ADVANCED AUTO CLINIC What Is A Tune Up?
The term TUNE UP was coined back when Henry Ford was working on his first prototype for the automobile. This first ignition system was very simple; one ignition coil for one spark plug, so if there were four spark plugs there would be four ignition coils. These coils needed to be adjusted to provide the same spark intensity for better idle and acceleration. As these coils worked they made a buzzing sound so when you adjusted them properly they all buzzed the same; therefore they were in tune and thats how the term tune up was coined. This term stuck and was associated with the replacement of spark plugs and any performance or rough idle problems that could be associated to engine operation. Once the distributor was developed the term tune up had no meaning as to how an engine performed, but to the consumer who was use to hearing this term around a garage, automatically associated poor running quality with the need to be in tune. Todays automobiles do not require tune-ups. Automobile ma
