Diesel Technology Curriculum Guide
Written by Daniel Mielczarek
Connecticut Technical High School System
April 2002
1. Core Concept: Shop Safety
Essential Understanding: Students understand that knowledge of shop safety
will prevent future potential injuries. Students understand that training for
special tools and equipment must occur before use.
Essential Questions: What is the minimum safety requirements needed to be
able to work in a typical heavy equipment shop? How will I identify
hazardous materials? What is a MSDS sheet?
This core concept is aligned with State and Local laws governing shop safety.
OSHA requirements prevail.
2. Core Concept: Tools, Precision Tools
Essential Understanding: Students understand that there are many different
tools required to complete a task. Students understand tools can be purchased
in standard or metric sizes.
Essential Questions: How will I know which tool to use to complete my
task? How can I learn to operate portable and stationary equipment safely? How
is a micrometer used? What are the dimensions that are needed to order
fasteners?
This core concept is aligned with many manufacturers’ standard operating
procedures.
3. Core Concept: Principles of Operations
Essential Understanding: Students understand that to begin to service or repair
diesel engines. It will be necessary to understand the function of each
component or system. Students understand that many systems work together to
make a diesel engine operate. Students understand that there are many systems
that are used in the transportation and other industries.
Essential Questions: What are the major systems and their components that
make up a typical diesel engine? What is compression ignition and how is it
different from other internal combustion procedures? What are the common
performance terms and their definitions used on diesel engines.
This core concept is aligned with the information detailed in the textbook Diesel
Technology.
4. Core Concept: Basic Diesel Engine Components
Essential Understanding: Students understand that there are two and four
stroke engines. Students understand the components are made from many
different materials.
Essential Questions: How does Caterpillar, Mack, Cummins, produce engines
and Detroit differ from each other? What are the differences between a two
stroke and a four stroke engine? How can a fluid analysis determine which
components are wearing prematurely?
This core concept is aligned with many manufacturers’ manuals.
5. Core Concept: Basics of Electricity
Essential Understanding: Students understand many electrical devices are
used in the transportation and other like industries. Students understand that
electricity it’s comprised of parts of atoms. Students understand the batteries are
used in all vehicles.
Essential Questions: How will I repair electrical failures? What makes
electricity? What is Ohm’s Law? How will I verify if a battery is good?
This core concept is aligned with the information detailed in the textbook Diesel
Technology.
6. Core Concept: Basics of Electronics
Essential Understanding: Students understand that most modern transportation
vehicles and equipment use electronic systems and computers. Students
understand that Laptop computers are used to diagnose systems.
Essential Questions: How can I access a vehicle on-board computer? What will
the system codes tell me? How will I be able to change the computer-controlled
item to suit different customer applications?
This core concept is aligned with the information detailed in the textbook Diesel
Technology.
7. Core Concept: Diesel Fuel & Supply Systems
Essential Understanding: Students that understand that diesel fuel is safer than
other petroleum products. Students understand that nozzles or injectors to
distribute diesel fuel. Students understand hat the filtration of diesel fuel is
essential for proper operation.
Essential Questions: Why is diesel fuel safer? What is a cetane rating? How is
diesel fuel distributed to the combustion chamber? How does the presence of
water effect an operation of a diesel engine?
This core concept is aligned with the information provided in the textbook
Diesel Technology.
8. Core Concept: Engine Brakes
Essential Understanding: Students understanding that vehicles can slow
down by way of their internal combustion engine. Students understand that
engine brakes save wear on friction brakes.
Essential Questions: What is a diesel engine without a fuel injected into its
combustion chamber? How long does an engine brake operate? How will
service or repair engine brakes?
This core concept is aligned with the textbook Diesel Technology.
9. Core Concept: Foundation Brakes
Essential Understanding: Students understand that operators manually slow
a vehicle down. Students know that there is many break system components.
Students know that brakes wear out.
Essential Questions: How does an operator know if the brakes are operating
properly? What are the components that make up foundation brakes?
This core concept is aligned with the textbook Brakes from the Multistate
Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc. (MAVCC).
10. Core Concept: Hydraulic Brakes
Essential Understanding: Students understand that hydraulic brakes are use
to slow, stop, and park a vehicle. Students understand that hydraulic brakes
require service and repairs.
Essential Questions: How will I determine if the hydraulic brake system is
operating safely? What are the legal limits for brakes shoes and discs? How
will I measure the brake drum for reuse?
This core concept is aligned with state and federal motor vehicle guidelines
and the Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc.
