JDM Mazda RX-7 update!

My inquisitive student Edwin Jiang, transfers his stock JDM RX-7 into a highly modified track car that elevates his learning into an advanced domain of Blooms Taxonomy “creating”. This reveals the highest level of student learning and exhibits very high student engagement. 

Stay tuned for more updates of the RX-7!

 With the original Rotary removed, Edwin explores options as to what will power his new machine. After some peer discussion with classmates he leans towards a Corvette motor that will satisfy his needs.

 Bodywork is near completion and not much of the original body is retained as seen in pictures. 

As for colour...? Still unsure!

  

Student trades in BMW to purchase a Limited Edition Vantage from England's most coveted Automotive Manufacture - Aston Martin

My student Alex Yu unveils British quality to his peers with his recently purchased Aston Martin Vantage that exhibits true hand-built superiority over its competition.  

 This limited edition Vantage is the leanest and most agile of the thoroughbreds Aston Martin produces making it worthy of anyone who only demands the best in a Gentleman's car including...
Mr. J. Bond.





  While not really a car that students would practice honing their skills on, the car does exhibit some of the manufactures finest refinements we see in the industry today.

Training Aids and their Value for Learning

Wheel Alignment Training Aid 

 Good instructional aids also can help solve certain language barrier problems. Consider the continued expansion of technical terminology in everyday usage. This, coupled with culturally diverse backgrounds of today's students, makes it necessary for instructors to be precise in their choice of terminology. Words or terms used in an instructional aid should be carefully selected to convey the same meaning for the student as they do for the instructor. They should provide an accurate visual image and make learning easier for the student.

Donor car from GM to be dismantled for training Aids 

Instructional aids should appeal to the student and be based on sound principles of instructional design. When practical, they should encourage student participation. They also should be meaningful to the student, lead to the desired behavioural or learning objectives, and provide appropriate reinforcement. Aids that involve learning a physical skill should guide students toward mastery of the skill or task specified in the lesson objective.

My First Car - Posted for all those students that always ask!

First Car - 1967 Galaxie 500

Ah, the summer of 1986… Expo was in Vancouver, Honeymoon Suite was the hot band on the radio and it was time for my first set of wheels. After selling the dirt bike, taking a hammer to my piggy bank and working Saturdays at my old man’s truck shop in Cloverdale I scrapped up a whopping $600 to buy my first car. With just 32,436 miles on the odometer this 1967 Galaxie 500 was all mine. 4 wheel drum manual brakes, no power steering and only lap seat belts… but I didn't care, it was my first ride, the sun was shining and I had a smile on my face. J

Coolant Leak? You be the Judge!

Mazda 3

In this video was one of the last vehicles that I serviced before leaving Mazda. Customer drove this vehicle without coolant in the engine until it would not go any further! When this vehicle finally entered the dealership on a tow truck it was cold, I added coolant and pressure test cooling system, but found no external leaks! (pressure tester is on coolant bottle as seen in video) I then removed spark plugs and cranked engine over to find this! Cylinder head was warped beyond servicing and in the end the cheapest method was to replace the motor. Lesson learned here, do not drive vehicle without coolant.

Interesting Article on Responsibility or Lack of it.

Every so often I read an article on the web that I find really hits home in this face paced world where lack of common sense fails and people look to lay blame elsewhere. A colleague of mine and my former Mazda Instructor wrote about the hot potato GM is dealing with now on their ignition switches. It is a good read and makes you look at a different side than you would commonly find in the news.

Living in the age of Irresponsibility

Consulab Trainers

Song demonstrates the effect temperature has on pressure to his peers

 The ConsuLab Air Conditioning trainer is a complete A/C system with unique features designed to enhance the instruction of air conditioning physics. The trainer uses the orifice tube design of refrigerant flow control. The trainer uses common automotive components and can be used in both classroom and shop environments.
It accomplishes what the lecture and vehicle itself fall short of. Student has the ability to see the refrigerant change from a liquid to a vapour in a clear tube and then back to a liquid again while monitoring pressures on gauges and feeling the temperature change on either side of the orifice tube!

Fabrication a higher level of Blooms Taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy in its various forms represents the process of learning, creating is the highest level of that process in the cognitive domain. Equally important is how to visualize the process while fabricating raw materials to gap the needs assessment for the given task. A zealous student in my class was faced with the predicament of servicing an older vehicle without any replacement parts available. To my amazement he fabricated an exhaust system that exceeded my expectations and convinced me that his learning journey is now more outcomes based over competency. 

Song fabricates new parts in place of  obsolete replacements

RX-7 Body Kit

!993 RX-7 JDM last day as a street car

Rx-7 after students remove front clip

Students car finally begins the highly anticipated conversion to a modified track car. The car started out as a 1993 Mazda RX-7 JDM but will soon receive a new wrapped body kit, 18” wheels and drivetrain. Excitement builds in the shop as students remove the original front clip from this once red RX-7. Body kit  is receiving final custom touches before installation in the very near future! Stay tuned for developments on this exciting project!                                                                 

There is always time for fun after the class work is done!

