2013 Toyota Tacoma - Tune up info request

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

how often do you do a tune up, and what is included? prices?

2

Tune up is an out of date thing . Your service manual will give you what service you need and when . Price , no way to guess as we don’t know where you are or what shop you might use .

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“Tune-up” is a term which usually refers to routine servicing of the ignition and possibly the fuel system.

Replacing 6 spark plugs & engine air cleaner, I’d guess that would take about 2 hours labor, and $200 in parts. $400-$600. P&L for replacing the fuel filter, probably another $150.

There’s a pretty good repair cost estimator at repairpal.com

4

$200 for 6 plugs and an air filter :question: Are they gold plated or something :question: I don’t think even the dealer parts cost that much.

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5

How often do I do a tune up?

I think the phrase is so obsolete, I wait till the Check Engine light turns on.

Tester

6

Depends on what spark plug is spec’d/used. Some plugs go for close to $30 each. I’d guess probably more like $10-$15 each on OP’s Tacoma. But the cost of the air filter is part of the parts fee too. If the total parts fee is less than $200, found money.

7

www.parts.toyota.com
Air Filter 25.21
6 Spark Plugs,standard platinum @ 3.82 ea. 22.92
Total 48.11
I think the only fuel filter is the “inlet sock” on the fuel pump so that may be a little pricey.

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8

Volvo V70 (above) is right. I would add that using the term “tuneup” with the wrong listener could make you look gullible and an easy mark for some unneeded and wasteful spending.

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I would have guessed a 2013 would use iridium plugs. Fortunately it uses platinum, so OP saves a little cash. Plugs for my Corolla & truck, about $1.25 to $2 each. Hard to figure how they can sell them for such a low price, seems like they would be difficult to make.

10

The four-cylinder engine uses iridium tip spark plugs, 120,000-mile replacement.

The 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engine uses standard spark plugs, 30,000 miles.

11

That would add about $14 to what I priced earlier.

12

The OP asked about the maintenance schedule, nobody replied.

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Where do you read that?

Tester

14

Even with the name “Taco” I assumed this was an English based question about ignition Maintenace, “tune-up” has a different definition in Mexico.

15

To me, the phrase tune-up is obsolete and even maintenance service can be a bit misleading.
There are a few chains here in OK who still advertise “tune ups” and there’s even a Chrysler/Dodge/Ram/Jeep dealer in NW OK who advertises “tune ups” but I have no idea what is involved in their processes.

The places I’ve worked as part of a tune up/maintenance/make it better procedure replaced the spark plugs, ran a compression test, vacuum gauge check, service the PCV and air filter, and adjusted the valve lash on vehicles with mechanical valve lifters.
Any vehicle with a CEL on was treated a bit differently.

16

“Taco” = Tacoma
As for a tune up, the OP needs to go through the maintenance schedule and see what’s needed. Mostly fluids and filters these days.

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17

You can download the Tacoma manuals at this URL if you don’t have them.

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+1
I used to know a woman who lived in Manhattan, and so her '80s-era Buick spent most of its time in a parking garage and was driven less than 2k miles per year. She remembered her father talking about how important regular tune-ups were, so once each year she would take the car to a mechanic and request “a tune-up”. Along with the needed oil change, that guy was only too happy to replace the undoubtedly pristine plugs, PCV valve and air filter–at an inflated price.

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19

Or the reverse:
Again with one of my old goat stories.
Customer comes into have us “winterize” his car. To us, flush and fill the cooling system with fresh antifreeze.
When he collected the car he was surprised that was all we did.
To him winterize would include coolant, points and plugs, lube, oil, filter, and brake adjustment.

20

To me what the term means depends on the car’s configuration.

Newer car, say 2015 or later

  • Replace spark plugs (depending what type used) and engine air filter
  • Check OBD II for stored or pending diagnostic codes

Early 90’s Corolla

  • Replace spark plugs
  • Replace engine air filter
  • Replace ignition rotor (& perhaps dist cap and plug wires)
  • Check/adjust valve clearance
  • Set idle rpm & ignition timing

Early 70’s Ford truck

  • Replace spark plugs
  • Replace engine air filter
  • Replace distributor points, condenser, ignition rotor (& perhaps dist cap and plug wires)
  • Set idle rpm & ignition timing