Diesel-powered engines are more efficient and durable than their gasoline-burning counterparts. These powerful engines are standard in our Nation's trucks, locomotives, and buses and are becoming more prevalent in light vehicles, including passenger vehicles, pickups, and other work trucks.
Diesel service technicians and mechanics, including bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, repair and maintain the diesel engines that power transportation equipment. Some diesel technicians and mechanics also work on other heavy vehicles and mobile equipment, including bulldozers, cranes, road graders, farm tractors, and combines. Other technicians repair diesel-powered passenger automobiles, light trucks, or boats.
Increasingly, diesel technicians must be versatile to adapt to customers' needs and new technologies. It is common for technicians to handle all kinds of repairs, working on a vehicle's electrical system one day and doing major engine repairs the next. Diesel maintenance is becoming increasingly complex, as more electronic components are used to control the operation of an engine. For example, microprocessors now regulate and manage fuel timing, increasing the engine's efficiency. Also, new emissions standards require mechanics to retrofit engines with emissions control systems, such as emission filters and catalysts, to comply with pollution regulations. In modern shops, diesel service technicians use hand-held or laptop computers to diagnose problems and adjust engine functions.
Technicians who work for organizations that maintain their own vehicles spend most of their time doing preventive maintenance. During a routine maintenance check, technicians follow a checklist that includes inspecting brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts. Following inspection, technicians repair or adjust parts that do not work properly or remove and replace parts that cannot be fixed.
Diesel service technicians use a variety of tools in their work, including power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches that remove bolts quickly; machine tools, such as lathes and grinding machines to rebuild brakes; welding and flame-cutting equipment to remove and repair exhaust systems; and jacks and hoists to lift and move large parts. Common handtools—screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches—are used to work on small parts and get at hard-to-reach places. Diesel service technicians and mechanics also use a variety of computerized testing equipment to pinpoint and analyze malfunctions in electrical systems and engines. Employers typically furnish expensive power tools, computerized engine analyzers, and other diagnostic equipment, but workers usually accumulate their own hand tools over time.
Work environment. Technicians normally work in well-lighted and ventilated areas. However, some shops are drafty and noisy. Many employers provide lockers and shower facilities. Diesel technicians usually work indoors, although they occasionally repair vehicles on the road. Diesel technicians may lift heavy parts and tools, handle greasy and dirty parts, and stand or lie in awkward positions while making repairs. Minor cuts, burns, and bruises are common, although serious accidents can usually be avoided when safety procedures are followed. Technicians may work as a team or be assisted by an apprentice or helper when doing heavy work, such as removing engines and transmissions.
Most service technicians work a standard 40-hour week, although some work longer hours, particularly if they are self-employed. A growing number of shops have expanded their hours to speed repairs and offer more convenience to customers. Technicians employed by truck and bus firms providing service around the clock may work evenings, nights, and weekends.
| 1. | Use handtools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, and precision instruments, as well as power tools such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, and jacks and hoists. |
| 2. | Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition. |
| 3. | Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery. |
| 4. | Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment. |
| 5. | Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists. |
| 6. | Test drive trucks and buses to diagnose malfunctions or to ensure that they are working properly. |
| 7. | Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, and pressure gauges. |
| 8. | Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices. |
| 9. | Inspect and verify dimensions and clearances of parts to ensure conformance to factory specifications. |
| 10. | Specialize in repairing and maintaining parts of the engine, such as fuel injection systems. |
| 11. | Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions. |
| 12. | Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels. |
| 13. | Recondition and replace parts, pistons, bearings, gears, and valves. |
| 14. | Repair and adjust seats, doors, and windows, and install and repair accessories. |
| 15. | Inspect, repair, and maintain automotive and mechanical equipment and machinery such as pumps and compressors. |
| 16. | Disassemble and overhaul internal combustion engines, pumps, generators, transmissions, clutches, and differential units. |
| 17. | Rebuild gas or diesel engines. |
| 18. | Align front ends and suspension systems. |
| 19. | Operate valve-grinding machines to grind and reset valves. |
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