Friday, November 28, 2014

The Semester is Going FAST!

We have completed Fundamentals and Safety, Implements and Electric I with the freshman while the sophomores were doing On-The-Job Training II for 3 months. We are now doing Combine class with the freshman and Information Technology (JDIT) with the sophomores. The parking lots are a little full with the 70 students we have on campus but we will make it happen. There are 2 combines from Decorah Implement, our 9880i and several components for the combine class. We have 17 new computers and several new tractors for JDIT class and I'm sure they are already tried of me talking about computers already. Here are some pictures.

John Deere Tech

Monday, September 1, 2014

Fundamentals and Safety 2014

We got 36 students for the Class of 2016 off to a good start. They endured a couple days of orientation and we have been working with Service ADVISOR, metric conversions and tools. In the shop we have started moving wheels, checking out new tractors and disassembling combines. Here are a few pictures.

JD Tech

Monday, August 18, 2014

Time to Start a New Class

That time of year has come again to start another class and this year will be the 25th class to start the John Deere Tech program at Calmar. We many things planned to get the year rolling. Here is a picture of one of the combines we will be disassembling this year. Check back for pictures.
 

John Deere Tech

Thursday, May 15, 2014

2014 Graduation Pictures

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

John Deere Tech 2014

Well another year has past and it is time to say goodbye and good luck to another class. It seems like only yesterday that this group started but two years have passed and its time they move on to new adventures.
We look forward to the chance to meet again.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Alex 4.5L

This was the first time this little 4.5L was apart. In its former life it was used on a wood chipper. It was a little rusty inside for setting for several years. It has a Lucas rotary pump on it that needs to be timed with a light after it is started. It may be small but it can still hold up that big chrome stack.





John Deere Tech!

Alec and Jessie 12.5L

This is the 12.5L called Eva or so the controller says. She has been around for quite some time. She seems to like to spray some students with diesel fuel before she starts. We had a little injector issue on one cylinder this year but they got it to work.






John Deere Tech!

Justin and Dylan 7.6L

This is the famous 666 engine. It has a bent crankshaft but we leave it that way for an example of what to look for when assembling. This engine has been apart at least 18 times. It has a electronically controlled inline pump.





John Deere Tech!

Jon and Jordan 6.8L

This is a 6.8L 9400 combine engine. It has a DM4 injection pump that needs to be timed with a timing light after it is running.




John Deere Tech!

Evan and Nate 9.0L

This engine has been run a couple times before. This is the other team working on the CAN circuit to get RPM form the 9.0L engines. Hopefully we can find some RPM in the near future.






John Deere Tech!

Nathan and Garrett 9.0L

This is a 9.0L engine from a 9230 tractor. This is the first time it has been apart. The big challenge for this engine has been to get RPM and we are still working on it. Nathan, Evan, Garrett and Nate have spent countless hours with electrical schematics building a CAN circuit. If it happens I will let you know.






John Deere Tech!

Aaron and Taylor 466

This is a 466 non-turbo engine from a 4240. It has a rotary distributor DM4 pump and is definitely the loudest of all the engines we ran this year.




John Deere Tech!

Brett and Dan 8.1L

Here is another 8.1L HPCR engine. This is an 8120 tractor engine and we use our OEM controller to run it.




Andrew and Craig 6.8L HPCR

This is a 6.8L HPCR Tier 3 combine engine. We have a engine controller and a cab controller from a R450 windrower and this year we added an armrest to provide a variable mid-range RPM.





Nate and Nick 8.1L

Goldilocks lives again! This is an 8.1L with an electronically controlled inline pump. It was a show engine that was painted gold. Last year was the first year we had it running and it lives again. You will notice it has a few different colored parts because we couldn't find any gold paint. 




John Deere Tech!

Tony and Josh 10.5L

Here is a 10.5L engine from a 9200 tractor. It has electronic unit injectors with a Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) throttle input. Here is a video of the first start and a video of RPM. We better keep our eye on this one or it might end up in a Chevy pickup.



John Deere Tech!



Saturday, April 5, 2014

Cayleb and Dylan 8.1L

This8.1L HPCR is an 8120 engine. When it is running you can hear a miss. They did some Interactive tests with Service Advisor and determined it is number one cylinder. We will try a different injector on Monday to see if that fixes it.

Kody and Ethan 6.8L

This is a prototype 6.8L engine with a rotary distributor pump. This engine needs the timing set with a timing light after it is running so the initial start up shows white smoke.

