PontiacHigh School

Basic Auto Maintenance

Course Outline

Course Description

This course is designed to familiarize students with the basic systems of a contemporary automobile. Designed for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, this course should be taken by students interested in understanding, maintaining, and performing minor repairs to their vehicle. It also serves as a prelude to the Vocational Auto I program offered through the LivingstonAreaVocationalCenter. The course is approximately 80% theory and 20% hands on.

Unit 1 Automotive Foundations

  1. Program introduction-classroom rules
  2. Automotive safety
  3. Automotive careers
  4. Automotive expenses
  5. Tool identification
  6. Jacking and hoisting
  7. Reading service manuals

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. Describe and demonstrate safety while working around an automobile
  2. Identify common automobile fasteners
  3. Look basic service information using a variety of service publications
  4. Lift a vehicle using a hydraulic jack, safety stands, and a hoist
  5. Torque a tire using a torque wrench and a torque rod

Length: 2 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Unit 2 Preventative Maintenance

  1. Identifying and checking automotive fluid levels
  2. Describe the grade of an engine oil by reading the API label
  3. Changing engine oil
  4. Removing and replacing belts
  5. Identifying, rotating, mounting, and balancing a tire

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. Describe the characteristics of an automotive tire
  2. Mount and dismount a tire from a rim
  3. Describe the characteristics of engine oil
  4. Change oil and an oil filter on an automobile

Length: 5 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Unit 3 Automotive Steering and Tires

1. Identifying tire sidewall markings

  1. Identify suspension and steering components
  2. Be able to remove and replace a tire

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. Identify a battery using post locations date codes

2. Remove, clean, and replace a car battery

Length: 2 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Unit 3 Automotive Batteries

  1. Identifying battery characteristics and functions
  2. Determining battery age
  3. Determining battery power
  4. Be able to remove and replace a battery

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. Identify major parts of a tire
  2. Remove and reinstall a tire using manufacturers lug tightening specifications

Length: 2 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Unit 4 Automotive Brakes

  1. hydraulic brake fundamentals
  2. non-drive wheel bearings
  3. disc brakes
  4. drum brakes
  5. brake boosters
  6. machining drums and rotors

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. describe the general parts of a disc and drum brake system
  2. observe a rotor being machined

Length: 3 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Unit 5 Engines

  1. Engine fundamentals
  2. Lower end
  3. Upper end
  4. Engine cooling

Minimum Program Objectives Covered

  1. describe the characteristics of an automotive engine
  2. disassemble, measure, and reassemble an automotive engine

Length: 5 weeks

Evaluation: ASE questions, written quiz, class participation, work sample

Revision Date: 08/11