with computers or other newer modifications that enhance the vehicles of today and aid in the performance. Looking under the hood would reveal the basics of an older vehicle which include the engine, ranging from 4 to 8 cylinders, carburetor, battery, air filter, spark plug wires, etc. Often, the weekend mechanic could perform his or her own tune-up by changing the spark plugs, adjusting the timing, changing the oil, changing the air filter, cleaning the distributor cap, etc. Today, if you own an older vehicle, it is still important to provide tuning to optimize the performance of the vehicle by taking it to an auto repair shop. Some of the reasons why tuning is important are that it helps with maintaining the horsepower, maximizing economy, and continuing to extend the life of the vehicle.
Maximize Performance of Engine
The vehicle that is owned by the individual is designed to operate at maximum capacity, which means that all cylinders should be firing in sync and that maximum horsepower of the engine is available for the driver and owner. Therefore, performance tuning is important to maximize horsepower that the engine is capable of. In addition, when the vehicle is running optimally and the way intended by the manufacturer, the driving experience is more pleasant. Also, a finely tuned machine decreases the probability of the car stalling or not running at all. Finally, performance tuning is important for older cars because emissions released into the air will be within environmental standards because of the tuned engine.
Maximize Economy
Another major reason why performance tuning is important for older vehicles is to maximize the economy of running the vehicle. This is important because often older cars are bigger and weigh more due to the body weight and the older weightier engines. Therefore, if the spark plugs or the air filter is dirty this will affect fuel efficiency. Also, if the timing is off or the distributor cap has built up carbon on the contacts this too will reduce the economy of operating an older car. Therefore, performance tuning is critical so that the vehicle is optimized when it comes to motoring in an older car.
Extend the Life of the Vehicle
One additional critical reason why performance tuning is important for older vehicles is from an investment point of view. Specifically, the owner of the vehicle has probably owned the vehicle for some length of time. Therefore, it is important to protect that investment and the many years of service that the auto or truck has provided. Also, they don't make vehicles the way they use to. This is not a judgment one way or the other, but simply a commitment on the owner's part to extend the life of the vehicle by understanding that auto maintenance and performance tuning is important for older vehicles.