{{Afd-merge to|Glossary of automotive terms|discussion=Italian tuneup (2nd nomination)|date=30 May 2026}} {{Short description|Way of tuning car by moving at high speed}} {{notability|date=October 2019}} '''Italian tuneup''' is a slang automotive term for attempting to restore engine performance by driving a car at high engine speed (rpm) and load.
The term originated from Italian mechanics in the 1950s using this practice to burn off carbon deposits from the spark plugs of sports cars.<ref name="popular_mech">{{cite journal|title=High Rev Engine Cleaning|journal=Popular Mechanics|date=Feb 1993|page=92|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tuMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Italian+tuneup%22&pg=PA92|access-date=2024-08-27|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Hartman|first=Jeff|title=Nitrous Oxide Performance Handbook|year=2009|page=138|publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn=9781616730529|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_MgGR7NJXRwC&dq=%22Italian+tuneup%22&pg=PA138|access-date=2024-08-27|via=Google Books}}</ref>
The practice is sometimes used prior to emissions testing, particularly for diesel engines.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lane|first=Keith|title=Automotive A-Z - Lane's Complete Dictionary of Automotive Terms|year=2011|publisher=Veloce |isbn=9781845844196|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xmDAx9JIzAIC&q=italian+tuneup|access-date=2024-08-27|via=Google Books}}{{page needed|date=May 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
Category:Automotive terminology
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