Heavy Equipment Mechanic Course

Lesson 1 • Basic Mechanical Principles

Teaches force, torque, friction, and motion concepts as applied to heavy machinery. Provides the physics foundation needed to understand all subsequent mechanical systems.

Lesson 2 • Workplace Safety and Hazard Control

Introduces site-specific hazards and personal protective equipment requirements. Builds the safety mindset required before any hands-on mechanical work begins.

Lesson 3 • Technical Documentation and Schematics

Trains students to read service manuals, parts catalogs, and wiring diagrams. Accurate documentation use is essential for correct diagnosis and parts ordering throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Hand Tools and Shop Equipment

Identifies and demonstrates proper use of hand tools, measuring instruments, and shop machinery. Correct tool selection and care directly impact repair quality and technician safety.

Lesson 1 • Engine Block and Valve Train Components

Identifies cylinder block, head, pistons, crankshaft, and valve train parts and their functions. Understanding component relationships enables accurate wear assessment and rebuild planning.

Lesson 2 • Diesel Combustion Cycle Fundamentals

Explains the four-stroke diesel cycle and how compression ignition differs from spark ignition. This foundation supports all engine diagnosis and repair topics that follow.

Lesson 3 • Fuel System Design and Injection

Covers mechanical and electronic fuel delivery systems, injection timing, and injector types. Fuel system knowledge is critical for power output, emissions, and economy diagnosis.

Lesson 4 • Lubrication and Cooling Systems

Explains oil circulation paths, cooling circuit design, and thermostat operation in diesel engines. Proper lubrication and temperature control prevent the most common causes of engine failure.

Lesson 1 • Component Reconditioning and Replacement

Covers cylinder honing, valve grinding, crankshaft grinding, and bearing selection. Reconditioning decisions balance cost, availability, and manufacturer rebuild standards.

Lesson 2 • Engine Performance Testing

Uses compression tests, cylinder balance tests, and blowby measurement to assess engine health. Test results guide the scope and priority of repair work.

Lesson 3 • Precision Measurement and Tolerances

Applies micrometers, bore gauges, and dial indicators to measure wear against service limits. Measurement accuracy determines whether components are reused, reconditioned, or replaced.

Lesson 4 • Engine Assembly and Break-In

Sequences reassembly steps, torque procedures, and initial start-up protocols for rebuilt engines. Correct assembly and break-in protect the investment made during reconditioning.

Lesson 1 • Hydraulic Pumps and Motors

Covers gear, vane, and piston pump designs along with hydraulic motor operation. Pump and motor selection determines system pressure capacity and efficiency.

Lesson 2 • Hydraulic Circuit Types and Schematics

Distinguishes open-center, closed-center, and load-sensing circuits and reads ISO hydraulic symbols. Circuit identification is the first step in systematic hydraulic troubleshooting.

Lesson 3 • Fluid Power Principles

Introduces Pascal's law, pressure, flow, and power relationships in hydraulic circuits. These principles underpin every hydraulic diagnosis and repair task in the course.

Lesson 4 • Control Valves and Actuators

Explains directional, pressure, and flow control valves and their roles in circuit operation. Valve function knowledge is required to trace faults in any hydraulic circuit.

Lesson 1 • Pressure and Flow Testing

Performs relief valve setting checks, pump flow tests, and cylinder drift tests using test equipment. Measured values are compared to specifications to confirm or eliminate components.

Lesson 2 • System Flushing and Commissioning

Covers contamination flushing procedures, fluid filling, bleeding, and post-repair functional testing. Proper commissioning prevents premature failure of newly repaired components.

Lesson 3 • Hydraulic Diagnostic Procedures

Establishes a structured approach to hydraulic fault isolation using symptom analysis and flow charts. Systematic diagnosis reduces repair time and prevents misdiagnosis.

Lesson 4 • Cylinder and Valve Repair

Addresses hydraulic cylinder seal replacement, rod reconditioning, and control valve rebuilding. Restored components must meet leakage and pressure specifications before reinstallation.

Lesson 1 • Power Shift and Automatic Transmissions

Covers planetary gear sets, clutch packs, and electronic shift control in heavy equipment transmissions. Transmission knowledge enables accurate diagnosis of shift quality and power loss complaints.

Lesson 2 • Drivetrain Diagnosis and Service

Applies structured diagnostic methods to torque converter, transmission, and final drive faults. Students perform oil analysis, pressure tests, and component replacement to restore drivetrain function.

Lesson 3 • Torque Converters and Fluid Couplings

Explains torque multiplication, stall speed, and lockup clutch operation in fluid couplings. Torque converter condition directly affects machine tractive effort and fuel efficiency.

Lesson 4 • Track and Undercarriage Systems

Covers track chain, rollers, idlers, sprockets, and track tension adjustment for crawler machines. Undercarriage wear accounts for a large share of total machine operating cost.

Lesson 1 • Sensors, Actuators, and CAN Bus Networks

Identifies pressure, temperature, position, and speed sensors and explains CAN bus data sharing. Sensor and network knowledge is essential for electronic control system diagnosis.

Lesson 2 • Electronic Control Module Diagnostics

Uses manufacturer scan tools to retrieve fault codes, view live data, and perform actuator tests. ECM diagnostics reduce guesswork and confirm root cause before parts replacement.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Fundamentals for Heavy Equipment

Reviews voltage, current, resistance, and Ohm's law as applied to 12V and 24V machine systems. Electrical fundamentals are the prerequisite for all circuit diagnosis that follows.

Lesson 4 • Wiring Harness Repair and Circuit Testing

Covers multimeter-based voltage drop, continuity, and resistance testing along with harness repair techniques. Proper wiring repair restores circuit integrity and prevents recurring faults.

Lesson 1 • Fluid and Filter Service Procedures

Covers engine oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, and coolant change procedures and filter replacement. Correct fluid and filter service is the most impactful single maintenance activity.

Lesson 2 • Planned Component Replacement and Overhaul

Covers life-cycle planning, component exchange programs, and overhaul decision criteria. Planned replacement at optimal intervals avoids catastrophic failure and controls rebuild costs.

Lesson 3 • Preventive Maintenance Program Design

Covers interval-based and condition-based maintenance strategies and how to build a machine-specific PM schedule. A well-designed PM program reduces unplanned downtime and total operating cost.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Operation and Walkaround Inspections

Trains operators and technicians to perform structured pre-shift inspections that catch defects before failure. Early defect detection prevents costly breakdowns and safety incidents.