Remember when timing a engine meant points and a feeler gauge?

I started out back in the late 80s helping my uncle at his shop. Every tune-up had you pulling the distributor cap, setting the dwell with a Allen wrench, and checking the gap with a feeler gauge. Now I just plug in my scan tool and it tells me everything within 30 seconds. It's faster and more accurate but I kind of miss the feel of getting it just right by hand. Anyone else ever had a car run worse after a digital tune-up because it showed a code for something that didn't matter?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_lewis3712d ago

Buddy's Oldsmobile ran like garbage after a digital tune-up.

adams8212d ago

Actually, digital tune-ups on older cars like Oldsmobiles can cause more problems than they fix. Those engines were built for analog systems, so plugging in a modern computer to adjust the timing and fuel mix often doesn't work right. Buddy might have been better off letting a mechanic who knows those older engines do a traditional tune-up with a timing light and a feeler gauge. It's a common mistake people make when they try to update classic cars without understanding how they ran in the first place.