If the routine maintenance schedule is strictly adhered to from the time the vehicle is purchased, frequent checks of fluid levels and the condition of wear-prone components will be carried out as suggested in this manual. The engine will remain in good working condition for a long time, and the need for any additional work will be minimized.
More often, however, it happens that the engine runs inefficiently due to the neglect of regular maintenance. This happens even more often when buying a used car, the owners of which did not bother with frequent and regular checks and maintenance. In this case, in addition to performing normal routine maintenance procedures, it will be necessary to tune the engine. The first step in any tuning or diagnostic procedure to improve engine performance is to check the compression ratio in the cylinders. Compression test (see chapter Engine) will help determine the condition of the engine's internal components and should serve as a guide when tuning and repairing. If, for example, checking the compression ratio indicates serious internal wear on the engine, a simple adjustment will not improve its performance and will be a waste of time and money. Since the procedure for checking the compression ratio is extremely important, it should be carried out by a specialist who owns equipment specially designed for this. The following procedures are most often required to bring the engine into good operating condition.
Minimum Settings
1. Checking all fluids associated with engine operation (Chapter Checking fluid levels)
2. Checking the condition of all hoses in the engine compartment (Chapter Check of a condition and replacement of hoses of an impellent compartment)
3. Checking and adjusting the tension of the drive belts (Chapter Checking the condition, adjusting the tension and replacing the drive belts)
4. Cleaning, inspection and battery check (Chapter Battery check, care and charging)
5. Replacing spark plugs (Chapter Checking and replacing spark plugs)
6. Inspection of the explosive wires of the candles, the cover and the distributor slider (Chapter Checking and replacing spark plug wires, cover and distributor slider)
7. Air filter check (Chapter Replacing the air filter element)
8. Checking the cooling system (Chapter Checking the functioning of the cooling system)
General settings
All the minimum settings listed above, plus.
1. Checking the ignition system (see chapter Engine electrical system)
2. Checking the charge system (see chapter Engine electrical system)
3. Checking the fuel system (see chapter Power supply and exhaust systems)
4. Replacement of BB wires of spark plugs, cover and distributor runner (Chapter Checking and replacing spark plug wires, cover and distributor slider)