Saturday, March 31, 2012

Lesson 7

I am clueless when it comes to auto repair or even helping someone find info on auto repair. I really hope I can figure this out because we get questions on this often. I hope patrons are better at navigating this thing than I am.
The first exercise tripped me up. I choose the Harley XL-Sportster but after that I did not know what to look for. 
I don't even know where to start with Two-Cycle Small Engine Start Up.
I assume snow throwers and snow blowers are the same, so I chose Montgomery Ward's first model listing then chose lubrication and waited for the results. When they finally came up there was nothing on it about changing oil, just about adding oil to lubricate the driving mechanism. 
For the last exercise, I chose Generators and other small engines then chose a Craftsman small air-cooled engine listed. It had all kinds of cool diagrams of the carburetor but being auto DIY illiterate, I don't know how to clean it.

3 comments:

  1. Since I am also pretty clueless about engines I find this one difficult to navigate but my students who were interested in the topic just banged around happily when I showed it to them. Apparently the wiring diagrams are priceless for restoring or repairing cars.

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    1. Thanks Ann, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I did have a patron come in and was able to point him in the right direction. He must have found what he was looking for because after I left him to help another patron and came back, he was logged off the computer and standing at the printer. He held up the pages and said thanks before leaving.

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  2. I once read a study saying that men play around on computers, females generally only use them as a tool to accomplish something. I think small engines/machines are much the same - at least I don't know of one female friend/acquaintance/neighbor who could take apart the various machines that inhabit their garages and storage sheds but they might know how to start and use them. I just took my ASES check ride; I was supposed to know about the opposing pistons and how the engine works and the electrical system. I think the male CFIs and the FAA examiner (also male) all had laughing fits after I left the building; they couldn't believe what I didn't know or couldn't explain or my white board drawings to explain something. All I care about motors is that they work; not how they work! But at least we all know now what to show someone if they are asking for directions or help or diagrams of at least some of the machines. If you can get someone to what they're looking for, that's what really counts.

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