If the fuel needs to be increased to match the air that is taken a larger jet is needed. The best environment, which enables adjustments to be made live, involves the use of a rolling road dynometer.
The engine will also require testing when it is under load and at the full range of rpm. This sort of adjustment needs to be tackled gradually. When the distributor housing is rotated the timing can be adjusted by retarding it or advancing it. Use some white paint to mark the notch and groove and the timing mark will show up when hit by the strobe, to enable better adjustment of the engine’s timing. Here, in most cases, there is a tiny groove and a small notch on the engine. This can be done by gradually turning up the advance until the engine begins to knock, when the advance can be reversed until a good balanced setup is in place.īalancing the timing and spark duration helps improve both economy and power because the engine is efficient.Įmploying a strobe light linked to the pulse of the spark plug pulse effectively freezes the engine and shows the timing mark, which is on the pulley at the bottom of the cam belt.
In general the desired effect can be achieved by a simple trial and error approach. Beware though because advancing it too much is a bad thing. This converts the fuel and air mix more efficiently into the power for which we are looking. Timing a spark to happen just a fraction earlier a more complete burn cycle can be achieved. This is done with a very basic mechanical advance when the Revs Per Minute are rising. Tuning a carburettor engineĬarburettor engines tend to rely on the spark being distributed by a breaker. Monitor the valve clearance to prevent a significant loss of power. If any leads are old they also need to be replaced.Ĭheck the engine’s compression and get any major issues – like worn piston rings or worn or broken valves rectified. New oil, filter, spark plugs need to be added. The engine needs to be running as it is meant to be. Boosting a car’s performanceīegin by making sure the car is in tip-top conditions. The main thrust will be to maximize the car’s performance, but, in so doing, the methods used are also available to use to maximize the car’s economy pushing its power unit into the most efficient range. Here a number of methods for tuning a variety of popular models and engine types will be presented. Having decided you would like to attempt to tune your car what does it involve and how do you get started? What is certain though is that there is no doubt there are lots of opportunities to improve an engine and the body in which it arrives because so many manufacturers these days are using conservative settings and cheaper production methods. These people often think this is achieved simply by the car getting breathed on at a full service and adjustments being made to the vehicle’s factory specifications.įor some people tuning means enhancing the car’s performance and running capabilities so it’s better than it was when it was transported out of the manufacturer and set up and polished at the dealership. The aim is to get readers up to a speed where they can rev up their game by talking to aficionados and grease monkeys who can be found aplenty on the numerous online car forums.Ī lot of people think that a car is tuned when it’s running at the top of its game. This explanation is a generic description of on how a car is tuned. Let’s start by accepting that the engine comes in many different types and shapes. What is meant by the phrase “engine tuning”. Tuning your car’s engine takes some skill and know-how but once you have started to master it you will find yourself enjoying hours of fun. The benefits, advantages and fun to be had with car chip tuning…