On average what do you guys pay for a tune up.

 

nothing. buy the haynes book study it like scripture and do it yourself. of you have 4.6 or 5.4 plugs alone will run you few hundred bucks.

 

i have a 97 with the 4.6 and i called for a few quotes for mine. for plugs and wires i got quoted between $270 and $430(parts and install). i priced the plugs and wires at an auto store. the wires were around $85 and the plugs were about $3 a piece.

 

haynes book, good plugs and wires around 200$. fuel filter, pcv valve 20$,air filter 20$. plugs will take you a few hours. try to find a friend that has some auto experience. the other stuff isnt to hard.

 

These trucks don't really benefit from an abritrary "tune up" You'll just be wasting your money if you just go replacing stuff.

Just change the oil when you're supposed to, and grease the front end while you're under the truck. Change the air filter when it gets stopped up. Change the tranny fluid before 100,000 miles if it all possible. (very very important) Might want to put a belt on it every 90 - 100,000 miles or so just to be safe. Some people like changing their antifreeze every 100,000 or so. (I don't) My radiator just split, so looks like I'm gonna get a chance to change my fluid for the first time. I've never stopped up a fuel filter, but if you put a new one on it every 50,000 - 100,000 or so, you should be fine. Gasoline is generally a clean fuel anyway. (unlike diesel) Check your brakes often, and change them when they need it. Turn your rotors when the brakes start jiggling, and grease your calipers every time you change the brake pads. Check your joints in the front end and change them when they need it. Keep an eye on your CV joints and boots if you have a 4x4. Keep an eye on your u-joints, and axle dope level. Especially if you start hearing driveline noises, or if your rearend is leaking oil. Keep an eye on your brake fluid/ powersteering fluid. Clean your battery terminals when they need it. Wash out your radiators periodically. If nothing else, it will make your a/c work better, cause your radiators get stopped up with bugs and trash. Keep an eye on your radiator hoses. Change your spark plugs every 100,000 miles.

I usually crawl under, over, and around my truck and check it out every time I change the oil. You never know when you might find a crack in the frame, a loose bolt, or a broken spring.

Every time I take my truck to the dealership, they put something back together wrong, or forget to tighten something, so check it out REALLY good after you get it worked on.

Just remember, you are your truck's best friend. Just keep an eye on everything, and read your service manual. It provides a guide to help you remember what to look at. But it doesn't cover everything.

I've got 190,000 miles on my truck and I've never done a "tune up" on it. Other than the things mentioned above.

 

you too huh? 180k on my 4.6 all ive ever done is replace water pump when it went out, radiator when it leaked, plug and wires when i had missfire problems (yes it takes a long time to do plugs because some are hard to get to UNLESS you remove the brackets that contain whatevers slightly in the way of your arm)
i have replaced one cv because it had a damaged spline, no other reason. u-joints in the rear axle because they wore out a little bit.

i have NEVER taken my truck to the dealer, why? i dont trust them especially when i WATCHED a TECH do a serp belt for 2 hours... not impressive.

 

2 hours doing a serp belt?? lol are you serious? what the hell was he doing for the first hour and a half? staring at the ratchet wondering where it goes?? chester is right not like the old days when every 30k you replaced plugs,all filters etc..just keep an eye on everything.

 

I think the best "tune up" you can do is just look it over really good at every oil change. It doesn't take long, and when you find something that could have been potentially dangerous, (like a loose brake caliper bolt...... @ dealership) it makes ya feel good.

On the subject of fuel filters... It's a waste of time anyway, cause if you ever have your truck in the shop because of a vacuum leak, a ripped seat, or a suspension squeak, they're gonna change that blasted fuel filter first!

 

he couldnt figure out the easiest way to put the belt on.