Car Repair and Electrician Training Certificated : CRETC+

Explore how modern car electrical systems are interconnected, where a fault can affect wipers, headlights, speed sensors, ABS, transmission, and the speedometer, highlighting cross-system networking.

Explore how car computers and body control modules use multiplexing and bus data links to manage climate, lighting, cruise control, ABS, and memory seats.

Discover how the charging system converts engine energy into electrical power, recharges the battery, and powers vehicle accessories, using electromagnetic induction and a voltage regulator to protect the system.

Explore the vehicle lighting system, from headlights and signals to instrument backlighting, wiring, and body computer control; learn how solid state circuits, sensors, and federal laws shape modern lighting.

Understand the starting system that converts battery energy into engine rotation via a starter motor, solenoid, and ignition switch, with safety switches and flywheel engagement.

Explore how modern car anti-theft systems deter thieves with alarms, exterior lights, and ultrasonic sensors, plus starter inhibitor relays, automatic door locks, and keyless entry with remote start.

Explore chassis design as the vehicle's backbone, from body-on-frame to unibody, and learn about carbon steel, aluminum alloys, rails, beams, and the four main chassis types.

Explore ladder frame chassis, the backbone of early vehicles, built from two long beams; easy mass production and repairability but heavy with weak torsional rigidity, unlike modern monocoque designs.

The backbone chassis is a large rigid central structure, the main load bearing member that absorbs and distributes forces to boost rigidity and handling.

Explains monocoque, a structural skin that bears loads like an eggshell, delivering lightweight, safe, and cost-efficient car construction with applications from small hatchbacks to large SUVs.

Explore tubular chassis as the preferred, lightweight, rigid frame for race cars, upgrading from ladder chassis to boost safety and strength, while noting its complexity and inapplicability to passenger cars.

Learn essential do-it-yourself car maintenance basics, from opening the hood and changing a tire to checking oil and coolant, plus how to buy the right parts.

Explore how modern electrical systems network through computers. Watch how a faulty component can trigger symptoms across wipers, headlights, speed sensor, anti-lock brake model, transmission control module, and instrument cluster.

Explore how car brakes convert kinetic energy into heat via friction, using hydraulics and disc or drum systems to ensure safe stopping.

Learn how drum brakes use shoe friction on a drum, their self-energizing action, rear-wheel applications, and trade-offs like heat, fade, and maintenance considerations.

Explore how disc brakes use calipers and pads on a rotor to slow wheels and dissipate heat, with ventilated, drilled, and slotted discs improving cooling.

Set realistic expectations for your car project by weighing costs, legality, and reliability, then document merits on paper to decide whether to modify or pursue a different ride.

Learn how to make a car look cool by modifying it to fit your identity while preserving its heritage, using period pieces, authentic styling, and mindful performance choices.

Identify the car’s intended uses and assign percentage-based priorities to guide modification choices for a vehicle suitable for commuting, errands, client meetings, and occasional track use.

Define the car project scope, set a realistic timeline and budget, and prioritize where the vehicle should excel in speed, handling, show, or daily use—without trying to do it all.

Explore how performance parts trade increased power against ride quality, reliability, and resale value, and learn to plan for delays, budget extra cash, stock parts, and document changes.

Describe how engines convert fuel energy to heat and movement, why engine cooling maintains optimum temperature, and compare air and liquid cooling, including coolant mixtures and maintenance to reduce emissions.

Explains how carbon dioxide traps heat and warms the earth, and how vehicle exhaust releases pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons.

Discover how the car cooling system prevents engine overheating, with water pump, radiator, thermostat, coolant, and transmission cooler and AC.

Understand how coolant prevents freezing and boiling in the cooling system. Learn about ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, rust inhibitors, aluminum-compatible extended life formulations, and the importance of manufacturer recommendations.

Explains how the radiator circulates coolant through the top hose to the thermostat and back via bottom hose, and how the pressure cap and recovery system prevent overflow and overheating.

Understand how radiator fans, water pump, and thermostat regulate engine cooling, and how the heater core and air conditioning use coolant and refrigerants like R134a.

Explore eight car suspension types—double wishbone, multilink, rigid axle, MacPherson, independent, rigid leaf spring, trailing arm, and air suspension—and compare geometry, handling, maintenance, and cost implications.

Explore double wishbone suspension, an independent design using two wishbone arms to locate the wheel, with inboard springs and joints that control camber, caster, tow, and roll.

Explore multilink suspension concepts with three or more control lengths, ball joints or bushings at each end, and how arms react to loads in tension and compression.

Explore beam, rigid, and solid axles as simple, rugged suspensions where a single beam links wheels and live axles transmit power, with fixed camber and off-road advantages and drawbacks.

MacPherson strut uses the damper as the upper steering pivot in front suspension, enabling simple unitary construction and easy packaging despite camber change and torque steer.

Understand independent suspension, where each wheel moves independently, improving ride and handling; learn anti-roll bars, lower unsprung weight, and layouts like MacPherson, Chapman, trailing arms, and multilink.

Discover how air suspension uses a compressor and air springs to raise, lower, and self-level vehicles for a smooth ride, with height adjustment for cars, trucks, and trains.

Analyze how internal combustion engines convert fuel and air into propulsion via four-stroke cycles, including spark ignition and diesel, and how they differ from external combustion engines.

Two-stroke engines complete a power cycle in one crankshaft revolution, delivering a high power-to-weight ratio for lightweight tools like chainsaws and motorcycles, with modern direct fuel injection reducing emissions.

Explore the four-stroke engine cycle—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—and how spark timing, compression ratio, octane, and direct injection affect efficiency and ignition in gasoline and diesel engines.

Explore how methanol and ethanol fuels change the stoichiometric balance and lambda in racing engines. Learn to calibrate EFI systems for alcohol blends using wideband sensors and lambda-based targets.

Explore how manual transmissions use a gear stick and clutch to change gears, from sliding mesh to five- and six-speed designs, then compare with automatic, CVT, AMT, and DCT.

Examine the manual transmission shaft system, including input shaft, counter/lay shaft, and output shaft in constant-mesh gears, with bearings and shift rods enabling selective gear engagement and direct drive.

Engage the dog clutch in a modern constant mesh manual transmission via the gear selector rods to lock the output shaft to the chosen gear, establishing the gear ratio.

Explore how synchromesh and synchronized rings auto-match input shaft speed to gear engagement, enabling smooth shifts and eliminating the need for double clutching in modern manual transmissions.

Describe how reverse gear uses a sliding mesh with an idler on the counter shaft and fixed output gear. Expect a whine from spur teeth in this configuration.