ASE A1 Engine Repair Certification Test

The A1 task list allocates its 45 scored questions across five content areas, and diagnosis dominates:

• General Engine Diagnosis — 18 questions
• Fuel, Electrical, Ignition, Air Induction and Exhaust Systems Diagnosis and Service — 9 questions
• Lubrication and Cooling Systems Diagnosis and Repair — 8 questions
• Cylinder Head and Valve Train Diagnosis and Repair — 6 questions
• Engine Block Diagnosis and Repair — 4 questions

Forty percent of the test is general diagnosis — reading symptoms, compression and leak-down results, noises, smoke, gauge behaviour — and another fifth is the support systems that produce engine symptoms without being engine parts. The teardown-and-machining areas that A1 is named for are the smallest share, so a technician who studies only block and head work is preparing for a third of the exam.

ASE charges a $62 per-test fee for A1, plus a separate $34 registration fee per order. Fees can change, so confirm current pricing on ASE's official dates, fees, and test times schedule before you register.

The test is 45 scored multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes, with about ten additional research questions that do not count toward the score and are not identified. ASE reports results against a fixed standard rather than publishing a pass percentage, and the score report shows performance by content area so a retake can be targeted.

Registration is $62 for the test plus a $34 registration fee charged once per order, so booking several tests at once spreads the registration fee. Certification is valid for five years, after which technicians retest to keep it current, and ASE's recertification tests for the A series are shorter versions of the originals.