Andy gets a little help moving the Indy car back into the shop!

 After pushing the car to its limits around the track Andy pulls in to the shop for some quick adjustments to the fuel system before attempting another lap. When asked about safety of high performance cars Andy emphasizes that it does not matter if he is driving his new GTR on the Road or pushing the limits of the Indy car in his next race, safety is always on his mind and is top priority to being successful when behind the wheel of either car.  

Safety! It's everyone's responsibility

General Automotive Repair Safety Tips

 *PLEASE NOTE: Don’t tackle any job that you may not feel comfortable performing. It may result in an injury and likely cost more than it would have if you had taken the vehicle to a professional for service.

What's wrong with the picture above? Safety is everyone's responsibility

1.  To prevent burns, be sure to begin auto repairs on a cool engine. 
2. When working underneath a vehicle or using power tools or pressurized systems, ALWAYS wear eye protection. 
3. DO NOT wear jewelry or loose clothing when working over an engine or troubleshooting an engine that is running. 
4. To prevent the vehicle from rolling while working on it, always set the parking brake and block the tires. 
5. Use gloves; mechanic, nitrile, rubber, or equivalent while working with fluids, dust or grease. 
6. Ensure all locking devises are engaged on all support equipment while working under a vehicle. 
7. Always use jackstands to support a vehicle when working underneath it. 
8. In case of emergency, be sure to keep a fire extinguisher in your shop area. 
9. NEVER smoke when working on a vehicle. 
10. When replacing any electronic components, make sure the ignition key is in the “off” position and use a static strap to avoid “spiking” the system. 
11. Never work on a running vehicle in an enclosed area, a proper ventilation or hose exhaust system that is connected to the tailpipe and routed outside is vital. 
12. Keep your hands clear of the cooling system fan at all times. Even though the ignition key is turned off, the electric fan will still engage on many vehicles until the temperature of the coolant in the radiator has cooled down. 
13. Never remove the radiator cap while the cooling system is hot. Always allow a couple of hours for the engine to cool before opening any part of the cooling system. 
14. Use the proper tool for the procedure. 

CREATIVE COMMONS

What is Creative Commons?
Creative Commons helps you share your knowledge and creativity with the world.

Creative Commons develops, supports, and stewards legal and technical
infrastructure that maximizes digital creativity, sharing, and
innovation.


 Jims AutoShop 101 by Jim Berladyn is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on work at http://jimsautoshop101.blogspot.ca/

More information may be found on the Creative Commons Website Below

Click this LINK for CC Website

AIR BAG MODULE AND PRE-TENSIONER SEAT BELT DEPLOYMENT PROCEDURES

Operation

A front airbag system contains a hefty nylon bag, which is inflated and deflated rapidly in the result of a severe front end collision. The drivers airbag is contained in the centre pad of the steering wheel, and the passengers airbag is in the upper left of the dash

When do they deply?

The airbag's deployment is controlled by several sensors that detect the event and harshness of a frontal crash. When the airbag computer determines that the airbag should be deployed, the system initiates an inflater unit that burns chemicals very quickly to produce large volumes of inert gas to inflate the bag.

How to dispose of airbags?

 If an airbag is removed from vehicle but has not been activated we cannot simply discard them in the trash, we must safely activate them externally. Below is a link on how to safely dispose of airgbags using a SST.

Click this LINK for safe procedures on Airbag deployment

Video above is from my previous class deploying an airbag, Note the airbag was NOT secured tight enough in the vise and landed next to the concrete wall.

Students take on a BIG challenge early in the course!

Andy and radiator he just removed from F-350 Diesel

 The BCIT Ford F-350 sprung a coolant leak and required a new radiator. The challenge was offered to my class and the students overcame the enormous job of replacing the radiator that was even challenging for a licensed technician!

One of my favourite CATS an Excellent Game for informal Assessment!

     One of my favorite Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) is the highly popular tool (game) I use for informal assessment. It has high student engagement and may be quickly modified to your class. This power point based game is a twist on “Jeopardy”. It plays just like Alex Trebek’s (Alex Trebek's Bio) TV game. The BCIT automotive staff have constructed many of these games tailored to fit each course with very high successful feedback from the students. I generally use this game early on in the course where education is competency based but it is suitable for all models of classrooms with a computer and projector. It’s a very effective tool to determine what has been learned and what needs improvement. I found it to be very popular when I spilt the class in half and make two teams to add some non-threatening competition into the game. It also brings lots of engaging classroom discussion along the way and Ohhhh….. yes of course there is the “Daily Double” and the music from the show that goes with it!

If you want to try one of mine just send me a message and I will email one of the games 

Click this LINK to make a Jeopardy game!

The Instant Jeopardy Review Game has been designed and dramatically improved to make it the perfect review game for a wide variety of classroom uses. This tool is a fun and interactive way to review content in your classroom, meeting, conference, or other group setting.

