ASE Practice Test (B3: Non-Structural Analysis & Damage Repair) — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When straightening a damaged outer door skin, a technician should work from the:
- Center of the damage outward toward the edges
- Edges of the damage inward toward the center (Correct answer)
- Highest point of the damage first
- Bottom of the panel upward
Correct answer: Edges of the damage inward toward the center
When straightening sheet metal damage, always work from the outer edges of the damaged area inward toward the center (highest point). This technique relieves tension at the perimeter first, allowing the metal to return to its original shape without creating additional distortion.
Question 2: A plastic bumper cover has a stress crack but is not torn through. The recommended repair method is:
- Apply body filler directly over the crack after sanding
- V-groove the crack, weld with plastic welding rod, and finish with adhesive (Correct answer)
- Replace the bumper cover — stress cracks cannot be repaired
- Apply fiberglass cloth and resin over the damaged area
Correct answer: V-groove the crack, weld with plastic welding rod, and finish with adhesive
For stress cracks in plastic bumper covers, the proper repair is to V-groove the crack with a die grinder, then plastic weld using a compatible welding rod and plastic welder. The repair is then feathered, primed, and painted. Fiberglass is not compatible with most OEM plastics.
Question 3: A replacement hood has been installed but the rear corners are sitting too high compared to the fenders. The adjustment needed is:
- Move the hood rearward at the hinge bolts
- Raise the hood bumpers at the radiator support
- Shim the rear of the hinges downward (Correct answer)
- Adjust the hood latch striker upward
Correct answer: Shim the rear of the hinges downward
Hood height at the rear corners is controlled by the hinge attachment points. Shimming or adjusting the rear of the hinges downward will lower the rear hood corners to align with the fenders. Hood bumpers affect the front height, and the latch controls horizontal fit.
Question 4: Before applying polyester body filler, the technician should ensure the bare metal is:
- Primed with epoxy primer to improve adhesion
- Sanded to 80-grit bare metal and free of rust and contamination (Correct answer)
- Heated with a heat gun to open the metal pores
- Coated with a thin layer of weld-through primer
Correct answer: Sanded to 80-grit bare metal and free of rust and contamination
Polyester body filler requires direct adhesion to clean, bare metal. The surface must be sanded to 80-grit to provide mechanical adhesion, and all rust, oil, and contaminants must be removed. Applying filler over primer reduces adhesion and can lead to delamination.
Question 5: A technician measures a door gap at the top and finds it is 8mm, while the gap at the bottom is 4mm. This indicates the door needs to be adjusted:
- Moved rearward at the top hinge (Correct answer)
- Moved forward at the top hinge
- Moved upward at the bottom hinge
- Moved rearward at the bottom hinge
Correct answer: Moved rearward at the top hinge
The top gap is wider than the bottom, meaning the top of the door is too far rearward (or the bottom is too far forward). Moving the door forward at the top hinge will close the top gap and equalize the spacing. Door gap adjustment is always done at the hinge attachment points.
Question 6: Which of the following is the CORRECT sequence for repairing a dent using the hammer-and-dolly technique with the dolly 'off the dent'?
- Strike the high spots directly with the hammer while holding the dolly on the low areas (Correct answer)
- Strike the dent with the hammer while the dolly is held directly beneath the hammer blows
- Use the dolly as a hammer against the back of the panel, driving high spots down
- Alternately strike high and low spots without using a dolly
Correct answer: Strike the high spots directly with the hammer while holding the dolly on the low areas
When using the dolly 'off the dent' technique, the dolly is held on a low area adjacent to where the hammer strikes a high spot. The dolly's rebound pushes the low area up while the hammer drives the high area down, creating a dual-action straightening effect.
ASE Practice Test (B3: Non-Structural Analysis & Damage Repair)
When straightening a damaged outer door skin, a technician should work from the: