The growing complexity of modern automobiles discourages too many enthusiasts from working on their cars. These poor souls suffer from a communicable disease known as Clean Fingernails Syndrome. CFNS, which is the result of paying some other guy big bucks to turn the wrenches on your ride, is nothing to laugh at. It's been known to cause death and even celibacy in extreme cases.
Relax. We've found the cure for the dreaded CFNS, and you won't even have to notify your HMO.
Many community colleges offer ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) certification classes, which are inexpensive and open to anyone interested in learning the basics of automotive repair.
My local school, Santa Barbara City College, offers many classes in its Autotech program; you're welcome to take as many or as few classes as you wish, with no commitment. They include Intro to Auto Mechanics, Fundamentals of Auto Servicing, Engine Rebuild, Lubrication, Brakes and Alignment, Fuel Systems and Air Conditioning, Powertrain, Electricity, Engine Performance, and advanced courses in OBD-II on-board diagnostics, Advanced Electronics (ECUs), Emission Control Operation and Diagnosis, and Computerized Fuel Systems.
For those interested in a profession in the automotive field, the school even offers an Associate of Science Degree in Automotive Service and Technology.
To get a better idea of the basics, I signed up for the classes in engine rebuilding and automotive electricity.
Engine RebuildingThe engine rebuild class, taught by Tim Gilles, who authored the nationally used textbook we utilized, was essential. After learning exactly how and why a variety of engine types work, we practiced on several engines and were encouraged to bring in a project of our own.
The four-hour class met three times a week, offering plenty of opportunity to mash, cut, scrape and otherwise mutilate our hands and fingers in the pursuit of knowledge. The first hour of each class was spent in the classroom, discussing everything from the four-stroke cycle and head configurations to valve jobs and reading worn and broken engine parts.
In the lab, we were given a workbook and were required to disassemble, inspect, measure and reassemble both pushrod and overhead cam engines. My group tore apart a Buick V6, followed by a 1UZ-F1 from an LS400--all 32 valves, four overhead cams, six-bolt mains and eight cylinders of it. Although cool, the Lexus engine turned out to be a nightmare of exact tolerances and sheer number of moving parts.
We were trained in every facet of engine rebuild, from disassembly techniques to proper measurement methods. We also learned how to use the very specialized equipment involved with rebuilding a motor. The classroom had every machine you could possibly need to complete an engine rebuild including valve grinders, a seat station, head surfacer and honing machine. The rebuild class also stocks high-performance related equipment like a precision scale to balance connecting rods.
Toward the middle of the semester, we were given the opportunity to rebuild an engine of our own, so I brought in the high-port Nissan SR20DE from my Sentra SE-R track car.
Having a fairly good idea of how the internals of an engine work, I was amped to tear into my engine, a survivor of 100,000 hard miles. I was pleasantly surprised to find the engine's internals in overall good condition. Even the factory cross-hatching in the cylinder bores was still there. Plans called for 11:1 pistons, some headwork, oil squirters, big cams and lightweight crank from the latest roller-rocker SR20.
The faculty was very accommodating, even buying a new tool for the class to ream SR20-sized holes in its valve guides for bronze inserts. Due to waiting on precision machine work outside of class, I was unable to finish the project by the end of the semester, but several students had their project engines back in their vehicles and running.
Electricity ClassMuch mysticism surrounds the world of electricity. Even if you understand the defining principles, rules and theory, you're dealing with something mostly intangible. Combine this hidden juice with parallel circuits, series circuits, chip sets, resistors, transistors, rheostats, relays and switches, not to mention hundreds of feet of unseen wire, and you have a nightmarish concoction.
The Automotive Electricity class attacked this complicated subject first with theory, ensuring we believe and understand the gospel, before relating it to practical automotive matters. A certain amount of formulaic mathematical understanding was required to compute values like resistance and pressure, but even those not math minded found it easy to understand.
Instructor Dave Brainerd taught us to approach electrical issues first on paper, using diagrams for the particular vehicle and problem area. Too many mechanics are only familiar with the "replace method" of electrical repair, charging the customer for new parts rather than complete a proper diagnosis.
A great resource are the program's computers that have complete service manuals for every make and model of cars on CD, including such model-specific information as wiring diagrams.
The hands-on portion of the class included labs where we diagnosed program-made electrical problems in the fleet of vehicles owned by the school.
As in the engine rebuild class, students were encouraged to schedule their own vehicles for repair. My newly purchased Ford Taurus SHO, laudable for everything Yamaha and despicable for everything Ford, had plenty of "issues" to be worked through. By the end of class, I had replaced the crank position sensor, alternator and copious amounts of non-electrical parts; without the instructor's guidance and know-how gained from class, I might have junked the car.
I cannot emphasize how wonderful it is to have access to every tool you could possibly need to work on your car; it's amazing how simple life becomes when you use vise grips as vise grips and not a hammer. More importantly, we had access to the vast expertise offered by instructors, all of whom are ASE Certified Master Automotive Technicians.
Did I come away with an enhanced understanding of engines and electrical systems? You bet, and for only $60 a class.
Now, about that welding class...
For more information, contact your area community college. See www.sbcc.net/academic/Auto/ for information on Santa Barbara's automotive technology programs and www.asecert.org for information on ASE certification.