The new and improved version of the Jeopardy Review Game includes the following features:

• Simple insertion of pictures on Question and/or Answer slides
• Full support for symbols, such as exponents and wingdings style fonts
• Better support for foreign language Question and/or Answer slides
• Simpler visual editing process
• Embed anything in your question slides, even Youtube videos, flash objects, etc.
• Simple scorekeeping system
• Works on portable devices such as smartphones, iPad, and iPod Touch!
  

Student steps up to peer teach!

Sean teaches his peers!

 In this picture Sean steps up to demonstrate the "Virtual VAT-40". After peer teaching with the Big Show to his classmates he practices his newly learned skill to a live vehicle. 

The One Minute Paper

I have found sometimes the simplest form of non-projected media has the greatest value in the classroom. Typically I will distribute plain sheets of paper near the end of class to determine what the muddiest point is or "What was the most confusing concept covered in today’s lesson?” I find this simple model works well and may also be used to determine "What was the one idea you understood clearly?" Most often I tell the students its anonymous. I collect papers afterwards and look for a trend of misunderstood concepts in my lesson. It is a very effective and quick way to poll the class on the days lesson, concerns they may have or suggestions to best help them facilitate their needs assessment.

Click HERE for the One Minute Paper Link

Questions Designed to Assess Student Interests:
* Without looking at your notes, what stands out in your mind or remains most memorable or about today’s
class?
* What was the most surprising or unexpected idea you heard in today’s discussion?
* Looking back at your notes, what would you say was the most stimulating idea discussed in class today?
* For you, what interesting questions remain unanswered about today’s topic?
Identifying Perceived Relevance of Course Concepts
* In your opinion, what was the most useful idea discussed in today’s class?
* During today’s class, what idea(s) struck you as things you could or should put into practice?
* What example or illustration cited in today’s class could you relate to the most?
Assess Student Attitudes/Opinions
* Would you agree or disagree with the following statement made in today’s class . . . .? (Why?)
* What was the most persuasive or convincing argument (or counterargument) you heard expressed in
today’s discussion?
* Was there a position taken in today’s class that you strongly disagreed with, or found to be somewhat
disturbing and unsettling?
* Were there any ideas expressed in today’s class that caused you to reconsider or change your personal?
opinions, viewpoints, or values?
Checking Student Comprehension
* What did you perceive to be the major purpose or objective of today’s class?
* What do you think was the most important point or central concept communicated during today’s presentation?
Assessing Conceptual Connections (Cross-Concept Integration)
* Did you see any relationships between today’s topic and other topics previously covered in this course?
* What was discussed in class today that seemed to connect with what you’re currently learning or
previously learned in other course(s)?

TurningPoint/Responseware Web tool for informal assessment

     Used as a regular tool for informal assessment in my lesson plan is the TurningPoint software (installs on your PC) and Repose Ware (App for students phone). I stumbled across this on PD day at BCIT and use it on a regular basis. If your students are always on their cell phones this is a very creative way to use their phones for informal assessment from a power point presentation. My students also like it because their responses are anonymous. Feedback is great from the learners, works with all types of smart phones. ResponseWare allows the user to respond to multiple styles of questions, such as: multiple-choice, alphanumeric, multiple response and even essay questions. The diversity of response types increases communication options and allows users to easily submit questions electronically during an interactive polling session to the presenter. ResponseWare also displays the question and answer choices on the device while polling and is compatible with TurningPoint assessment software. Turns a participant's web-enabled mobile device into a virtual ResponseCard. ResponseWare allows students and participants to respond using a Wi-Fi or data connection.

Click on this LINK for the TurningPoint website

Jims AutoShop 101 is now on Twitter

Alex "hones" in on his skill set for the class to see!

Alex steps up in front of his peers and demonstrates his skill of honing a wheel cylinder for the class.  

Fuel Pump Testing

This week at BCIT students have checked static and dynamic fuel pump pressure testing. Followed by fuel pump volume and voltage drop tests. Tomorrow we will be onto current ramping with a lab scope and looking to calculate the RPM of the fuel pump! Exciting stuff in this fuel delivery course.

Looking for interesting feedback on the testing procedures and interpretation of the results for the fuel delivery system.

     Click this TEXT! Excellent resource on current ramping! 

1988 Mazda 323 GTX Fuel Tank!

Picture to the right was taken by me from inside the fuel tank of very rare 1988 Mazda 323 GTX (all wheel drive turbo) that had quit running. There is an inch of rust on the bottom of tank. My class diagnosed a faulty fuel pump and this was the result of pump failure! Good chance this would not happen with a plastic fuel tank.

Keeping the injectors clean with Terra-clean! Edwin demonstrates the JB injector flush machine in fuel delivery class! 

Teaching students or escorting the locals.. We do it all here at BCIT!

FIRST BLOG!

 Hi Everyone! This is my first Blog post!
The purpose of this Blog is to be used as an assignment in a media course I am taking in PID 3240 for my Instructors Diploma. This is my first attempt at making a Blog so progress might be a little...slow!