Vehicle Maintenance

  • What does the PCV System do & why is it important to you?

    emissions testing being done on a vehicle

    On modern vehicles, the PCV system (Positive Crankcase Ventilation System) is essential to ensuring your car or truck is ready to go when you are and remains a long-lasting, reliable vehicle. It’s much more than just emissions control - your PCV system serves multiple purposes and is quite interesting! How does it work, and what are those purposes?  Here at Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID, we have those answers for you!

  • What Happens When Routine Services Are Neglected?

    man checking oil stick

    Routine services are routine for a good reason. Schedule them with us here so we can be sure that your vehicle stays in the best shape. Here’s a look into what happens when routine services aren’t performed, from Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID.

  • What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Oil?

    sludge in the engine image

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID, 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.

  • What is a Carrier Bearing?

    driveshaft carrier bearing

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, our goal is to keep your car, truck, or SUV shifting and riding as smoothly as it did the day it rolled off the lot. A big part of that is the mounting hardware that keeps the moving parts in your drivetrain running smooth.

  • What is a Drive Axle?

    vehicle drive axle

    Do you hear a funny clicking sound when you turn the wheels of your vehicle? It could be your car or truck's CV or Drive Axle, and it may be in need of repair. Safety is the number one priority for our customers here at Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance, and it is our goal to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Driving around with a damaged CV Joint or Drive Axle problem can be extremely dangerous. The axle is a structural component that bears the weight of the vehicle, any cargo, and the acceleration forces between you and the ground. It is so important to have your vehicle inspected regularly by a trained automotive repair professional here at Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance to ensure its safety.

  • What Is a Shifter Bushing?

    gear shift

    Sometimes your car, truck, or SUV stops performing quite like it used to. At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, we can fix that. A simple but common issue on vehicles equipped with a manual transmission is shifter bushing issues. Your shifter has a bushing on the end of it, where it connects to the actual transmission. Its purpose is to provide tight, smooth shifting. 

  • What Is A Short Throw Shifter

    mechanic

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, 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?

  • What Is a Transmission “Flush”?

    transmission fluid being poured into vehicle

    You’ve probably heard the term “transmission flush” before at some point in your automotive experience. But what exactly does it mean to have your transmission flushed, and why does it matter? Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID has the answers.

  • What is an ASE Certified Technician and Why Does it Matter?

    mechanic standing in garage and holding wrench

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID, quality and precision are our top priority. We specialize in well-engineered performance and luxury vehicles like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Land Rover, and Subaru - cars and SUVs that require the right touch. For this reason, we employ ASE certified technicians, to guarantee we’re the best in the business.

  • What Is Your Mechanic Looking for In a Used Car Inspection?

    mechanic doing an inspection

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID, we know buying a used car, truck, or SUV can be a gamble. While there are no guarantees, there are key points of inspection that tell us a lot about the condition of a vehicle and how it has been maintained. There are some important points of the inspection we verify when checking out a used vehicle.

  • What It Means When We Say Ground Connection!

    testing battery

    At Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, 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.

  • What Makes Up a Transmission - Hydraulic Components

    transmission

    Hydraulic power has a lot to do with how your transmission operates. There are some basic hydraulic components that keep your transmission running smoothly.

  • What Parts Operate A Turbocharger?

    turbocharger under hood of car

    Turbochargers are intricate and precise components, but not all that complicated or difficult to understand. By knowing the parts of your car’s turbocharger and its functions, you’ll have a much better idea of how one works. Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID has exactly what you’re looking for.

  • What To Do When Your Exhaust System is Exhausted

    exhaust coming from a muffler of a truck on the road

    Whether you drive a Duramax, Cummins, or Powerstroke diesel pickup, you have an exhaust system that is prone to failure. When you have a leak that needs attention, Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID can help.

  • What to Know About Your Vehicle's Lights

    Vehicles driving on a highway with headlights on

    All the lights on your vehicle have an important job to do. Brake lights, tail lights, blinkers, reverse lights, and headlights are a crucial part of driving. Lights make you visible, make things visible to you, and allow you to communicate with other drivers. All of a vehicle’s lights make driving easier and safer, and all of them are important...not to mention legally required.

  • What to Look For When Buying a Vehicle

    man holding car keys

    In the market for a new car, truck, or SUV? Used cars aren’t always what they seem; here’s some advice from Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls to make sure you get the used car of your dreams.

  • What’s The Noise? Diagnosing Manual Transmission Issues

    mechanic working on car in garage

    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, Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID has the answers.

  • When and Why Your Vehicle Needs a Tune-up

    man holding spark plug in hands

    Tune-ups are an important and frequently neglected aspect of automotive care. Most drivers don’t really consider the mechanical condition of their car, so long as nothing is wrong with it. However, if a vehicle is tuned-up and maintained correctly, many mechanical failures (and expenses) will be avoided altogether. So whne is the right time to get a tune-up?

  • When Do I Need A Heavy Duty Torque Converter?

    torque converter

    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 Craig's Automotive Muffler & Performance in Twin Falls, ID, we can help you determine if your torque converter is right for the job you need to be done. 

  • When is it Time to Test Your Vehicle's Battery?

    Mechanic testing a car's battery

    Chances are you don’t pay much attention to your vehicle’s battery until it dies, when you get to perform the dreary dual task of waiting for a jump while simultaneously calling for an appointment to get a new battery fitted. Of course, that’s if you’re sure it’s the battery that’s dead in the first place. The only way to be certain is to take it in to be tested. However, it generally helps to know the health of your vehicle battery prior to finding yourself stranded.