Small Gas Engines Teacher

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Vikestand

Feeling the Heat
Oct 29, 2014
292
Missurah
Well I am making a career change. I applied, interviewed and was offered the job as the new Engineering and Technology teacher at the local high school(which is also the current school district my wife teaches at and both of us graduated from). The main portion of this job revolves around drafting and graphic design. The other two classes are intro to electrical and small gas engines. So about those small gas engines.

What I shave been learning about the last short stint teacher is that he was all bookworm and little hands on. I want to change that.

I would like some input from you experts on what I should cover. Both four and two stroke.
 
Good luck w/ your new career. Aside from general maintenance and winterizing, for hands on I think carb cleaning/rebuilding and tuning would be really useful. That'll solve a great deal of the trouble most will run into and enable them to save a bunch of those machines that end up at the curb.
 
  • Like
Reactions: duramaxman05
Nice career change but then two of my kids are teachers! If your local dump is anything like ours, there are numerous lawnmowers that end up there that would make excellent real-life projects once the blades are removed.

Media also helps get you started...
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/videos/browse/4-cycle-theory.html
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/engopt.html

Theory is important (and necessary for any grading rubric) but the hands on truly allows for the transfer of knowledge and captures kinesthetic learners!

Edit: Made all my kids take at least one shop class. Only complaint was the wood shop teacher ignored the girls when they asked for help... fellow students stepped up and helped! I have some great Muskoka (Adirondack) chairs for my deck - all slightly different!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jon1270
Those guys covered it pretty well. Just make sure they know the ins and outs of how they work. Fuel system, ignition systems, carburetor, etc. I'd say make sure they know how they work, then start with the trouble shooting. I'm a teacher, so excellent choice on the change!
 
A good book for only $13: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071625399/?tag=hearthamazon-20 for a systemic approach to 2-strokes. They're somewhat weirder than 4-strokes with so much going on at once. One thing he stresses: stuff a compression-gauge in it on arrival. One needs a good gauge and understanding of how to use it.

Lots of good pix and story on diaphragm carbs, the strange little things that go a long ways to making 2-strokes go. Ditto ignition systems and the many simultaneous functions of piston & cylinder.

None of this is rocket-science, but it helps to have an understanding and a somewhat logical approach about doing it, and teaching it.
 
I taught community education (evening, adults) classes in 'motorcycle and small engines' decades ago as a way to learn public speaking and teaching. I think I did it about 6 or 8 times. Still have all the gngines wrapped in garage and hope to get back to kids after school classes this fall.
Mine were not a 'shop class' per say, but designed to familiarize people with the basics, undeerstand terms, and take on some home mpr0ojects, mainly motorcycles .
Having hardware and cutaways s important, not just paper and lecture. I had assorted pistons, cams, rods, etc, and about 15 cutaway engines I made. I had two and four stroke mowers, small cox engine, larger RC model airplane engine, motorcycles two and four, small honda twin, a Harley Sprint four stroke, (many would be valuable now b ut junkyard then). Each one had a handout sheet with description, and color codinmg across the models (e.g. all exhaust ports or valves were red, etc.)

I ran 6 or 8 sessions, about 2 hrs each, one night a week. 6 would probably work now, with ignitions and carbs basically gone. Each week hadd a one page handout of the basic circuits, or skegtches of what was presented that night.
1. B asic engine parts, and four stroke cycle.
2. Review parts, and two stroke cycle. Combustion, normal, preignition, and detonation
3. Fuel delievery. Carburetors. Briggs engine, and Mikuni motorcycle ones, also cutaways. Fuel filters,.octane, Now would add fuel injection, and ethanol fuels.
4. Ignitions. Battery coil points, with a panel and circuit drawn where I could test light/VOM each point in a points system for testing. Dual coils. Spartk plugs, cutaways, heat range, 'reading' plugs. Now would add electronics, coil on plug.
5. Clutch, transmissions, final chain drives, shock absorbers, other motorcycle topics. Tires and ratings
6. Oil and fluids, selection and reading labels,. Basic maintenance and tuneup.
7 8 can't recall. One time I had open sessions for students to bring a project, did not work too well in my 'school room' situation.

What I do this fall will probably be a few sessions same as above, then a second series of hands on where they can bring a proje t. In that situation they can leave it there from day to day. In that situation, we have already done basic tools, bolts, threads, nailing, solderingh, etc for kids of all ages after school.

Lot of work, but I learndine so much orgainizing it and cutting up engines. It is one thing to know a lot and answer any question or problem. It is quite another to organize it and teach from a to z in a logical building order, with varying learningh styles and students. But I enjoyed and want to give back again.

good luck

kcj
 
  • Like
Reactions: CrufflerJJ
I taught community education (evening, adults) classes in 'motorcycle and small engines' decades ago as a way to learn public speaking and teaching. I think I did it about 6 or 8 times. Still have all the engines wrapped in garage and hope to get back to kids after school classes this fall.
Mine were not a 'shop class' per say, but designed to familiarize people with the basics, understand terms, and take on some home projects, mainly motorcycles .
Having hardware and cutaways is important, not just paper and lecture. I had assorted pistons, cams, rods, etc, and about 15 cutaway engines I made. I had many two and four stroke mowers, small cox engine, larger RC model airplane engine, motorcycles two and four, small honda twin, a Harley Sprint four stroke, (many would be valuable now but junkyard then). Each one had a handout sheet with description, and color codingo across the models (e.g. all exhaust ports or valves were red, etc.)

