Senior Project

Caring for and fixing your vehicle.
Andrew de Haas
Senior Project
What is my project?
My senior project is to provide help to those who may not completely understand how their
vehicle works. More specifically, how to perform preventative maintenance on their vehicles,
and diagnose different problems. During this project I will also replace the head gasket and
rebuild the head. I plan to document the repairs and maintenance and release it as a video
series.
What's my personal connection to the project?
Not only is this a passion for me to work on cars, but I've built a personal connection between
me and my dad. When my dad got disabled he started to have a lot of free time on his hands.
For the last 9 years me and my dad have worked on, and built close to 400 engines, which has
really drawn me closer to him.
Who will benefit specifically from this project?
I am really focusing this project on my classmates who would need this skill later on in life, but
wouldn't easily be able to get the information otherwise. I think this would also be good for those
who may not have this information who is part of the KCS staff. The website that I will build will
be public so anyone that may stumble upon it will also benefit.
Why does this need to be done?
This needs to be done to help my community, and my classmates. You never know when or
where you will need this information. It's always better to stay on the safe side and try to learn
while you can before it's too late.
How will I relate the information to my audience?
For this project I will build a website that showcases short videos and a fair bit of description in a
sensible, yet, easy to understand manner. I will also release the videos on other social platforms
Driving question: How can I help my audience learn about my passion? What can I teach
them?
During my course I will be in contact with a mentor that will provide me with help and
advice when working on and fixing my truck. My mentor will be my dad, his experience includes
owning a professional shop repowering and building boat engines. He has worked on engines
his whole life and knows them inside and out.
During this project I will learn about how I work when needing to multi-task. I will also be
recording and editing videos so the need for that knowledge is present. How to replace a head
gasket on a 1996 Ford Ranger/Mazda B3200 which if fairly simple, it also helps that I have done
it before. I will also learn how to flush out a radiator and work on a few other basic things.
Thinking everything will go smoothly is a vain effort, but as of right now I don't perceive
any setbacks that could cause me problems. Money may turn into a situation, but I don't
anticipate it. Another very real concern would be to break a critical part, or to open up the
engine and discover it needs a lot more work than originally intended.
I expect to turn in a website with embedded videos and tutorials that will go over in detail
how a car works, what I am doing exactly, and how to do it. I also want to post it as a series on
youtube to further my reach.

Item list: A full item list will be shown on the website but as of now the list is; Gasket kit,
oil, oil filter, coolant, parts cleaner, assembly lube, valve lapping compound, windshield wipers.
Budget: I budget $500 for all the various parts and fluids that will be used on the job.
Then another $150 of video and editing software and equipment. A full Item list and price will be
produced and posted onto the website.
Timeline:
● Quarter 2
● IMPORTANT DATES; PROJECT PRESENTATION (NOV. 16), ARGUMENTATIVE
ESSAY (DEC. 11)
○ Week 1
■ Diagnose problem
■ Disassemble engine
■ Clean surfaces
■ Record everything in detail

■ Go over radio installation
○ Week 2
■ Head valve job
■ Paint parts
■ Reassemble
■ Start
■ Oil change
■ Coolant change and flush
● Quarter 3
○ Week 1
■ Review raw footage
■ Edit and cut footage
○ Week 2
■ Create multiple separate videos with said footage
■ Add in dialog and work on engine function and theory
○ Week 3
■ Create small videos describing engines
■ Start of filler content for website
● Quarter 4
○ Week 1
■ Create website
■ Embed videos
■ Add descriptions, widgets, buttons

○ Week 2
■ Polish and finetune content
■ Publish website

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Caring for and fixing your vehicle.

What's my personal connection to the project?

really drawn me closer to him.

Who will benefit specifically from this project?

be public so anyone that may stumble upon it will also benefit.

Why does this need to be done?

while you can before it's too late.

How will I relate the information to my audience?

his whole life and knows them inside and out.

youtube to further my reach.

produced and posted onto the website.

● IMPORTANT DATES; PROJECT PRESENTATION (NOV. 16), ARGUMENTATIVE

ESSAY (DEC. 11)

■ Record everything in detail

■ Head valve job

■ Coolant change and flush

■ Review raw footage

■ Edit and cut footage

■ Create multiple separate videos with said footage

■ Add in dialog and work on engine function and theory

■ Create small videos describing engines

■ Start of filler content for website

■ Add descriptions, widgets, buttons

■ Polish and finetune content

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