November 29, 2009

Hello,

From the shop:

• 2001 Pontiac Sunfire (customer); replace left and right front wheel drive wheel bearings; lift vehicle on Bear AC electric and hydraulic scissor lift; lift front of vehicle with twin bottle pneumatic scissor lift; remove front wheel plastic hub caps (19mm, deep, 6 point, impact socket); remove front wheel lug nuts (previous socket and 1/2" drive pneumatic impact wrench); remove front wheels; remove front brake system hydraulic caliper mounting bolts (10mm allen socket and 3/8" drive ratchet); remove front hydraulic brake calipers from mount and hang calipers from coil suspension spring with a piece of electrical wire (this is to support the caliper and not put unnecessary strain on the hydraulic brake flex hoses); remove front brake discs/rotors; remove front wheel drive shaft nuts (30mm deep, 6 point, impact socket and 1/2" drive pneumatic impact wrench/gun); remove 3 bearing mounting bolts (3/8" drive, T55 Tork socket and 3/8" drive ratchet; also 3/8" drive impact driver; also gas torch to heat metal due to bolts were seized); remove flange from bearing (slide hammer); remove remainder of bearing (pneumatic impact hammer/chisel); remove rust from inner bore of steering knuckle and outside of outer center velocity joint (pneumatic, mini die grinder with wire brush attachment); coat all cleaned surfaces with anti-seize; install new bearing; install 3 bolts to hold bearing to steering knuckle (bolts were sandblasted and coated with anti-seize); torque bolts to 70'lbs. (1/2" drive torque wrench); install new front wheel drive shaft nut and torque to 150'lbs.; install front brake discs/rotors (sandblast inside surfaces that come in contact with new wheel bearing flange and coat surfaces with anti-seize); install front brake hydraulic calipers with front brake pads over front brake disc/rotors unto mount and install front brake hydraulic caliper mounting/slide bolts (coated with anti-seize); install front road wheels (balance with computer balancer), lug nuts (torqued to 100'lbs.), and install front wheel plastic hub caps; lower vehicle; road test; vehicle repaired.
• 2002 GMC Z71 (customer); lift vehicle up with AC electric and hydraulic Hydra Lift; support rear of vehicle with tri-pod (eliminate forward/rear rocking of vehicle due to length of vehicle); remove four plastic wheel hubcaps (flat screwdriver); remove all wheel lug nuts (22mm, deep, 6 point, 1/2" drive impact socket, 1/2" drive pneumatic impact wrench/gun); remove all wheels; open engine hood; disconnect electrical plug to under hood light (to keep vehicle battery from discharging); cut brake steel hydraulic line at fittings at rear brake hydraulic flex hose and at ABS unit (8" side cut pliers and cold chisel with ball peen hammer); remove fittings (front fitting: 7/16" stubby, combination wrench, block of wood, ball peen hammer; rear fitting: had to remove brake rear hydraulic flex hose mounting bracket from vehicle frame with 10mm, 6 point, combination wrench then remove fitting from flex hose with 8" vise grips/locking pliers and 7/16", 12 point, combination wrench); install brass fitting into ABS unit (5/8", 12 point, stubby, combination wrench); install 40"x1/4" steel, double flared brake hydraulic line into fitting at ABS unit (7/16", 12 point, combination wrench; pipe bender); install 1/4" union (7/16" and 9/16", 12 point, combination wrench); install 60"x1/4" steel, double flared brake hydraulic line into 1/4" brass union; install 1/4" brass union into 60" line; install 12"x1/4" steel, double flared brake hydraulic line into 1/4" brass union and into rear brake hydraulic flex line; remove left and right rear brake hydraulic caliper bleeder bolts (gas torch, 10mm, 12 point, combination wrench); install new brake, hydraulic caliper bleeder bolts; fill brake, hydraulic master cylinder with DOT 3 hydraulic brake fluid; bleed rear brake hydraulic calipers; check new hydraulic steel brake line and unions for leaks (tighten); install all road wheels, install all road wheel lug nuts and torque to 120'lbs. (1/2" drive torque wrench); install all road wheel plastic hub caps; remove steel tri-pod; lower vehicle lift and remove lift arms from under vehicle; install electric plug into under engine hood light; close engine hood; road test vehicle; vehicle repaired.
• 1981 Ski-Doo Citation (donated); students continue to paint, apply decals, apply body filler, sand, prepare front ski's and suspension to re-install.
• various vehicle engines (donated); students continue to disassemble, wash with varsol, rinse with hot water, blow dry (pneumatic blow gun), sandblast, paint, and reassemble engine components including engine block,oil pan, oil pump and pick-up, crankshaft with main bearings and caps, pistons, compression rings, oil rings, connecting rod with piston pin and bearings and caps, cam shaft, hydraulic valve lifters, crankshaft gear, camshaft gear, timing chain, timing chain cover, cylinder heads, intake and exhaust valves with return springs, valve covers, intake and exhaust manifolds, fuel injection system, air intake system. The goal is not a running engine but for students to handle the various components, to identify components with their proper terminology, to see where the components belong in relation to one another, and to begin to understand the purpose of each component.
• various automatic/manual transmissions (donated); students to disassemble and reassemble (if possible) the components; to learn terminology; to see complexity; to see complex machine work; to begin to understand purpose of the various components.
• 1993 Ford Windstar (donated); all steel body panels rear of the engine fire wall and above the floor has been removed (gas torch); all interior; engine and automatic transmission has been removed (hydraulic engine hoist).
• 1999 Chevrolet Lumina (donated); engine and automatic trans-axle has been removed; all interior components removed.
• grade 9 students continue to use wood table saw, wood band saw, various hand tools including AC electric drill, AC electric jig saw; various projects include the continued building of the wood scale model of the "General Lee", 1969 Dodge Charger, the model now stands on its own with sides and roof panel; students are also cutting a 1" piece of aluminum rod (hack saw), drilling a hole through the center (drill press), tapping the hole and threading a bolt into the hole, then students drill a second hole through center of aluminum rod across it, then tap again; students are beginning to experiment with AC electric horizontal metal lathe.

From the board: (last 2 weeks)

• Hydra Lift, operating instructions continued - Tools/Equipment
• Friction and Braking - Theory
• Hand Tools continued - Safety
• Hydra Lift continued - Tools/Equipment
• Friction and Braking continued - Theory
• Electric Power Tools - Safety
• Computer Wheel Balancer - Tools/Equipment

November 22, 2009

Hello,

Last Friday, students received their midterm report card.
I will explain how the Grade 9, Exploring Technology; Grade 10, 11, 12, Transportation Technology marks are evaluated.
This report card only covers semester work this far. The semester work is worth 70% and will continue to be adjusted as the semester continues. The semester work is divided into two main categories.
1. Knowledge and Understanding and Communication, 35%
DAILY NOTES & LOG: Almost every day the students will copy a note from the blackboard on the sheet provided. This note will be under the category of Safety, Tools & Equipment, and Theory. I require that all students print their full name and the date (mm,dd,yy) on the line provided. I also require proper spelling, complete (some students only copy a portion of the note), and neat printing. I encourage and remind all students to develop their own consistent and professional printing style that is easy to read. To pursue a career in the trades, you need the ability to communicate clearly with your manager, employer, and customer. How else can you properly bill, charge, record, pay, and warranty your work. I remind the students that a messy and unreadable job application is the difference between employment and unemployment. The work-order is still an everyday part of the trades.
In the Log portion, I require the student to include the year, make, and model of the vehicle they are working on. If it is not available or they are working on a project that is not a vehicle, than I require printing N/A in the yr/mk/mdl blanks, everyday. In a large shop where there are many employees, the service writer requires the work-orders filled out entirely and does not have time to hunt down every employee to find out what they missed. I also require the student print details and explain what they have been doing during the period. They should include step by step of the work they did, tools they used, and if they used equipment, they need to print one fact about the use of the equipment. I also require proper terminology. The student needs to ask me if they do-not know. How else can I evaluate what the student knows?

