ASE Engine Repair 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cylinder head warped beyond service limits across its deck surface should be:
- Resurfaced or replaced if beyond limit (Correct answer)
- Reused with extra torque
- Filled with epoxy
- Lapped by hand only
Correct answer: Resurfaced or replaced if beyond limit
A warped head must be machined flat within spec or replaced to ensure proper gasket sealing.
Question 2: Excessive blue smoke from the exhaust most commonly indicates:
- Oil burning past rings or valve seals (Correct answer)
- Rich fuel mixture
- Coolant in the cylinders
- Normal cold start
Correct answer: Oil burning past rings or valve seals
Blue smoke means oil is entering the combustion chamber, usually past worn rings or valve seals.
Question 3: A technician measures cylinder bore taper by comparing diameter at the:
- Top and bottom of ring travel (Correct answer)
- Center only
- Block deck
- Oil pan rail
Correct answer: Top and bottom of ring travel
Taper is found by measuring the difference between the top and bottom of the ring travel area.
Question 4: Milky brown oil on the dipstick usually indicates:
- Coolant mixing with engine oil (Correct answer)
- Overfilled oil
- High-mileage carbon
- Worn timing belt
Correct answer: Coolant mixing with engine oil
A milky appearance signals coolant contamination, often from a blown head gasket or cracked head.
Question 5: Plastigage is used to measure:
- Bearing oil clearance (Correct answer)
- Valve lash
- Ring end gap
- Deck flatness
Correct answer: Bearing oil clearance
Plastigage is crushed between the journal and bearing to measure oil clearance.
Question 6: A hydraulic lifter that ticks at idle but quiets at higher RPM most likely has:
- Low or aerated oil supply (Correct answer)
- Excessive valve spring tension
- A bent pushrod
- A burned valve
Correct answer: Low or aerated oil supply
Noisy lifters often result from low oil pressure or air in the oil that fills at higher RPM.
Question 7: When torquing main bearing caps, the technician should:
- Follow the sequence and final spec in stages (Correct answer)
- Tighten the center cap fully first
- Use maximum torque on all at once
- Hand-tighten only
Correct answer: Follow the sequence and final spec in stages
Following the specified sequence in stages ensures even clamping and proper crankshaft alignment.
ASE Engine Repair 2
A cylinder head warped beyond service limits across its deck surface should be: