Automotive Mechanic - Transportation

ABOUT OUR DISTRICT

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all - including students who fall behind academically or have been considered "hard to support" for a host of reasons. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged the Superintendent with improving student achievement, and he is seeking a dedicated and diverse team of school leaders and teachers to partner with him in moving the district toward its goals. The Syracuse City School District represents 34 schools and 4 alternative education programs, serving 19,000+ students Pre-K-12 of whom 77% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 18% are served by the Office of Special Education and 78% are students of color.

Location: Transportation Department

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

The work involves responsibility for performing skilled work in repair and maintenance of automotive and construction equipment. Under the direct supervision of an Automotive Mechanic Crew Leader or other supervisory employee responsible for automotive maintenance, an employee in this class does skilled mechanical work in the maintenance and repair of automobiles, trucks, tractors and a wide variety of other construction equipment. The employee receives written and/or oral instructions as to the repair work that needs to be done but exercises independent judgment concerning the methods of repair. Work is reviewed while in progress or after completion. Supervision may be exercised over a small number of Automotive Mechanic Helpers when they are assigned to assist an Automotive Mechanic in repair work. Does related work as required.

 TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES

• Repairs and overhauls automobiles, trucks, power shovels, motorcycles, tractors, bulldozers, cement mixers, graders and other equipment.
• Tunes vehicles and equipment, replaces spark plugs, rotors, distributor caps, spark plug wires, gas filters, inspects electrical systems, diagnoses fuel problems, uses an electric tune up machine to adjust carburetors, timing, dwell, revolutions per minute (rpm's), inspects vacuum advance, coils, diagnoses valve problems and vacuum leaks.
• Rebuilds motors, carburetors, batteries, alternators and starters, grinds valves and sets tappets, replaces or repairs main connecting rod bearings, inspects and repairs transmissions, universal joints and differentials, relines and adjusts brakes.
• Evaluates condition of radiators, locates faults or defects and makes repairs or rebuilds damaged or defective radiators, solders leaks, straightens damaged and bent parts, installs new cores, assembles and tests repaired radiators.
• Removes and installs clutch and pressure plates, replaces worn out front end parts such as ball joints and tie rods, checks for toe-ins, replaces worn brake shoes.
• Repairs hydraulic systems of construction equipment, does simple ox-acetylene and electric welding and blacksmithing.
• Diagnosis and repair of automotive emission systems and computerized ignition controls for both distributor and non-distributor equipped vehicles.
• Greases all moving parts, changes oil and replaces oil filters; checks power steering fluid, replaces or repairs fan belts.
• Repairs generators, starters, lights and ignitions, adjusts steering mechanisms.
• Changes tires, balances and rotates tires, repairs flat tires, does some minor body repair.
• Performs emergency road service to equipment outside the garage.
• Performs skilled work in the repair and maintenance of small gas and diesel engines and such equipment as snow blowers and lawn mowers.
• Maintains simple written record that records the vehicle number, the repairs that are done, the parts that are used and part number.
• May operate the vehicles to do snow removal, or to test vehicles.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Good knowledge of the methods, materials tools and standard practices of the Automotive Mechanic trade.
• Good knowledge of occupational hazards and safety precautions of the trade.
• Working knowledge of the operating and repair characteristics of a wide variety of public works equipment such as draglines, bulldozers, backhoes and similar machinery.
• Working knowledge of the principles of gasoline and diesel fueled internal combustion engines.
• Working knowledge of the principles and repair procedures of wheel alignment, suspension systems, and braking systems.
• Working knowledge of automotive electrical systems including voltage, amps