Automobile Maintenance and Testing

At the end of this course, the students should be able to: Show enhanced capability of students in handling day-to-day maintenance of vehicles.

Check spark plugs, injectors, air filters, water level, engine oil level, engine oil viscosity, air filter, transmission fluid level, coolant water level, tire gauge and wear, wheel balancing, exhaust catalytic system, pipe and holes damage. Minimum Academic Standards Equipment Laboratories Properties of air-fuel mixtures; Effect of mixture strength on ignition and flame; Formation, flame velocity, combustion rate, peak pressure and temperature; and Engine emission and omission control. Automobile systems and vehicle dynamics laboratory Performance and reliability of brake systems Carburetors and injection nozzles Performance characteristics of components of ignition system Performance of batteries, alternators, voltage regulators, etc Performance characteristic of power transmission system Vehicle body shape and air resistance Factors affecting tyre wear rate Effect of tyre pressure on road traction (fuel consumption) and maneuverability Maneuverability of vehicles Automobile systems design maintenance and testing laboratory Design of system components for production Testing of models and prototypes Testing of vehicles for off-design performance Schedules for preventive maintenance for various automobile components, taking local conditions into consideration. Calibration and operation of test equipment Crank shaft grinder Cam shaft grinder Valve grinder Pedestal grinder Cylinder boring machine Hydraulic ramp Portable crane Compressor Mechanical press Plug re-conditioning machine Battery charger Beam setter Centre lathe 349 Chain block Torque wrench (various) Tool kit, stock and dies Dynamic performance testing unit Automobile workshop Auto pit Auto engine rigs Auto transmission systems Wheel balancing and alignment equipment Panel beating apparatus Welding equipment Production facilities for simple automobile parts Apparatus set-up for fault tracing and repair of automobile systems including engine overhaul Lubricating oil tester Laboratory Equipment Petrol engine with dynamometer Diesel engine with dynamometer 3000oC electric furnace Computer controlled super service wind tunnel (3 blades) Computer controlled aerodynamic tunnel 50x250mm Aerodynamic tunnel 50x250mm Flow visualization aerodynamic tunnel Wind tunnel flight unit Aerodynamic testing demonstration bench Two-shaft gas turbine/jet engine Computer controlled steam motor & engine conversion unit Computer controlled steam power plant adjustable up to 20kw Computer controlled jet propulsion study unit Computer controlled test bench for single cylinder engine (7.5 kw) Computer controlled exhaust gas calorimeter Exhaust gas Analyser Computer controlled test bench for hybrid engine Unit to study sample drive assembly Acceleration of gear system unit Unit to study combined drive assembly Unit to study gear train assembly Braking & accelerating force unit Plate clutch Single hydraulic unit Geared study unit Gear box Epicyclic gear unit (1 Element) Epicyclic gear unit (2 Element) Epicyclic gear unit (3 Element) Borg-warner automatic transmission Differential crown-wheel & pinion Overdrive unit Static & dynamic balancing unit Computer controlled test bench for 4-cylinder engine (75 kw) Drum brake unit Disk brake unit Digital engine diagnostic equipment Crank shaft grinder Cam shaft grinder Valve grinder Pedestal grinder Cylinder boring machine Hydraulic ramp Portable crane Workshop service compressor Mechanical (Manual table) press Plug re-conditioning machine Plug re-conditioning machine Battery charger Beam setter Centre lathe 349 Chain block Torque wrench (various) Tool kit, stock and dies Dynamic performance testing unit Standard auto-service pit Auto engine rigs Auto transmission systems Wheel balancing (dynamic type) and alignment equipment (digital type) Panel beating apparatus Welding equipment Production facilities for simple automobile parts Apparatus set-up for fault tracing and repair of automobile systems including engine overhaul Lubricating oil tester Hydraulic press (100 tonne) Hydraulic jack Brake testing equipment with control panel Electric vulcanizer Work benches Bench vices Pneumatic tyre removal equipment Injector pump test bench Master cylinder test equipment Universal battery charger Engine mounting stand Hydro-meters Trolley jacks Foot operated grease dispenser Electric hand drill Airline pressure gauge Portable tyre inflator (manual) Tyre repair kit Heavy duty tyre changer Tachometer Exhaust gas analyser Lubrication equipment Dynamometer Cylinder boring machine Steam cleaner Diesel fuel pump test stand Carburettor service kit Chain wrench (for removing oil filter) Portable vehicle hoist Battery coil tester