UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN AFRICA, BARATON, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE &

TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY

1st semester 2016/2017

COUSRSE CODE: AUTO 411, COURSE TITLE: ENGINE PERFORMANCE I.

3 credit hours.

Instructor: Kitur, Evans. Lecture Time: 9am- 10am, Day: Wed & Frid. Venue: T205.
Lab: Monday in the Automotive Workshop.

Course Description: A study of automotive tune up fundamentals, emphasis is given to fuel,

electrical and air delivery systems, with disassembly, inspection and re assembly of
distributors, ignition control devices and carburettors. 3 lecture hours and 1 three hour
laboratory hours per week. Prerequisite: Auto 212 and Auto 221.

Course objectives: upon completion of this course, the learners should be able to:

- Do basic routine checks and maintenances of carburetted fuel systems

- Perform various carburettor tune up, repair and maintenance
- Diagnose and correct the various fuel system problems
- Do basic routine checks and maintenances of ignition system, repair distributors
(contact pint distributors). Disassemble and re assemble the distributors, perform
distributor adjustment and tune up.

Grading

- Tests & quizzes--------- 15% Mid- semester test------ 15%

- Laboratory work ------- 20% Final exam--------------- 50%,
- Letter grade applies to the University governing bulletin
OUTLINE
Unit 1
Basic theories, principles and phenomena that are important to automotive
engine performance : Newtons laws of motion, work and force, energy and various
forms of energy, energy conversion, momentum, aerodynamics, friction, temperature,
pressure and compressibility, atmospheric pressure and vacuum, Bernoullis principle
and venture effect.
Unit 2

Fuel system: fuel system definition, components of ideal fuel system, fuel system fundamentals,
requirements of a fuel delivery system, carburetted fuel systems, the carburettor and types of
carburettors, carburetion and atomization of gasoline in carburetted fuel system, maintenance of
gasoline carburetted fuel systems, and major carburettor systems

Unit 3

Air systems: intake manifold and manifold designs, air cleaners and filters, air hone, air mass,
air flow measurements and intake vacuum.

Unit 4

Ignition system: purpose and components, ignition timing, types of ignition systems, contact
point and magneto ignition systems, ignition system service, distributor service, spark plugs-
types and trouble diagnosis of ignition system- contact point ignition system, advance systems of
the ignition system.

Unit 5

Various engine performance problems, possible causes and possible solutions

Problems associated with fuel system, fuel quality and the carburettor, ignition system, air
delivery system, mechanical conditions of the engine, suspension system and tire pressure, brake
system, fuel and exhaust systems.

Unit 6

Diagnosis of engine performance problems: visual checks, ignitions system checks, engine
performance testing, compression loss, vacuum testing, rough idle, low vacuum, leaking valves,
restricted exhaust, running and wet compression tests, cylinder leakage, emissions

1. Crouse , H. & Anglin (1993) Automotive Mechanics, 10th ed, McGraw- Hill.

2. Tim Gilles (2008) Automotive Service: Inspection, Maintenance and Repair, 3rd ed,
Delmar Cengage Learning.

3. Erjavec Jack (2004) Automotive Technology: A Systems Approach, 4th ed, Thomson
Delmar Learning.

4. http://www.autoshop101.com

5. Other sources given in class and during laboratory sessions