Automotive News & Information - Tom Quirk Automotive

Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance here at Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, where we are good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your car. You know when your car feels off when it's been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop;

Diesel engines are known for their reliability - that’s probably at least partially why you bought one. However, like all things, diesels and their components wear out eventually. Fortunately, the technicians at Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM have you covered. Here are some fuel system issues to watch out for.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we recommend always making it a priority to change your oil on time. Here’s a look into why it’s so important, and what happens if you don’t keep up with oil changes.

Sludge - If oil stays in an engine too long, sludge begins to build up anywhere oil can go. The oil absorbs tiny debris and contaminants, kind of like a liquid sponge - once it’s at capacity, that oil begins to stick, clog, and build up throughout the engine. Small veins that carry oil to components like actuators, turbos, and bearings will become blocked, starving critical components of oil and causing component or engine failure.

tow truck and guy calling on the phone by side of the road

Something will go wrong with your car, truck, or SUV eventually. The important thing is knowing what to do, and how to deal with it. Just knowing what to do in a situation often means the difference between a quick repair and thousands of dollars worth of work. If you see steam coming from under the hood, it’s important to deal with it appropriately and quickly. Here’s what’s going on, and what to do, from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM.

The turbo on your diesel pickup is a precision-engineered component. As a result, proper maintenance is essential to keeping it going strong. At tens or even hundreds of thousands of RPM, keeping everything in good shape is absolutely necessary. Fortunately, turbos don’t really require any special maintenance - they just make the maintenance you do all the more important.

Your turbocharger will work in essentially the same way, whether you drive a Powerstroke, Cummins, or Duramax diesel pickup. While there are differences in designs and applications, turbos haven’t changed all that much over the past century. Now that you know what one is made of, we’ll look at how it works.

Sometimes, it’s obvious when you need new brakes and sometimes it isn’t. Knowing what to look for and what causes issues will help keep you safe and remind you of when you should get your brakes checked out. Here are some symptoms of bad brakes, and what causes the issue from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM.

Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.