Diesel Technician

Diesel Technician Job Description

Job Purpose

Maintains diesel equipment operation by completing inspections and preventive maintenance requirements, correcting vehicle deficiencies, making adjustments, and keeping records.

Definition and Nature of the Work

Diesel technicians repair, maintain, and rebuild diesel engines that power buses, trucks, farm tractors, heavy equipment and other vehicles. To repair engines, technicians run diagnostic tests using computers with franchised software, find the sources of problems, and then remove and replace faulty parts. Because diesel powered equipment is expensive to replace, they are rebuilt at regular intervals. Technicians take the engines completely apart, replace worn parts, and put the engines back together.

Diesel technicians use many kinds of tools, including basic hand tools, air tools and power tools. They also use testing equipment such as dynamometers, which measure engine power. Technicians often lift heavy parts, so they should be in good physical condition.  Assistance is readily available if technician is unable to lift or move parts by themselves.

Some technicians do a variety of diesel engine repairs. Others specialize in rebuilding engines or in repairing fuel-injection systems, turbochargers, cylinder heads, or starting systems.

Technicians are sometimes described by the type of equipment they repair. For example, those who repair diesel truck engines may be called diesel truck technicians. Those who work on construction equipment, such as bulldozers and earthmovers, are usually called heavy equipment diesel technicians.

In addition to diesel repair work, the technicians also diagnose and repair drive trains, suspension systems, air systems, air conditioning and heating systems, and brakes on trucks, trailers, agricultural equipment and industrial equipment.

Each technician is expected to organize, clean and “police” his work area.  This includes returning tools to storage places, replace hoses to reels, clean off work benches, clean up oil or fuel drips, sweep floor and return unused parts to inventory.

Each technician is responsible for marking all parts used on customer orders, writing full descriptions of work completed, logging in and out of each job through the computer  so that time can be accurately charged, and notifying supervisor of any difficulties in completing these duties.

Diesel Technician Job Duties

Determines vehicle condition by conducting inspections and diagnostic tests, identifying worn and damaged parts

Keeps equipment available for use by completing preventive maintenance schedules, installing component and part upgrades, controlling corrosion, completing maintenance procedures

Corrects vehicle deficiencies by removing, repairing, adjusting, overhauling, assembling, disassembling, and replacing major assemblies, sub-assemblies, components, parts, or systems such as power and drive trains, electrical, air conditioning, fuel, emission, brake, steering, hydraulic, completes machine shop operations, making adjustments and alignments including bearing loads, gear tooth contact, valve mechanisms, governors, oil systems, control linkages, clutches and traction units.

Verifies vehicle performance by conducting test drives, adjusting controls and systems

Keeps shop equipment operating by following operating instructions, trouble shooting breakdowns, maintaining supplies, performing preventive maintenance, calling for repairs

Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, reading technical and regulation publications

Enhances maintenance department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests, exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

Tooling, supply management, mechanics inspection tools, technical understanding, attention to detail, dependability, thoroughness, verbal communication, documentation skills, inventory control, job knowledge

Education and Training Requirements

Oakes Truck & Trailer Center, LLC prefer employees with formal post high school education through accredited schools.  Trainees and apprenticeship applicants who have high school diplomas and technical ability would be considered. Automobile repair and machine shop courses offered by many high schools and vocational schools are helpful, as are courses in science and mathematics.

Many diesel technicians start by assisting experienced technicians who repair diesel-powered engines. That training lasts three to four years. New employees of companies that use or repair diesel equipment usually will receive six to eighteen months of additional training.