2. Thinking and Application, 35%
Practical in the shop: I try to portray the shop as a real working garage. Thus, the students are encouraged to behave like an employee. They need to keep busy, by participating with the projects and customer vehicle repairs. The students come with a very wide and varied background, skills, abilities, interests, and even fears. I only expect students to do what they are comfortable with doing. I expect the student will get to the point they will be willing to try to do new things, eventually. In the mean time I expect the student to observe, get and return tools, clean up and ask questions to other students and myself. I cannot force any student to work in the shop, the risk of injury to the student(s) and potential of damage to vehicles, tools, and equipment is too high. I am always watching and circulating around to the different student groups. I ask the students to identify the components by their proper terminology and explain what they know and understand of what the component is for and how and why. I will correct when they are wrong and explain what they do not know.
Thus, like a real job, the student does not receive pay but marks. Out of 10 everyday. The student's attendance, punctuality, attitude, participation, cleanup all effect my assessment and final evaluation.
If the student wishes to make up lost marks due to being absent for any reason. The student needs to copy the missed Daily Notes from a willing student's notes. The student needs to come in to make up missed time in the practical in the shop. The student is encouraged to work during lunch, spares (cannot skip regular classes), and after school ( I am always in the shop everyday till a minimum of 4:30pm). Like an apprenticeship, it is time working in the environment. I will allow the students to work on any project that interests them without instruction. I find the student will eventually get stuck and will require my input. At this point the student is willing to listen and try out my suggestions to carry the project forward. Usually the student will eventually get around to every opportunity in our shop by the end of the semester.
I encourage the student and the parent/guardian to talk to me about any concerns, after school.

I will post in the shop and from the board, soon.

November 8, 2009

Hello,

from the shop:

• 1999 Honda Accord (customer); replace fuel system, pressure/feed fuel line (5/16"x60", 5/16"x51", 5/16"x18" steel lines, 5/16" compression fittings x2) from rubber fuel line connection (10mm) at fire wall, behind engine to plastic line connection near fuel tank; remove return fuel steel line from rubber hose connection at fire wall behind engine to plastic hose connection near fuel tank. Vehicle was moved from Bear scissor lift to Hydra Lift 2 post and all wheels removed to aid in fuel line repair; all four wheels balanced on Snap On wheel/tire balancer.
• 2003 Pontiac Vibe (customer); replace engine oil and filter (5W30); repair left rear tire (remove nail from tire and install tire plug); check rear drum brakes (wash out brake dust with water hose, OK, recheck in 3 months); check front disc brakes (customer complains of brake pedal pulsation, requires front brake disc pads and discs within next 3 months); repair plastic weather guard under engine (plastic plugs missing, install plastic zip ties); check fluids (engine coolant, OK; brake fluid, OK; power-steering fluid, OK; automatic trans-axle fluid, OK; battery, positive terminal has some corrosion; windshield washer fluid, add); check tire pressures (35 psi).
• 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT (customer); replace engine oil and filter (5W30); check all fluids; check tire pressures (35 psi).
• 1993 Ford Aerostar (donate); remove left and right rear side glass; continue to remove the left front upper control arm steel bracket (required gas torch due to seized bolts); remove right front shock absorber (cut off top and bottom steel bolts with pneumatic cut-off wheel).
• 1981 Ski-Doo Citation (donated); continue to sand blast front ski's and suspensions; continue to prepare belly pan for paint (sandpaper, electric sander, electric angle grinder with wire brush/wheel attachment), wire wheel tunnel.
• 1988 Chevrolet Caprice (donated); rivet on left front interior door handle; remove windshield (pneumatic knife).
• 1987 Pontiac Transport (donated); remove windshield (pneumatic knife).
• 19?? Pontiac Grand Prix (donated); remove windshield; remove front seats.
• small engines (single cylinder), (donated); continue to disassemble, wash components with varsol, rinse with hot water, dry with pneumatic blow gun, sandblast, paint, and reassemble (cylinder head, block, intake and exhaust valves with springs and retainers, recoil, carburetor, fuel tank, spark-plug, ignition coil with spark plug wire, flywheel, camshaft, crankshaft, piston, piston compression rings, piston oil ring, piston pin, connecting rod, push-rods, oil lubrication, ...).
• vehicle engines (V6x2, 4Cly.)(donated); see small engines.
• students continue to use AC electric and pneumatic tire machine; gas (acetylene and oxygen) torches for heating, cutting, and braze welding; AC electric and pneumatic plasma cutter; pedestal AC electric grinder and wire wheel, AC electric table saw, AC electric band saw; and a variety of AC electric and pneumatic hand tools.
• FINALLY! Our AC electric Snap On hand spin wheel/tire balancer is installed (position, drill, lag to concrete floor, level) and working.
• NEW! Ultra Pro pneumatic knife for easy removal of vehicle glass. Thanks to SHSM budget.

