UPMSP High School Automobile study plan
UPMSP High School Automobile · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Automobile Basics and Workshop Safety & Automobile Workshop Practice and Tools
Name and state the purpose of at least 20 hand tools and 8 measuring instruments used in an automobile workshop, without looking at notes
Demonstrate the correct and safe use of a torque wrench, micrometer, vernier calliper and feeler gauge on a practice component
List 10 workshop safety rules covering fire, fuel handling, lifting, battery and exhaust-gas hazards, and explain why each exists
Identify the main systems of a car on a labelled sketch and describe in one sentence what each system does
Your checkpoint
A hand-written workshop handbook of 4 pages: tool chart with 28 entries, safety rule list with reasons, and one labelled vehicle-system diagram
Automobile Basics and Workshop Safety & Automobile Workshop Practice and Tools
Select the correct tool for 15 given repair situations and justify each choice in one line
Describe the procedure for safely jacking and supporting a vehicle and for removing and refitting a wheel
Explain first aid and emergency response steps for cuts, burns, acid spills and electric shock in a workshop
Measure a cylinder bore and a valve-stem diameter with a micrometer and record readings to 0.01 mm
Your checkpoint
A completed measurement record sheet for 10 components with readings, tool used and pass/fail judgement against a stated tolerance
Engine Systems and Components
Describe the four-stroke cycle of both petrol and diesel engines, naming the valve positions and pressure events in each stroke
Identify and state the function of at least 15 engine components, from cylinder head and piston to camshaft, tappet and flywheel
Explain valve timing, firing order and valve clearance, and calculate valve clearance adjustment for a given set of feeler-gauge readings
Compare petrol and diesel combustion in terms of fuel introduction, ignition and compression ratio
Your checkpoint
A one-page comparison table plus a labelled four-stroke diagram for each engine type, checked against a self-made 20-question quiz scored at 80% or better
Engine Systems and Components & Fuel, Lubrication and Cooling Systems
Trace the path of fuel from tank to cylinder in both a carburettor and an MPFI system, naming each component on the way
Explain the purpose and properties of engine oil, and interpret SAE viscosity grades such as 10W-30 and 20W-40
Describe the layout and operation of a liquid cooling system, including thermostat, water pump, radiator and coolant mixture ratio
Diagnose three given symptoms, such as overheating, blue exhaust smoke and oil dilution, and name the most likely cause
Your checkpoint
A fault-symptom-to-cause chart covering 10 symptoms across fuel, lubrication and cooling systems, with the check to perform for each
Transmission, Steering and Suspension
Explain the function of clutch, gearbox, propeller shaft, differential and final drive, and state the power flow through each in a rear-wheel-drive car
Describe manual gearbox operation and the purpose of synchromesh, and explain torque converter operation in an automatic transmission
Identify steering system components and explain steering geometry terms: camber, caster, toe-in and kingpin inclination
Describe suspension types, including leaf spring, coil spring, MacPherson strut and shock absorber, and state what each does
Your checkpoint
A driveline power-flow diagram from engine to road wheels plus a glossary of 20 transmission, steering and suspension terms written in your own words
Braking Systems and Vehicle Control & Automobile Electrical and Electronic Systems
Describe hydraulic braking, disc and drum brake construction, and the function of master cylinder, wheel cylinder and brake fluid
Explain the purpose of ABS and describe what happens to brake pressure during a skid
Trace the starting and charging circuits from battery through starter motor, alternator and regulator, naming each part
Explain battery construction, capacity rating and safe charging, and describe the ignition system from coil to spark plug
Your checkpoint
Two hand-drawn circuit diagrams, one for starting/charging and one for lighting, with every component labelled and a 10-line explanation of current flow
Automobile Electrical and Electronic Systems & Vehicle Maintenance, Servicing and Repair
Identify sensors and actuators in a modern vehicle, including oxygen sensor, MAP sensor, crank sensor and ECU, and state the signal each provides
Describe a scheduled service routine for 10,000 km and 40,000 km intervals, listing the checks and replacements at each
Explain how to inspect and top up engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and battery electrolyte, and state the safety precautions for each
Diagnose five electrical faults, such as a dead battery, no-crank condition or dim headlights, using a logical test sequence
Your checkpoint
A written service checklist for two intervals plus a five-fault diagnostic log showing the test sequence and conclusion for each fault
Vehicle Maintenance, Servicing and Repair & Automobile Basics and Workshop Safety & Engine Systems and Components & Transmission, Steering and Suspension & Braking Systems and Vehicle Control & Automobile Electrical and Electronic Systems & Fuel, Lubrication and Cooling Systems & Automobile Workshop Practice and Tools
Complete two full-length timed mock tests and score at least 75% on each
Review every wrong answer and write the correct reasoning for each in a personal error log
Re-derive the 15 facts you most often missed, covering safety rules, torque values, clearances and circuit paths
Recite the workshop safety rules and the tool-selection logic from memory in a five-minute self-test
Your checkpoint
A final revision sheet of one page per domain, eight pages total, plus a scored mock-test record showing improvement between the two attempts
Milestones
Week 2: Can name 20 workshop tools and 8 measuring instruments from memory, and can measure a component to 0.01 mm with a micrometer while stating the safety precautions for the task
Week 4: Scores 80% or better on a self-made 20-question engine test and can explain, without notes, how fuel, oil and coolant each travel through the engine
Week 6: Can draw the driveline power flow and the starting/charging circuit from memory, labelling every component, and can define camber, caster and toe-in correctly
Week 8: Two timed mock tests completed at 75% or better, with an error log showing every mistake corrected and a personal weak-area list reduced to 15 items or fewer