Italian Tune

**denzo** · 10th August 2005, 17:03

Can someone help ...

What exactly is an Italian Tune-up ?

How do you do it?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of it?

Can you do it wrong?

Would running on Shell Diesel Extra still require a burn and clear out Italian Tune?

Cheers

**GARY3306** · 10th August 2005, 18:12

Basically, an Italian Tune-up is pottering around until your car reaches operating temperature, then head out to the dual carriageway/motorway and BOOT it. You need to red line it in every gear and hold it for about 30 or 40 seconds. So therefore you need a very quiet or empty stretch and not to get caught by MLC and his pals. This makes the engine reach its absolute peak temperatures (thermal efficiency increased by about 5 to 10%) and has the effect of burning off all unwanted deposits on piston crowns, valves, oxygen sensors etc. It will also get rid of moisture in the oil and cylinders resulting from stop/start driving (taxis a prime example). If you have maintained the car properly with proper oil used at the correct intervals etc, you shouldn't need to do it. If there is anybody reading this whos car is a bit of a rattle bag (I'm thinking more of any guests now, cause all our members cars are MINT, as my daughter would say), then PLEEEAAASE don't do this, because it may go bang and spit head gaskets out and put holes in pistons and all sorts of nasty things and you'll end up walking home and muttering under your breath what a w****r Gary3306 is. The disadvantage in doing it on your car is that you would be thrashing it for no reason or gain for that matter and shell extra contains cleaning agents to stop deposits getting a hold in the first place. The advantage would be that you will be going very fast and possibly overtaking everyone else. Don't do it Denzo, it's really only much kop on a well maintained high mileage car that does a lot of stop/start stuff. HTH