From the board:

• Service brakes continued: disc brakes and drum brakes
• Avoiding blood-borne pathogens
• Circular saws
• Hydra Lift (2 post above ground vehicle lift)
• Service brakes continued: power brake booster and the brake pedal

SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major):

• Tuesday, November 10Th, 2009; rewrite for WHMIS

November 1, 2009

Hello,

From the shop:

• 1999 Honda Accord (customer); replace the left and right rear brake system, brake hydraulic steel lines (3/16" double flare with 10mm fittings; 3x60", 1x51", 1x40", 1x12"; 4x unions), from the brake system hydraulic portioning valve (located beneath brake system hydraulic master cylinder under hood) to right and left rear brake system brake hydraulic flex hoses (located behind right and left rear road wheels); required the removal of the engine exhaust system from catalytic converter (3 bolts had to be cut off with gas torch) to end, including intermediate exhaust pipe, muffler (2 rubber mounts), rear axle pipe, rear muffler (1 rubber mount), and tail pipe. Removal of engine exhaust system heat shield (3 bolts), located in front of fuel tank. Vehicle is raised on Bear scissor lift (AC electric and hydraulic). Raise rear of vehicle with pneumatic bottle jacks at rear sub-frame outside of spare tire well. Removal of rear road wheels. Lower rear suspension and fuel tank unit by approximately 1" to allow access to bolts for clamps holding steel hydraulic brake lines near rear brake hydraulic flex hoses. Raise rear suspension and fuel tank unit.


• 1999 Ford Windstar (donated); connect the engine exhaust system at the front of catalytic converter (3x3/8"x1 1/4" N.C. bolts); install top section of trans-axle fluid dip stick tube; check for fluid level (OK); install trans-axle cooler lines at trans-axle; install nut to stud on engine 12volt starter solenoid for start wire; install engine air intake/filter system; charge 12volt battery; attempt to start vehicle (no start; possibly due to the trans-axle shifter switch is not connected due to switch on trans-axle and plug on vehicle wiring harness are not compatible thus engine performance computer is not receiving the proper signal that the trans-axle is in park); research trans-axle switch on Mitchell On Demand Transmission computer program (no help); machine front brake system discs/rotors; sand blast front left and right brake system caliper mounting brackets; install front rotors and mounts but would not fit (the parts donor vehicle was newer and parts are not all compatible).


• 1993 Ford Aerostar (donated); removal of engine water pump with engine cooling clutch fan (could not remove clutch fan with shop complete clutch fan tool set; melt off plastic engine cooling fan with gas torch; cut through steel mounting ring for plastic fan to clutch fan with gas torch); removal of main 12volt battery ground cable at engine block; removal of engine 12volt alternator; removal of engine belt driven Air Conditioning A/C compressor; removal of engine upper air intake manifold/plenum; removal of brake system hydraulic portioning valves (x2) and hydraulic steel brake line to left front brake hydraulic flex hose; begin to remove suspension system left front upper A/frame (control arm); removal of all rear interior plastic interior panels; removal of rear interior carpet; begin to remove of all safety belts; removal of rear tail gate; begin the removal of all remaining windows.


• 2002 GMC Envoy (customer); drive vehicle up ramps at front; removal of automatic transmission cooler line fitting at left side of lower plastic tank of engine cooling system radiator.


• 199? Pontiac Grand Prix (donated); appraised; continue the removal of all glass (vacuum up broken glass due to rear glass window was shattered); removal of rear bench seat.


• 199? Chevrolet Lumina (donated); removal of steering column; removal of rear plastic bumper; removal of seat belts; removal of interior carpet; punch out drain plugs on floor pan to allow rain water to drain.


• vehicle engine projects (x2), (donated); removal of engine pistons with compression rings, oil rings, and connecting rods; other components removed.


• small engine project (donated); disassemble engine block; individual components are washed in varsol, rinsed in hot water, dried with pneumatic blow gun; sand blasted; painted.


• students continue to practice using AC electric and pneumatic tire machine; gas torch (heating, cutting, braze welding); plasma cutter; AC electric pedestal grinder and wire wheel; AC electric angle grinder/wire wheel; AC electric table top band saw; and various other tools and equipment.


• all vehicle plastic, fabric, and rubber was trailered to Dunnville transfer station.

From the board:

• chisels and punches


• service brakes; master cylinder, hoses and lines


• responding to emergencies


• general workplace equipment