ASE Test Preparation - A8 Engine Performance
(Motor Age Training) [Spiral-bound] 2025-2026
1. 1. What does a wet compression test, test for? Burned valve would show no change in
compression.
A leaking/worn piston would have
some change in compression.
2. What most likely is the cause if the compres- A
sion doesn't go up during a wet compression
test?
A, burnt valve.
B, worn piston ring.
3. What most likely is the cause if the compres- B
sion goes up during a wet compression test?
A, burnt valve.
B, worn piston ring.
4. 2. Blue smoke is coming from the exhaust pipe A
of a vehicle, what most likely is the cause?
A, worn piston ring.
B, bad head gasket.
5. 3. A vacuum guage is connected to the intake D, a weak or broken valve spring would
manifold of an engine and the engine is run at cause a vacuum guage to fluctuate or
2000 rpm. During the test, the pointer on the jump from high to low readings.
guage fluctuates rapidly between readings of
10 and 20 inches of vacuum. These test results
point to:
A, a leaking intake manifold.
B, worn piston rings.
C, worn valve guides.
D, a week or broken valve spring.
, ASE Test Preparation - A8 Engine Performance
(Motor Age Training) [Spiral-bound] 2025-2026
6. 4. Engine detonation (knock) could be caused B. Advanced ignition timing will cause
by any of the following Except: a knock, but retarded timing will not.
A. a lean air/fuel mixture
B. retarded ignition timing
C. excess carbon in the the combustion cham-
bers
D. a stuck-closed EGR valve
7. 5. A vehicle with electronic ignition hesitates B. If a vacuum advance mechanism
and stumbles during acceleration. The prob- were stuck, the problem would not
lem goes away when the vacuum advance change if the vacuum hose is connect-
hose is disconnected and plugged. Technician ed or disconnected. When the vacuum
A says that a stuck vacuum advance mecha- changes to the vacuum advance mech-
nism could be the cause. Technician B says anism and the distributor plate moves,
that an intermittent open in the pickup coil this may move the wires to the pick-up
leads could be the cause. Who is right? causing a short or open which would
cause the pick-up signal to be lost mo-
A. Technician A only mentarily.
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and b
D. Neither A or B
8. 6. Technician A says that spark advance on and B. to accurately measure spark advance
engine can be tested by listening to the way use a timing light. The spark advance
the engine sounds at higher rpms. Technician cannon be determined by listening to
B says that spark advance on an engine can be the way the engine sounds.
tested with a timing light that incorporates an
ignition advance meter. Who is right.
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
, C. Both A and B
D. Nether A or B
9. 7. A regular customer presents his vehicle for C. Checking vehicle service history
service. He describes symptoms of poor drive would point you in the right direction.
ability and says that the vehicle has been re-
paired for the same problem in the past. Which
of the following you should do first?
A. connect the vehicle to an engine analyzer
B. check for diagnostic trouble codes.
C. check the vehicle service history and check
for TSBs, service campaigns and recalls
D. perform a cylinder balance test
10. 8. Two Technicians are listening to a tapping C. A tapping noise that doesn't go away
noise coming from the top end of a v8 engine. after engine warm up could be caused
Technician A says the noise could be a valve by worn valvetrain components or ex-
needing adjustment. Technician B says the the cessive valvetrain clearance. A simi-
noise could be an exhaust leak. who's is right? lar type of noise would be cause by
A. Technician A only. and exhaust leaks the exhaust mani-
B. Technician B only fold/cylinder head junction.
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
11. 9. Technician A says a high spike line on an A. If a spark plug gap were closed, the
oscilloscope indicates a disconnected or open oscilloscope would indicate a very low
plug wire. Technician B says a high spike line spike line.
on an oscilloscope indicates a closed gap on a
spark plug. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
(Motor Age Training) [Spiral-bound] 2025-2026
1. 1. What does a wet compression test, test for? Burned valve would show no change in
compression.
A leaking/worn piston would have
some change in compression.
2. What most likely is the cause if the compres- A
sion doesn't go up during a wet compression
test?
A, burnt valve.
B, worn piston ring.
3. What most likely is the cause if the compres- B
sion goes up during a wet compression test?
A, burnt valve.
B, worn piston ring.
4. 2. Blue smoke is coming from the exhaust pipe A
of a vehicle, what most likely is the cause?
A, worn piston ring.
B, bad head gasket.
5. 3. A vacuum guage is connected to the intake D, a weak or broken valve spring would
manifold of an engine and the engine is run at cause a vacuum guage to fluctuate or
2000 rpm. During the test, the pointer on the jump from high to low readings.
guage fluctuates rapidly between readings of
10 and 20 inches of vacuum. These test results
point to:
A, a leaking intake manifold.
B, worn piston rings.
C, worn valve guides.
D, a week or broken valve spring.
, ASE Test Preparation - A8 Engine Performance
(Motor Age Training) [Spiral-bound] 2025-2026
6. 4. Engine detonation (knock) could be caused B. Advanced ignition timing will cause
by any of the following Except: a knock, but retarded timing will not.
A. a lean air/fuel mixture
B. retarded ignition timing
C. excess carbon in the the combustion cham-
bers
D. a stuck-closed EGR valve
7. 5. A vehicle with electronic ignition hesitates B. If a vacuum advance mechanism
and stumbles during acceleration. The prob- were stuck, the problem would not
lem goes away when the vacuum advance change if the vacuum hose is connect-
hose is disconnected and plugged. Technician ed or disconnected. When the vacuum
A says that a stuck vacuum advance mecha- changes to the vacuum advance mech-
nism could be the cause. Technician B says anism and the distributor plate moves,
that an intermittent open in the pickup coil this may move the wires to the pick-up
leads could be the cause. Who is right? causing a short or open which would
cause the pick-up signal to be lost mo-
A. Technician A only mentarily.
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and b
D. Neither A or B
8. 6. Technician A says that spark advance on and B. to accurately measure spark advance
engine can be tested by listening to the way use a timing light. The spark advance
the engine sounds at higher rpms. Technician cannon be determined by listening to
B says that spark advance on an engine can be the way the engine sounds.
tested with a timing light that incorporates an
ignition advance meter. Who is right.
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
, C. Both A and B
D. Nether A or B
9. 7. A regular customer presents his vehicle for C. Checking vehicle service history
service. He describes symptoms of poor drive would point you in the right direction.
ability and says that the vehicle has been re-
paired for the same problem in the past. Which
of the following you should do first?
A. connect the vehicle to an engine analyzer
B. check for diagnostic trouble codes.
C. check the vehicle service history and check
for TSBs, service campaigns and recalls
D. perform a cylinder balance test
10. 8. Two Technicians are listening to a tapping C. A tapping noise that doesn't go away
noise coming from the top end of a v8 engine. after engine warm up could be caused
Technician A says the noise could be a valve by worn valvetrain components or ex-
needing adjustment. Technician B says the the cessive valvetrain clearance. A simi-
noise could be an exhaust leak. who's is right? lar type of noise would be cause by
A. Technician A only. and exhaust leaks the exhaust mani-
B. Technician B only fold/cylinder head junction.
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
11. 9. Technician A says a high spike line on an A. If a spark plug gap were closed, the
oscilloscope indicates a disconnected or open oscilloscope would indicate a very low
plug wire. Technician B says a high spike line spike line.
on an oscilloscope indicates a closed gap on a
spark plug. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