I ran 6 or 8 sessions, about 2 hrs each, one night a week. 6 would probably work now, with ignitions and carbs basically gone. Each week had a one page handout of the basic circuits, or sketches of what was presented that night.
1. Basic engine parts, and four stroke cycle.
2. Review parts, and two stroke cycle. Combustion, normal, preignition, and detonation
3. Fuel delievery. Carburetors. Briggs engine, and Mikuni motorcycle ones, also cutaways. Fuel filters,.octane, Now would add fuel injection, and ethanol fuels.
4. Ignitions. Battery coil points, with a panel and circuit drawn where I could test light/VOM each point in a points system for testing. Flywheel and points magneto. Dual lead motorcycle coils. Spartk plugs, cutaways, heat range, 'reading' plugs. Now would add electronics, coil on plug.
5. Clutch, transmissions, final chain drives, shock absorbers, other motorcycle topics. Tires and ratings
6. Oil and fluids, selection and reading labels,. Basic maintenance and tuneup.
7 8 can't recall. One time I had open sessions for students to bring a project, did not work too well in my 'school room' situation.

What I do this fall will probably be a few sessions same as above, then a second series of hands on where they can bring a project. In that situation they can leave it there from day to day. In that situation, we have already done basic tools, bolts, threads, nailing, soldering, etc for kids of all ages after school.

Lot of work, but I learned so much organizing it and cutting up engines. It is one thing to know a lot and answer any question or problem. It is quite another to organize it and teach from a to z in a logical building order, with varying learning styles and students. But I enjoyed and want to give back again.

Edit: my material was drawn or typed and xeroxed and overhead projector. Powerpoint and video change it entirely.

good luck

kcj
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mike van
All great advice. I would love to see pictures of how you dissected those engines!
 
They are packed away,. but I used hacksaw and dremel tool mostly. Carve about 120 degrees off the side so piston is visible but retained by cylinder, a slice off crankcase to see bottom end and cam/lifter area, part of head to see valves inside and combustion chamber, part of overhead cam area for that, etc.

I will see if I can get to the one closest to the front of the storage. Will be a few days.
 
Fuel
Spark
Air

Teach those principles and how they work. Then get into the mechanics of each one. It is always easier to troubleshoot when you can break it down into one category instead of trying to move the ocean.

Pull apart junk engines. Rebuild carbs and engines.

Rebuild a mower from start to finish. You could do the same with a blown weedwacker.
 
They are packed away,. but I used hacksaw and dremel tool mostly. Carve about 120 degrees off the side so piston is visible but retained by cylinder, a slice off crankcase to see bottom end and cam/lifter area, part of head to see valves inside and combustion chamber, part of overhead cam area for that, etc.

I will see if I can get to the one closest to the front of the storage. Will be a few days.


I have a few old engines I was going to make a stand for and try this very thing. Just wasn't sure how I would go about it without a mill. lol
 
A good book for only $13: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071625399/?tag=hearthamazon-20 for a systemic approach to 2-strokes. They're somewhat weirder than 4-strokes with so much going on at once. One thing he stresses: stuff a compression-gauge in it on arrival. One needs a good gauge and understanding of how to use it.

Lots of good pix and story on diaphragm carbs, the strange little things that go a long ways to making 2-strokes go. Ditto ignition systems and the many simultaneous functions of piston & cylinder.

None of this is rocket-science, but it helps to have an understanding and a somewhat logical approach about doing it, and teaching it.
That's a good book. I bought the same one and have learned a lot from it. If you can find another on 4 stroke small gas engines, that will help as well. Alot comes from hands on experience.
 
the first thing i remember my auto shop teacher teaching us was (Suck, squeeze, bang, blow)
the four strokes of the four stroke, but kinda had that innuendo to it so a high school kid would remmeber.
Don't know if you could still teach it in that way these days, but it worked and I never forgot it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vikestand
I simply cannot wait. I have my old 1929 hit'n'miss that will be making an appearance week one. If that thing won't gain their interest I don't know what will!
 
I simply cannot wait. I have my old 1929 hit'n'miss that will be making an appearance week one. If that thing won't gain their interest I don't know what will!
Sounds like you are getting your game plan together! The hit'n'miss will definitely add the historical perspective and gives them a heads up that, with proper maintenance, some engines last a long time.

Going to have to cover ethanol content in gas and what potential problems it can cause. We have to go to the US to get ethanol-free gas for our two stroke engines...
 
I simply cannot wait. I have my old 1929 hit'n'miss that will be making an appearance week one. If that thing won't gain their interest I don't know what will!
Sounds like you are getting your game plan together! The hit'n'miss will definitely add the historical perspective and gives them a heads up that, with proper maintenance, some engines last a long time.

Going to have to cover ethanol content in gas and what potential problems it can cause. We have to go to the US to get ethanol-free gas for our two stroke engines...
 
When introducing yourself, ask the staff if they have anything for the kids to fiddle with and fix. It's a great way to make friends and accrue favors. They will also appreciate your hands on teaching philosophy. I'd hide a body for our shop guy at this point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HybridFyre
if you can have them fix my lawn-mower, my weed whacker, and my sawzall, that would be great... :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.