Online Diesel Maintenance and Troubleshooting

[MakinMemories]

Has anyone had experience taking the online Diesel Maintenance and Troubleshooting course offered by Boaters University and taught by Steve Zimmerman and Adolf Ellert? While hands-on experience is the best (IMO), can an online class be beneficial? Bottom line question is - is my money and time better spent paying an experienced diesel expert for a few hours of their time and learning about my particular engines?

 

[DavidM]

There are many types of online courses.

One type uses stick figures and diagrams to try to explain the workings and maintenance of diesel engines. Often mickey mouse. I have seen these in high school on line classes and they are pretty basic.

Another type uses detailed pictures and videos of real engines to explain things. Better.

A third type uses real interactive video witht the instructor just like a class room setting. Good.

The best is probably all three types packaged together.

I think paying a mechanic for a couple of hours orientation on your engine would be good, but you can't possibly cover everything in that period. I am no professional mechanic, but I learned what I know at my father's knee, doing it myself and meticulously following boatdiesel over many years.

David

 

[CaptSteve53]

Nothing wrong with doing a good course on line and learning the theory behind whats going on, any chief marine engineer has to under go 1000's of hours of learning and theory to get that degree, even basic mechanic's doing an apprenticeship must also under take tuition/exams over many years to call him self a CERTIFIED mechanic,

Practical is obviously also a huge part of that process so if a novice IMHO I would be looking at both (especially going to sea!)where it may make all the difference,

Nothing wrong with learning from other's either just be sure they have the experience to back it up,