auto mechanics then and now

Apr 15
08:08

2008

George Branscom

George Branscom

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AUTO MECHANICS THEN AND NOW By George Branscom My name is George Branscom, and I a...

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AUTO MECHANICS THEN AND NOW

By George Branscom

           

My name is George Branscom,auto mechanics then and now Articles and I am writing this article from my own experiences as an Auto Mechanic. I worked in the field for twenty nine years. I taught High School for six years and taught in Fort Grant State Prison near Safford Arizona for three years.

           

When I started my Auto Carrier in 1972 vehicles were still very basic and easy to work on. These were the days of breaker point ignition systems and ignition coils. The tools needed for the basic engine them was a timing light, dwell meter, feeler gauge, and a allen wrench for GM distributors as GM’s point and condenser was a one piece unit, and  could be adjusted with an allen wrench . Cerebration was the only source of fuel injection for American made autos. Electronic Ignition came out in the mid to late  70’s.Volkswagen was the first manufacture to produce fuel injection in cars back in 1968. It was a mechanical fuel injection system that they used both for their gas and diesel four cylinder engines. It was not until the early 80’s that Auto makers in America began to experiment with fuel injection the first being Throttle Body injection which looked like a carburetor body with two fuel injection nozzles on top. The fuel injection was controlled by a computer. By the med 80’s GM began using multi-port fuel injection on their V6 engines. As time progressed all manufactures began using electronic fuel injection on all of their vehicles. In the mid 80’s GM was the first manufacture to come out with distributorless ignition systems which also demanded more computer systems to control both ignition as well as fuel distribution and timing.

 

Today’s Auto Technician faces many new challenges, and must have extensive training and experience in order to keep up with the changing field of the Auto market. They must have special training in the various fields and also the tools that will enable them to do the work. Such things as Books on Trouble Codes, Fuel Injection Trouble Shooting, Wiring Diagrams, Books on Timing Belts which gives them instructions of how to properly install the belt. Technical Specs. Engine Management Systems. Specialty Tools such as Flare Nut Wrenches for Fuel Lines, Fuel Line Service Tools for separating fuel lines. Bleeder Wrenches for Brake Systems. Brake Service Kit for doing Brake jobs. They will also need to be familiar with trouble codes and what they mean. There are Tech Books for Trouble Codes for various vehicles. They can only be read with a scanner which is plugged into the computer system. Today’s Tech with also need fuel pressure gauges in order to check for proper fuel pressure from the fuel pump in the fuel tank, as well as the proper pressure between the fuel pressure regulator and the fuel rail which provides fuel to the injectors.

 

In today’s cars and truck all of the engine functions are controlled by one or more computers, sometimes as many as six computers are used to control all of the various systems in the vehicle. Being a mechanic in today’s auto market requires a great deal of knowledge and experience as well as the tools that are required to be able to properly do the job that you are paid to do.

 

FROM

(www.bargainbarnexpress.com)