A.S.E. Questions...

[blackbirdbrain89]

u know its bad when my gf's mom can teach u guys a lot,

do brakes, that way the place u work for is less liable for u if u would forget to tighten a slide pin or some thing like that.

[cammed goat]

You should do that rear, the one time I was under a GTO it looked really easy to R&R. That would be a good experience for you.

I agree. When I had my car up in the air to change the oil, the guys came over and told me the rear looked easy to change out. Drop the half shafts, driveshaft, pipes and the carrier bolts and that's all to drop the carrier out.

[OreoLt1]

I luckily started out in a shop where other guys I worked with were willing to teach. I did end up going to a two yr. college for automotive but most of the time I knew more than what they were teaching.

One ASE brake question that really dictates a book v.s. real world situation is
Your doing a drum brake service and you get grease on the shoes do you:
A. Sand the shoes to remove the grease
B. Replace the brand new shoes
C. Spray them off with cleaning solvent(brake clean etc.)
D. Leave them alone, they will burn/clean off in usage

By the book you replace the new shoes. In the real world on commission you better clean them to the best of your ability. I mean 95% rear brakes are greasy, leaking cyclinders or axle seals etc. And everytime you get a little bit of grease on a brake shoe, how many times will your boss try and warranty them out???

[cammed goat]

I luckily started out in a shop where other guys I worked with were willing to teach. I did end up going to a two yr. college for automotive but most of the time I knew more than what they were teaching.

One ASE brake question that really dictates a book v.s. real world situation is
Your doing a drum brake service and you get grease on the shoes do you:
A. Sand the shoes to remove the grease
B. Replace the brand new shoesC. Spray them off with cleaning solvent(brake clean etc.)
D. Leave them alone, they will burn/clean off in usage

By the book you replace the new shoes. In the real world on commission you better clean them to the best of your ability. I mean 95% rear brakes are greasy, leaking cyclinders or axle seals etc. And everytime you get a little bit of grease on a brake shoe, how many times will your boss try and warranty them out???

That would be my choice. I have seen folks get a little anti-seize or caliper grease on the pads/rotors/shoes and they have sprayed them with brakleen. I have done that as well when I changed my pads.

So far, since I started with STS, I have done:

Brakes on my car(cut front rotors and front pads).
Brakes on my father's car(replaced front pads/rotors and rear drums).
Brakes on an Acura MDX(front and rear pads/rotors).
Brakes on an 08 Grand Cherokee(manager replaced rear pads/rotors and I did the front pads/rotors).
Brakes on an Explorer Sport Trac(manager did the front rotors/pads and I did the rear rotors/pads).

I have aligned:

1-07 Ford Explorer
1-08 BMW 3 series wagon
1-02 BMW 5-series
2-01 Toyota Camrys-had to break out torch on one.
1-99 Toyota Avalon-again...torch
1-04 GTO...mine
1-05 Honda CR-V-could only set the front toe as the rear eccentrics were frozen.

Been with STS for over 3 months and broke my probie period.

[importhater81]

The only time ASE's are worth shit imo is if they infact get you a higher rate then you would normally or a pay raise. The 3 shops I worked at, ALL dealers, like 90 percent of the guys WERENT ASE certified.

GM keeps track of all their dealer tech's ASE certifications.You're right though,the ASE tests don't mean shit as far as knowing what you're doing....just looks good to the managers and the higher up douches.

[croslod]

It's been several years since i took mine but, most of the questions are tecnical book type crap and perfect world stuff like oreolt1 gave you an example of. They are not easy if you don't know your shit, if you do they are cake.

[importhater81]

It's been several years since i took mine but, most of the questions are tecnical book type crap and perfect world stuff like oreolt1 gave you an example of. They are not easy if you don't know your shit, if you do they are cake.

I passed all 8 when I was 19...by no means did I know my shit back then,it just proved I could take a test.I've worked with many ASE master techs over the years and many of them couldn't fix a car to save their lives.

[cammed goat]

My friends and family say I should have mine already.

[importhater81]

I've found that over the years,as you have to re-cert every 5 years,it gets tougher to take the tests even though the re-cert tests are shorter.This is due to the fact that as you wrench on cars everyday you get used to real world type diagnostics and repairs.Best advice I could give to the OP is to keep that in the back of your mind going in to take the ASE's...as alot of the questions are written by people that don't turn wrench's everyday.

As long as you have a good basic fundamental understanding of whatever ase you're going to take,I'm sure you'll be o.k.Just remember some of the questions are not real world type of stuff.

[OreoLt1]

I have all A1-A8 and L1 at one point but pick and choose what and when to recertify. The shop I've been at the last 6 yrs is a small shop but what it boils down to is experience/hands on/etc.

A select few could do decent on an MCAT(medical test) and not know shit about whats going on.

Another good example is you see a automotive chain doing a commercial comparison between themselves and another competitor. One one hand you have a nice clean grease free tech. or you have the same tech. with a days dirt, grease, etc.
Which would you pick to work on your car?
I'd choose the second cause I at least know he has hands on exp.