(MAVCC)
11. Core Concept: Air Brakes
Essential Understanding: Students understand that air brakes are used on
heavy-duty vehicle. Students understand that air brakes are used on trailers.
Essential Questions: How do I adjust air brakes? What kind of equipment do
I need to complete a brake job? What are all the components used in the air
brake system on a typical tractor-trailer?
This core concept is aligned with state and federal motor vehicle guidelines
and the Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc.
(MAVCC).
12. Core Concept: Power Assist Brakes
Essential Understanding: Students understand that some mid-range vehicles
use power-assisted brakes. Students understand that power-assisted brakes can
be vacuum or electric.
Essential Questions: What will I do when a complaint of a low or spongy
brake pedal is reported? How do you bleed brakes? What is type DOT 2 or 3
brake fluid?
This core concept is aligned with local, federal, and manufacturers’ motor
vehicle guidelines.
13. Core Concept: Wheel Bearings
Essential Understanding: Students understand that wheel bearings are either
oil or grease based. Students understand that proper inspection of wheel
bearings for reuse is important.
Essential Questions: How do you pack a wheel bearing with grease? What
can cause wheel bearing failure? What kind of grease do I use?
This core concept is aligned with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
14. Core Concept: Steering and Suspension
Essential Understanding: Students understand that all vehicles have a
steering and suspension system. Students understand that road conditions can
misalign suspensions.
Essential Questions: How do I adjust a toe-in or toe-out condition? What are
the causes for leaf spring suspension failures? How are wheel bases
measured?
This core concept is aligned with state and federal motor vehicle guidelines
along with manufacturers’ standard operating procedures and Steering and
Suspension curriculum developed by MAVCC.
15. Core Concept: Drive Train
Essential Understanding: Students understand that axles are used to transfer
power from the transmission output. Students understand that transmissions
are either manual or automatic.
Essential Questions: How can I determine the rear axle gear ratio? What
conditions will cause clutch failures? What is the common cause for drive
shaft failure?
This core concept is aligned with information provided by federal regulations
and the Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc.
(MAVCC)
16. Core Concept: Preventative Maintenance
Essential Understanding: Students understand that all vehicles require
service at specific intervals. Students understand that regular scheduled
service prolongs a vehicles life.
Essential Questions: What factors determine service intervals? How long
does a complete service take on a tractor? How will skipped services effect
vehicle operation?
This core concept is aligned with many fleet operation manufacturers’
standard operating procedures.
17. Core Concept: Hydraulics
Essential Understanding: Students understand that hydraulics is used to
operate construction equipment. Students understand that liquids are used to
make hydraulics work. Students understand that hydraulic systems leak.
Essential Questions: What scientific principles are used in hydraulics? How
do I diagnose hydraulic failures? What are the inherit dangers associated with
hydraulics?
This core concept is aligned with the information provided by the Multistate
Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc. (MAVCC)
18. Core Concept: Careers
Essential Understanding: Students understand that there are many jobs
available using diesel technology. Students understand that there are many
skills used by technicians today.
Essential Questions: What are the industries that use diesel technology?
What skill will I need to obtain an entry level job? How can I obtain
certification(s) to increase my chances of employment?
This core concept is aligned with the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
certification and many major vehicle manufacturers.
REFERENCES
1. The Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc.
(MAVCC)
1500 West Seventh Avenue
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-4364
2. Kellum, Mary. Diesel Technology: Safety Skills. Stillwater, OK. (MAVCC)
3. OSHA Compliance Encyclopedia. 3 volumes. Madison, CT: Business and
Legal Reports, Inc. 1994.
3. U.S. Department Of Transportation. www.dot.gov
4. Decker, Robert L. Hydraulics. Stillwater, OK. (MAVCC)
5. ????????. Diesel Technology.
6. Miller, R., Scarberry, T., Tesch, C., Kellum, and M. Diesel Technology:
Steering and Suspension. (MAVCC) 1997.
7. National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation – www.natef.org
8. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, Test Specifications
and Task List – Preventative Maintenance Inspection (PMI) – Test T8.
www.asecert.org
9.
Websites
1. U.S. Department of Transportation - www.dot.gov
2. Brake Manufacturers Council – www.brakecouncil.org
3. Commercial Carrier Journal – www.ccjmagazine.com
4. Euclid Industries, Inc. – www.euclidind.com
5. Lucas Varity Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems – www.lvhvbsdayton.com
6. National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation –
www.natef.org
7. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence –
www.asecert.org
8.