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Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:07 am

baja5 wrote: Ya, uh, the cars don't really tell you what's wrong, but if that is what you believe the you are welcome to come spend a day with me at work. Just last week I had a van (Honda Odyssey) that the Customer was complaing that the battery would go dead overnight. So I checked it for a Parasitic draw. 900 MV. Way too much. Aslo found that the seat heaters and climate control would work with the key Off. Not supposed to happen. Had some aftermarket stuff in it so I checked that first. Also found that it had some money in the radio. Kids love to think the CD slot is a piggy bank. Long story short, the coins in the radio kept making the radio fuse blow. The owner decided that the 7.5 amp fuse wasn't going to do it so he put a 30 amp fuse in the slot. This caused a couple of wires to melt together which in turn powered up a separate fuse in the fuse box, allowing the climate control and seat heaters to run with the key off. Believe me, I wish the CAR has told me what was wrong!!

The PGM tester says thats and I D 10 T error.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:36 am

i am a 32 years old and i work for tyson chicken as a chef/ product development, and i am currnetly in my first year of graduate school for food science and technology. i really enjoy woriking on cars and i have been trying to start doing some fab work but time is non existent. But i thought i would look into some different options.

Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:45 am

Boramar wrote: baja5 wrote: Ya, uh, the cars don't really tell you what's wrong, but if that is what you believe the you are welcome to come spend a day with me at work. Just last week I had a van (Honda Odyssey) that the Customer was complaing that the battery would go dead overnight. So I checked it for a Parasitic draw. 900 MV. Way too much. Aslo found that the seat heaters and climate control would work with the key Off. Not supposed to happen. Had some aftermarket stuff in it so I checked that first. Also found that it had some money in the radio. Kids love to think the CD slot is a piggy bank. Long story short, the coins in the radio kept making the radio fuse blow. The owner decided that the 7.5 amp fuse wasn't going to do it so he put a 30 amp fuse in the slot. This caused a couple of wires to melt together which in turn powered up a separate fuse in the fuse box, allowing the climate control and seat heaters to run with the key off. Believe me, I wish the CAR has told me what was wrong!!

The PGM tester says thats and I D 10 T error.

Nice!!! :lol:

Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:14 pm

chucko wrote: i am a 32 years old and i work for tyson chicken as a chef/ product development, and i am currnetly in my first year of graduate school for food science and technology. i really enjoy woriking on cars and i have been trying to start doing some fab work but time is non existent. But i thought i would look into some different options.

I'm guessing your undergrad was in something food related then? Do you like it? I would sure hope so if you are going to grad school. It would be quite a jump to switch to being something like a diesel mechanic. The guys I know that are mechanics don't like it any more. It was OK when they were younger, but are already tired of it. One is 29 and the other is about 34.

There are things I like as hobbies, but I think I would learn to hate those same things if I had to do them for work.

--Tim

Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:45 pm

I am 37, have been doing this for a long time now and can tell you that to make Good money, you will need All of your ASE's, a Smog license, and minimum of 6-8 years of expereince. And as TIMMA said, i like working on cars, just not the politics of the business. I recently started College to get a degree in hopes that I can start to teach the next generation to do what I have been doing. Today I went to the doctor and got the 2nd Cortezone shot in my left shoulder, and was told that my rotator cuff is torn and I will eventually need surgery. This business really takes it's toll on your body and mind. No doubt there are worse Jobs out there but once you get roped in to being a tech, the money comes in and you tend to wind up being stuck. No doubt, I make better than average money, but the cost is pretty high. Times that i can't even pick pick my son because my back and shoulders can't handle it. At 32, I would not even consider becoming a mechanic. You won't have what it takes to make good money for at least 5-8 years,by then you start to slow down, and at 40 they are looking to replace you with some punk half of your age. Just my .02

Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:19 am

I don't know about ya'll but i have been seeing more influence from insurance companies lately. Its causing our labor rate to drop and parts markup is going south. Pretty soon we will be as bad off as body shops. That being said Chucko I wouldn't get into the car business if i were you, but maybe i've been in the game to long. The changes i am seeing do not look good.

The other guys forgot to mention getting an Inspection license, most places wont even hire you with out it.

Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:37 am

We don't do Safety inspections here in CA, so no need for the safety license, we only do Smog checks. I have a Smog license but it takes quite a bit of time to get one. Lots of class time, along with the A6,A8 and L1 just to be eligible to take the test. The pass rate is about 40%. You are right about the auto trend. As people get cheaper and cheaper, they don't want to have to pay for maintenence, so the manufacturers have elongated the time between needed services. Pretty soon Honda's will be made and serviced only in China. Along with everyghing else we get for VW's. The sad part it that we as a whole bitch that stuff is made in china and is Crap, but when a US supplier offers a good product, Most are too CHEAP to pay for the added quality :?