tech colleges

[countryboy]

I'm a senior in high school I love my cummins and want to further my education about diesels I'm going to lincoln tech in idianapolis

at the end of august and I'll be takeing auto and diesel sevice manegment I was wondering if anyone out there has went to a tech school or what a program like this is like and what kind of career oppurtunites there are after school I'm real excited about going just wanted to see if anybody has done anything like this before

 

[me4osu]

I did at first

I attended Oklahoma State Tech in Okmulgee, OK right after high school way back in 1984. I attended for one year then I decided to try to get a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree from OSU. I actually graduated with a BSMET and went to work as an engineer.



I have worked in the natural gas compression industry for 12 years, and some of our best mechanics come from tech. programs. Our engines are fueled by natural gas, but they are large (500 hp to 4800 hp).



When I was in OST, we had a Cooper-Bessemer GMV-8 that used a Cat D3208 as a starter. This was used as a cross-training tool for some of the guys, most of whom went into gas compression. Others went to drilling companies for diesel engines (draw-works & mud pumps).

 

[98rammer]

countryboy, nice to see someone my age. i'm a senior in high school too. i will be going to Wyotech for diesel mechanics after the end of this year. i've already talked to Cummins Northeast right down the road and as of now, they'll hire me starting at excellent pay straight out of college.

 

[jerrethomas]

i heard from some of my friends that wyoming tech don't offer as much electonics that they say they do. i personlly am in my second year at school at Pennsylvania College of Technology in williamsport. of course major is diesel. they have all the electronic training i could ask for. detriot ddec system, cat et program, cummins insite program, and e-tech and v-mack electronics. i also take allisons classes, mostly for the bigger transmission the world hd series, autoshifts, and auto selects also. the program is awsome. Oo.

 

[98rammer]

Originally posted by jerrethomas

i heard from some of my friends that wyoming tech don't offer as much electonics that they say they do. i personlly am in my second year at school at Pennsylvania College of Technology in williamsport. of course major is diesel. they have all the electronic training i could ask for. detriot ddec system, cat et program, cummins insite program, and e-tech and v-mack electronics. i also take allisons classes, mostly for the bigger transmission the world hd series, autoshifts, and auto selects also. the program is awsome. Oo.

sounds awesome. the thing that i really like about wyotech though is that it's an intensive 8. 5 hours a day--none of that 4 hours a day and then work. i believe that it'll help me to focus more rather than having to deal with work. plus it only takes 9 months to get my associates degree...



Tom

 

[csevers]

good things to hear

It is good to hear that there are some young guys that still want to get their hands dirty it is getting harder and harder to find GOOD diesel mechanics and in time I think the pay will go up much more. Suck up all the knowledge that you can it will pay off if you get in to the right shop.



good luck



craig

 

[Shrimpy]

My Hats off to you guys for thinking ahead and getting a plan together. A GOOD diesel mechanic along the coast here in Texas has UNLIMITED work. My uncle owns offshore crew and supply vessels, and is a CAT dealer. All of his boats are triples with a couple being twins. He has two mechanics that work for him but they don't seem to sharp. They look to a book for every problem that comes up.



Last month while I was down there one day I went for a test ride on a boat that they could not get to stop smoking and was low on power. It was a new 3412 with all the electronics. The center engine would smoke like a freight train when you took off for about the first 3 minutes. These boats are usually run at two speeds: Idle and firewall. I was talking to them and they had changed computer boxes, injectors, rebuilt the turbos, and a number of other things. They could change the boxes from one engine to the other and the center engine still smoked. I went down into the engine room and the center engine is set way back from the other two and away from the air intakes. When we took off it sounded like what the center of a tornado must sound like !!!! It would litterally pull your hair off your head if you were close to the air grates bringing air into the engine room.



After a minute I suggested that they idle the two non-smoking engines and firewall the center engine to see if it smoked. Guess what it smoked very very little. The mechanics were dumbfounded. I told them to move a large air handler in front of the air grate to force more air to the center engine and see if it still smoked. Guess what, little to no smoke. Long story short, the center engine was short on air causing lower rpm's for the first 3 minutes and smoke like crazy. They (mechanics) never even thought of that . They asked how I knew to try that and I referred to my Cummins buddies smoking like crazy when air flow was not sufficient. They were amazed... ... .



The jest of the ramble is don't study just the books..... think outside the box. Soak up all the knowledge you can even if it isn"t in a book.

 

[Will24]

Hey, jerrethomas, I am off to PCT next fall (finally got my letter of acceptance this week)



Glad to hear good things from a current student, all of the instructors I spoke with seemed like AWESOME guys!