Julius and Andrew 8.1L

This engine is an 8.1L HPCR. It had an injector leak that caused excess fuel in in one of the cylinders. You will notice on the first start video below that it is burning the fuel in the exhaust manifold and turbo so there is a lot of blue smoke. The smoke cleared up after it ran for awhile.


Alex and Jared 466T

Alex and Jared had the 466T this year. It is a mechanically controlled "P" pump so the idle speeds need to be set after it is started. Looks like they found a big chrome stack laying around the shop as well.


Adam and Matt 8.1L

This engine is an 8.1L with an electronically controlled "P" pump. The RPM is controlled by grounding one terminal in the ECU and it has two speeds idle and high idle.

Corey and Sam 7.6L

Here is Corey and Sam with a 7.6L Non-Structural block. This engine has a mechanically controlled "P" pump on it.

Zach and Nathan 6.8L

Zach and Nathan started their 6.8L on Tuesday as well. They verified the wiring from last year and added the armrest control from the R450 windrower. The armrest added a variable mid-range RPM setting. Nothing says happy like a big chrome stack.


Terry and Tyler 8.1L

The first engine ran on Tuesday. It was a 8.1L HPCR from a 644 end loader. We were excited to get things started. Here is Terry and Tyler's first start video.



Sunday, March 30, 2014

Getting A Little Closer

We have been putting in extra hours and we are getting closer to firing up some of the engines. A few groups are working on the wiring for the controllers so it won't be long now. Here are some pics.
John Deere Tech









 

Friday, March 21, 2014

National PAS AMSTA

After winning at state competitions, thirty-six individuals from across the nation competed at the National PAS Agriculture Machinery Service Technician Award (AMSTA) competition in St. Cloud, Mn.on March 12th-15th. Zach Burke, Nathan Grell, Alec Higgins and Nate Vos represented NICC John Deere Tech. The competition included individual events for a written test, measuring/testing and identification. Teams of two students also participated in five diagnostic stations and four calibration/adjustment stations.
Zach and Alec placed 3rd and Nathan and Nate placed 12th in the nation. Good Job!

Alec Higgins and Zach Burke


Zach, Alec, Duane, Nathan and Nate

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Engine Class

With all the snow days we have been running a little behind in the lab so the last 2 days before spring break we had both groups in the lab for 4 hours. With a couple long and busy days the lab is getting back on schedule. By the end of the month we should have some of them running.


John Deere Tech

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Unanswered Questions

If you ask the students what class they look forward to the most it would have to be Engines Class. This class will provide the answers to many of their questions. Here are a few examples:
1. What is inside of an engine?
2. What makes it run?
3. How many pieces does it have?
4. Where does this go?
5. Do I have to read the book?
6. Where does this go?
7. Is it clean enough?
8. When can I start it?
9. What do i need a schematic for?
10. Will this ever run again?

Of course the instructors will have a few questions of their own. For example:
1. Do you have the correct mounting bolts?
2. Did you check the head bolt torque and valve lift before you took the head off?
3. What is the rod and main bearing clearance?
4. Did you read the book?
5. Do you see anything wrong with the work you just completed?
6. Did you read the book?
7. Are you going to get this done in time?
8. Do you have oil pressure?
9. Do you know you have to make a wiring harness before this will run?
10. Will it run again?

Judging by the past I am happy to report that in about 7 weeks the answer to question number 10 will be???

  "YES"

We have 19 engines getting rebuilt this year of various sizes so stay tuned for pics and videos. Here are some lab pictures.  JD Tech






Wednesday, February 12, 2014

State AMSTA Contest

On February 5th we got up early on a cold and snowy day to travel to Iowa Lakes Community College at Emmetsburg to compete at the state Ag Machinery Service Technician Award (AMSTA) contest. There were 16 teams of two students competing in the competition. The competition consisted of a written test, measuring, parts identification and several diagnostic problems. At the end of the day our teams placed 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th and we also took 1st, 2nd and 3rd individuals. The 1st and 2nd place teams will compete at the national AMSTA competition at St. Cloud, Mn. in March.
Congratulations men, NICC and the John Deere Tech program are proud of you!

 Nate V. and Nathan G. 1st Place Team
Alec H. and Zach B. 2nd Place Team

Evan K. 1st Individual
Nathan G. 2nd Individual
Zach B. 3rd Individual





Consumer Products/Engines Class

For the last couple weeks we have been talking about engine fundamentals from cranks and cams to carburetion. In the lab we have been trying update a few things. We got 4 near new mowers from Decorah this year and have been giving some of the old dogs a rest. We have been adding some small diesels in the lab as well just to keep it exciting. Here are some pics.