Pro's & Con's Diesel Tech Vs Auto Tech a Video Response for Christopher Thrash Jk Canvas: / @jkcanvas Rustbelt Mechanic: / @rustbeltmechanic J Young: / @jyoung6004
Wanted to go into Auto in 2000. Everyone wanted schooling and experience. Found a shop and started out as a Helper in a Diesel shop. I eventually became a Journeyman Diesel mechanic. I was recruited to a shop where most of the guys have less then 5 years experience. I was begged to come to the shop since I have 20 years experience and a CDL with hazmats and tanker, doubles triples. I make 36 Hr plus lots of overtime. Their is a huge shortage of mechanics. The last 5 years the top pay was 26hr range. They all had to increase the pay due to demand to mid 30s Hr. One thing that made me very valuable was getting certificates in everything. Liftgates, trailers, brakes, EPA 608 609. Thermoking single and multi temp. And so on. I never went to school. Only auto shop in HS. Most Diesel mechanics do not have a CDL. I make 3 dollars more an hour because of it. You can do well if you take online certs and go to day classes done by Cummins, etc.
Great video thanks brother. Well you know what I did. I went straight out of vocational school auto mechanics. Started working on semi trucks and trailers and heavy equipment. They have come a long way since I started back in the 80s. I really liked the last job I had because they had all three again. Trucks trailers and heavy equipment. I did mostly the heavy equipment jobs. I will say be careful stuff is very heavy and if you have help us them or it. I retired early and I was making 20$ plus over time. This is around 10 years ago shop rate. Service truck out on site 35$ an hour plus over time. The longer it's down the more the company loses so they pay. Keep up the great work see you in the next video thanks again brother
Great video man! As for training, getting into the diesel field is something that is going to be more lucrative because it’s specialized. Specialty training usually equals bigger money in this field. You can usually pickup the general gas and electrical Diag in any of those fields but having at least some specialty or diesel training will get you farther in most places.
Cheers brother! I work as a apprentice at an oilfield company (independent) and we work on all diesel. Big semi trucks/trailers/ and other random equipment and the rest of our fleet is ford f350 and f550’s. Anyways, I’ve been following you and watching every video for about 6 months. I look forward to your videos and live streams. Keep it up. I appreciate your videos.
This is a good overview and opinion piece Justin, the guys starting out have a lot to consider deciding which way they want to go. Personally I have been lucky with my work history to have worked on a lot of both and now when its major diesel stuff I always am the one that gets asked to do the diagnostic and major repairs. I saw you said in another vid your getting more familiar with the Ford 6.0's! IMHO thats a great starting point for getting used to modern diesels and their systems and what they require, I have also in the last couple years had to up my skill level with those things! Though I do have to say Im not sure its easier going one way vs the other. They are similar and different at the same time, and modern everything is more complicated whether its gasoline or diesel, just work hard and have a good attitude with forward thinking and a willingness to learn and you'll do alright probably no matter where you go!
Thanks for all the great advice and comments. And thanks for the video Justin Dow. I have a long way to go but I'll get there. You've helped me a lot and am part of the reason I decided to make the jump to be a tech. Appreciate it man.
Class 8 diesel trucks I love it. Glad I got away from automotive side of things. Still work on some diesel pick ups from time to time working in the independent diesel truck and trailer shop. But I found my thing that I enjoy wrenching on the most! Big rigs and sometimes customized big rigs. Like what you do Justin keep it up.
for sure! learn as much as you can! i am not a diesel mechanic! i quit the auto cause of the pay! i get payed better now! but some things are different! things you need to learn are PTO's/fluid powered things/air brakes/emissions systems/DOT inspections/more on overhauls engines/trans cause more stuff is overhauled and not just reman stuff! stuff is heavier and sometimes you work more outside in the cold and such like service calls! not sure of the scanner stuff cause most shops us laptop computers with software on them for scanners to read codes/data/regens etc! i do also work on some larger gas engines and forklifts which are propane powered but still spark engines! Cheers!
Im a diesel tech been doing it for a little over ten years now to me theres alot more pros going diesel vs automotive iv came to learn automotive there out the years so in my opinion you pic up diesel automotive should more less fall in place. Not enough to become an expert but enough to servive at most automotive shops.
Hello there I wanted to find out if you can recommend me a book a repair for diesel engines specifically for a 2006 Volvo vnl 670 I greatly appreciate it thank you
It’s easier to go to work at a shop with experience in Diesel if you decide to leave your current job vs Gas just because most guys always go towards the gas side to work ??? Why I don’t know cause gas stinks ! Haha I hate gasoline !
I have thought about small shop different kinds of cars, Think it would be kinda cool but I really enjoy knowing 1 type of car brand. By the way I just uploaded a video Channellock VS Knipex
I work on tractor trailers and the majority of what I do is diagnose check engine lights, cel are so common on tractors now because of the sensitive after treatment systems on diesel, so the old way of thinking that diesel is nothing but bull work is no longer true, and the need for guys that can diagnose them is there, it's rare to find a new tech that comes into the shop that knows how to even hook a computer up to a truck
Hi I’m a 16 year old who started working at a diesel shop in July I love it we mostly do fords I know so much about the Diesel engines that my boss even takes me to the classes hosted by ford I love this job should I stick to it or move onto something else
You forgot the biggest difference which is the amount of compression in diesel vs gas. If you can deal with the dirtiness of diesel it is the way to go because their are significantly less diesel tech which means your rate can be significantly higher
Nowadays a gdi gasser is the same as a diesel. Hi pressure common rail injectors. Only real difference is the fuel used. Both have cams and cranks. I get paid at least double where i work doing diesels than guys doing gas. The clientele is considerably more demanding on the diesels because they earn a living with diesel and cant be broke down
Without trying to sound jaded as cool as diesels are and the knowledge of how they work fundamentally is a great knowledge to have, your boss wants you to go towards the diesel side because not many techs want to do warranty work all day on the newer Ford diesels and get killed on the crazy time allotments they allocate towards repairs. Your boss is trying to pump you up to make it seem like "ah look your doing great you should pursue the diesel side." Having said that outside of a dealership environment diesels are great to know because of the widespread use of them in other industries. You can transition into heavy equipment work in independent shops or a Cat dealer or mobile tech jobs. Lots of opportunities out there but I feel like its very easy to get burnt out working at a Ford dealer for a manufacturer that has had many issues for the last 2-3 generations of engines. Good luck buddy not trying to scare you or be a dick, just speaking from experience.
the only reason why I want to go to diesel tech is so I can be able to work on my own vehicles i.e car or semi. would the cost be of school be worth it?
definatly do it man go through with it you will have a ton more opportunities if you decide to leave ford at any point In your career if something doesn't work out you can go anywhere from cat cummins any dealership will take you on and then you can even advance into heavy highway trucks witch is what I work on and its more fun then you could imagine. biggest part of any shop is getting along with your co workers like them or not your there to work that is all the more fun the better but hey can also be a living hell. keep up the videos and best of luck chris !
If your doing it for the money than your doing it for the wrong reasons. Would you rather have a surgeon who does it with a passion or a surgeon who just doing it for the money to operate on you
A hack? From what I have seen he sells good "dealerproofing." Any links or forums I can go to check out his work? Going to need to make my 6.0 diesel last a half million miles.
I didn't know there was a specialty doe diesel and petrol in America everywhere I worked even now at the volkswagen dealer I have to work on both and understand them both but am with you petrol all the way I hate diesel but there are more diesel vehicle on the road in the UK 👍
joe road to canada Depends on the shop, my old Audi dealership you had to know and understand both, plus hybrids, and they wanted to start pushing us to learn full electric cars too, where as when I went to Ford, we had a building for each specialization, I.E. one building for the lube techs and oil bays, one for the warranty/Diagnostics, one for diesel and large trucks up to F750s, etc. They only wanted you to learn one thing and it was hit or miss as to whether or not they would even send you to school for what you needed to know.
@@automedic9781 thanks for the reply and we are the save at vw realy pushing on the electric cars now and I've never worked any where like that all my shops have been everything under one roof if you know what I mean the job you get is the job you gotta do and I'd love to work on ford f series trucks only think we have is the ranger and there all diesel once again thanks for the reply and iv subed 👍