 

[Blakers]

I have a friend who went to Ohio Diesel Tech in Cleveland. He said it was a great course and he got a job for a trucking company thereafter. Just another choice.



Blake

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

Another suggestion for a tech college would be the"Top TECH" Diesel program at Madison Area Technical College, Madison WI. Its also known as Diesel Equipment Technology program in the cirriculum. And yes, its an Associate of Applied Science Program.



How do I know all this?? Im a 1999 graduate of the program. I cant think of any other program other than WyoTech that can meet the quality of the education I got there. They were heavy into the electronics then, and they are now. Heck, they got one of the first ISB and ISCs produced by Cummins for training purposes Oo. Oo. Oo. towards the end of my 2nd year.



A link to the program and MATC for those interested.



MATC:

http://matcmadison.edu/matc

"Top TECH" page:

http://matcmadison.edu/matc/ASP/showprogram.asp?ID=1563



We also did a true engine rebuilds in this..... tore it down to bare block, did the specs... rebuilt it... . and then DNYO time. and no... it couldnt be bombed... it had to perform to specs. hehehehe Although, Paul did let me fiddle with the pump after I passed... . however I would have failed if I blew the engine... . :{ :{ that didnt happen!!!! BTW... engine was a Cummins C series 8. 3 with our beloved P-7100 of course.



I was able to gain ASE Master Medium and Heavy Truck Tech status within 3 months (had to get the required work experience) after graduation. I had my HVAC credentials for Fed and State at graduation. If u want to learn here... they'll teach you.

 

[kaffine krazed]

I'm thinking of going to a tech school I need to get my tools paid of first. I've just about taken all the classes at the community colleage here. The classes leave alot to be desired.



Are there any that you work by yourself in the shop? I'm sick of having lab partners.

 

[csevers]

PAUL AT MATC

Paul at matc is a damn good teacher I also had him at the time he only did fuel systems and reefer and biegel did engines you won't find a more rounded teacher he has real world experience and can also teach out of the book. When I graduated in 93 the first electronic engine was the 60 series detroit which was dave b's pride and joy, I should stop by matc some time to see paul and all the new stuff they have now.

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

Hey csevers,



Did Dave B use the "Who's HAMMERING????" on you guys in engine rebuilds class back then??? I know he did with us... . one of the things I remember most about him... . great guy, great teacher. As for Paul... what can I say... he taught me everything I know and then some on on the P-7100s and every other fuel system out there.

Need to get back there and visit too... . and let em know a graduate of thiers worked on BIG diesels too. Oo: Oo: Oo: EMD locomotive power!!!!



BTW... regarding my post above... . Paul still does just the fuels and reefer classes (at least when I left in 99)... . and Dave B with the engine rebuilds... . Paul just happened to be in the dyno room when I was doing mine.

 

[csevers]

yes he has some famious lines

He did use that one with us also the other one is (does a bear **** in the woods) if you ask him a question that he thaught you should know. MATC does have a great program then and I am sure now. I am very glad to have gone through it I had turned wrenches for 1 year before going and thaught I knew something but learned that there was alot more out there to learn and that you will not stop learning ever tecnology changes so fast that there is always something new coming soon down the road.

 

[Bandit1]

i am a senior at WVU and i was considering going ot diesel tech school if i cant find a job int he wildlife and fisheries field that i am in now. i was jsut curious what kind of salary diesel techs made.

 

[csevers]

depends on location sometimes

The fleet shop that I work in goes anywhere starting at 10. 00hr to the top of maybe 21. 00 hr. I am sure that in other shop it is alot better and there are shop that don't pay (short for richard) some of it deppends on regional you probably make more in big city's like chi or la or ny than smaller citys. That is my guess.

 

[98rammer]

Originally posted by Bandit1

i am a senior at WVU and i was considering going ot diesel tech school if i cant find a job int he wildlife and fisheries field that i am in now. i was jsut curious what kind of salary diesel techs made.

as i said that i talked to cummins before... as of now, they'll hire me straight out of college starting at 60k a year. boy was i happy that day!!

 

[RustyJC]

Don't Overlook Uncle Sam!

For anyone who can't swing a diesel tech school, don't overlook diesel and gas turbine training available in the military. We hire many of our field service reps and training instructors from candidates coming out of the service.



Rusty

 

[jerrethomas]

at penn tech they have a cummins isb, isx, n14 and signature 600 dohc. along with the cummis insite program 6. 0 levels pro. we also have cat and detroit. if anybody is looking for a cat program. we are one of seven certified caterpillar heavy equimpment places in the united states.

 

[Grey Wolf]

My boys both went to UTI. One works for Freightliner, the other Cummins.



http://www.uticorp.com/