Ignition coil tester Snychroscope (distributor tester) Spark plug tester Pullers (various sizes) Grease gun Cylinder ridge remover Engine sump drainer Honing machine Head light tester Oil can 2 stroke diesel engines 4-cylinder diesel engine 6-cylinder petrol engine Clutch testing machine Life and dead vehicles 66 spanners of assorted types and sizes Transparent engine and gear boxes (for demonstration) Automotive engine test bed Type K thermocouples for temperatures 0oC -1200oC Steering geometry measuring device Vibration meter Electrolytic tester Fuel consumption measuring system Test rig for electric fuel injector (petrol) Fire extinguishers, water, foam, dry powder and sand buckets Wind tunnel Flow visualization aerodynamics tunnel Gas calorimeter Steam power plant Gas turbine Staffing Academic Staff The NUC guidelines on staff/student ratio of 1:15 for Engineering and Technology departments shall apply. However, there should be a minimum of six full-time equivalent of Staff in the department. There is need to have a reasonable number of Staff with doctoral degrees as well as sufficient industrial experience. With a minimum load of 15 Units per semester for students and a minimum of six full-time equivalent of staff in each programme, staff should have a maximum of 15 contact hours per week for lectures, tutorials, practicals and supervision of projects. NUC requirement encourages all academic staff to have PhD degrees, hence appointment of academic staff is preferably to the Lecturer cadre. Only in exceptional cases are candidates with great promise appointed to Graduate Assistant and Assistant Lecturer positions for the purpose of being developed to the Lecturer cadre as registered PhD candidates. Academic Support Personnel Teaching Assistant/Demonstrators to help lecturers in the conduct of tutorials, practicals and field work. This category of personnel is not expected to be regular staff as they are to be paid on the basis of approved hourly rate. Administrative Support Staff The services of the administrative support staff are indispensable in the proper administration of the departments and faculty offices. It is important to recruit very competent senior staff that are computer literate. Technical Support Personnel The services of technical support staff, which are indispensable in the proper running of laboratories and workshop/studios are required. It is important to recruit very competent senior technical staff to maintain teaching and research equipment. They are also to undergo regular training to keep them abreast of developments in equipment operation and maintenance. The minimum of academic staff to technical staff ratio of 5:1 should be maintained. Minimum Number of Staff Subject to the general standards specified by NUC: 1. there should be a minimum of two PhDs and four M.Eng degree holders full-time academic staff to mount the programme; 2. each workshop or laboratory should have an adequate number of staff with the right mix, such that each unit or section in that workshop or laboratory can run efficiently; and 3. there should be an adequate number of administrative staff of the appropriate calibre for the office of the Head of Department to run. Student/Staff Ratio The minimum staff-to-student ratio should be 1:15 from 200 level to 500 level. Library There must be adequate library facilities to cater for the interest of all the programmes in the faculty. These include current journals, handbooks, textbooks, manuals, codes of practice, standards and specifications in sufficient numbers. Classrooms, Laboratories, Workshops, Clinics and Offices Academic and Non-Academic Spaces The NUC recommends the following physical space requirement: Academic m2 Professor’s Office 18.50 Head of Department’s Office 18.50 Tutorial Teaching Staff Space 13.50 Other Teaching Staff Space 7.00 Technical Staff Space 7.00 Science Staff Research Laboratory 16.50 Engineering Staff Research Laboratory 14.50 Seminar Space per student 1.85 Drawing Office Space (A.O. Board) (Per Student) 4.60 Drawing Office Space (A.I. Board) (Per Student) 3.70 Laboratory Space 7.50 Non-Academic Secretarial Space 7.00 Office Facilities The requirements for office accommodation are: 1. 13 academic offices on paper 2. 1 professorial type in the department. Size: each of the office is about 13.5 m S/No Office No in Room Facilities 1. HOD 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit, Secretary and facilities. Professor 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer 2. unit, Secretary and facilities. 3. Reader 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit. 4. Senior Lecturer 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit. 5. Lecturer I 2 Table, chairs, fan, filing cabinet, bookshelves. 6. Lecturer II 3 Table, chairs, fan, filing cabinet, bookshelves