DESCRIPTION

The number of light- and medium-duty vehicles powered by alternative fuels is growing every
year. Mandates such as the federal Energy Policy Act and the California Federal Pilot Program
require most large fleets to include alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) in ever-growing numbers.
All of this means that the demand for AFV technicians is increasing dramatically. The AFV
technician needs to know everything that is currently applicable to light- and medium-duty
vehicles, along with new technology to deal with the gaseous fuel system, engine, electronics,
and exhaust.

For an experienced automotive technician, the greatest challenges when working with AFVs
include the concepts of working with fuels such as natural gas and propane, emission-control
equipment, electronic ignition, and safety.

Each chapter of the Technician’s Manual contains text, illustrations, explanatory figures and
tables, chapter review questions, and job aids, along with classroom and/or shop activities.
Each corresponding chapter of the Instructor’s Manual contains everything in the Technician’s
Manual, as well as a detailed daily agenda, teaching suggestions, group discussion topics,
chapter review questions with answers, PowerPoint slides, and animated presentations.
The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) is pleased to offer this new course,
Light-Duty Natural Gas Vehicles, which meets the needs of the technician, the employer, the
fleet operator, and the training institution.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course, the technician will be able to:

• Explain the sources and processing of hydrocarbon gaseous fuels.
• Discuss the impact of dependence on foreign oil on the U.S. economy.
• Describe the sources and effects of environmental pollution.
• List the major alternative fuels currently or soon to be in use, and compare the benefits and
  drawbacks of each.
• Use the concepts of pressure, density, and volume in describing, measuring, and handling
  gaseous fuels.
• State the chemical and physical properties of methane, propane, and hydrogen.
• List the primary emissions from automotive and transportation uses, and identify the sources
  and remedies for each.
• Describe the four-stroke Otto cycle, and explain how combustion is different with a gaseous
  fuel.
• Explain lean-burn technology and calculate the correct air-fuel ratio to achieve the best
  power, lowest emissions, and greatest fuel economy.
• Describe the components of a natural gas fuel system and explain how each operates.
• Explain the operation of the Electronic Control Module (ECM) and the components that
  connect to it.
• List personal and shop safety procedures, and describe the appropriate responses to
  common emergencies such as fire, gas leakage, and collision.
• List the major policies and regulations pertaining to the installation, operation, and inspection
  of gaseous fuel vehicles.
• Describe the different types of emissions testing and the equipment used in each.