The Turbo on your Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford diesel truck is an integral component of your truck’s ability to perform. Turbos affect everything from power output to fuel mileage, allowing your pickup to reach its full potential in terms of power, torque, and efficiency. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, turbo knowledge is one of our specialties, because we understand the importance of quality turbo parts, replacements, and repair.

Nobody wants to put an engine or transmission in their car. However, when that time comes, it’s important to make an informed decision - here are some things to consider when installing a used engine or transmission, from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM.

Vacuum pressure plays a critical role in keeping your engine running smooth, and performing it’s best. From Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, here’s some info on vacuum pressure, why you need it, and how to tell if you’ve got a vacuum leak.

Have you always wondered what a spark plug does? Our team here at Tom Quirk Automotive is here to help you out. It's simple in theory but does quite a lot of work for such a small piece of equipment. Your spark plug forces electricity to arc across a gap like a bolt of lightning at high voltage and fits into your engine's cylinder head, where it “sparks” to ignite the fuel and creates combustion within your engine. Without it, you wouldn't be able to drive your car or truck. 

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, we know an important part of your ability to care for your transmission lies in your knowledge about how it works. Here is some information on the tow button, if your car, truck, or SUV is equipped with one.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, routine maintenance and repair isn’t the only thing we do. For custom parts installation, you can also count on us. Common modification enthusiasts do is swapping to a short-throw shifter; but what actually is a short-throw shifter, and what does it do?

If you own or maintain a fleet or commercial truck, you are likely already familiar with the term ASE certified technician. But what does ASE mean, and why is it important? Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM has the answer.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, we know that few problems are simultaneously as simple and confusing as a bad ground connection on your car, truck, or SUV. Here’s a look at some symptoms of a bad ground, and what you can do to correct it.

Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

Automatic transmissions aren’t well understood outside of specialists like our technicians here at Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM. While it would be impossible to teach you enough to make you a transmission expert in a quick article, what we can do is give you the fundamental knowledge you need to have a good idea of what your transmission is doing and how it works. Being able to understand how your transmission works will help you identify any problems that may arise to prevent further wear and tear on your vehicle. 

Every year, more and more trucks come equipped with turbochargers. What was once a novelty or a performance option has become increasingly common as stock equipment. What are they for, and how do they work? Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM is here to help.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a transmission is working the way it should or not. Is it supposed to make that noise? Is that problem a symptom of the transmission or something else? Fortunately, Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM has the answers.

Wheel bearings are an often overlooked, but incredibly important component on your diesel truck; and when one begins to fail, other problems begin to arise. Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque has the information you need to recognize a problem before it turns into a bigger one. Here’s what to look out for:

Trucks aren’t like cars...your average personal vehicle usually holds about 5 quarts of oil, and you are supposed to change it every 3-5k miles. However, the same logic doesn’t apply to large trucks. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, we know how important proper oil changes and diagnostics are to keep your truck on the road, for hundreds of thousands of miles. Here’s what you need to know:

Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

If you drive a lightweight car, truck, or SUV, the torque converter you have installed is probably just fine. For those of you with more heavy-duty applications, like high horsepower setups or towing rigs, the stock converter may not be enough. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we can help with that.

Tire pressure may seem innocuous enough, but at Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, we know how much of a difference correct tire pressure makes. Tire pressure checks are just one of many regular service items we check when you bring your truck in for servicing, but it’s one that’s more important than you might think.

Currently, the future of electric vehicles looks promising - though it won’t likely replace your Duramax, Powerstroke, or Cummins engine any time soon. Still, we don’t know what the immediate future holds. This battle was waged once before in the past, with combustion engines taking the throne over electric power. Here’s a brief history of electric automobiles, from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM.