The Automotive Aftermarket Repair Organization of Canada has opened registration for a three-day technical training event covering diesel engines, electric vehicles and advanced diagnostic work.
The TechX Summit will run from Sept. 24 to 26 at the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport West in Mississauga. AARO, which represents independent automotive repair businesses, has divided the event into diesel, electric vehicle, electrical and communications training tracks.
David Finch, an instructor with Tech Fix, powered by the Automotive Training Group, will lead a full-day diesel diagnostics course on Sept. 24.
Finch will examine diesel combustion, emissions treatment, fuel delivery and induction systems. The course will use the General Motors Duramax L5P and 3.0-litre Duramax engines and Ford’s 6.7-litre Power Stroke as its featured platforms.
The second Thursday track will open with Cochrane Automotive owner Ju Chen leading an introductory course on the radio-frequency systems used in connected vehicles.
The session will cover keyless entry, push-button starting, tire-pressure monitoring systems, anti-theft technology, navigation, embedded cellular services and over-the-air software updates.
Leroy’s Auto Care owner Leroy Martin will follow with a course on developing diagnostic work into a profitable specialty. Martin will examine testing methods, documentation, customer communication and the support systems needed to help technicians build diagnostic careers.
George’s Auto Service owner and technician Scott Weatherall will close the day with a course on engine mechanical testing using cranking vacuum. The session will cover compression, cylinder sealing, valve timing, camshaft and lifter concerns and crankcase pressure testing.
The Sept. 25 program will include an electric vehicle track led by PoweredEV Training and Consulting president David Giles.
Giles will examine the heat pumps and thermal-transfer systems used to manage battery and vehicle temperatures. The course will include diagnostic considerations and examples from Tesla, General Motors and Ford vehicles.
Dave Hobbs, senior technical trainer and curriculum developer for PHINIA’s Delphi aftermarket brand, will lead a parallel course on three-phase electrical testing.
Hobbs will explain how single-phase and three-phase brushless direct-current motors operate and demonstrate testing with a digital multimeter, lab scope, milli-ohmmeter and Pico three-phase motor tester.
The Driveability Guys owner Scott Shotton will follow with a course on using electronic equipment to diagnose mechanical engine problems. Topics will include misfires, camshaft timing, waveform interpretation and testing with current, vacuum and pressure transducers.
Shotton will return on Sept. 26 to lead a half-day course on vehicle network communication problems. The session will cover communication protocols, wiring diagrams and the use of scan tools, meters and oscilloscopes to isolate faults.
Auto Aide Technical Training owner and primary instructor Mark Lemay will lead the final track. Lemay will demonstrate the Autel Ultra S2 diagnostic platform, including live network monitoring, remote programming, split-screen viewing and its electric vehicle add-on equipment.
The Thursday and Friday programs will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday’s sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Individual registration costs $299 plus HST for either full day and $200 plus HST for Saturday. A three-day pass costs $699 plus HST.
