So, I have a nephew who just turned 14. He's had a rough go of it over the last year or two and I'm hoping to get him interested in cars/trucks/mechanics. I think it might be a good outlet/focus for him and he has always seemed to enjoy solving puzzles/figuring out how his toys work.

Well, recently I picked him up a small Craftsman toolset and a book/DVD set on how to rebuild Chevy small block V8s (I blame his mother. He wants a Camaro one day). I told him next I see him, I will be bringing him a motor to build, provided he passes a knowledge exam on the contents of the book/DVD.

So, I am kind of looking for some good exam questions from you guys to pose to him. I am thinking 25 questions, very general in nature. Nothing specific to manufacturers, but more along the lines of the things that would apply to all internal combustion automotive engines (carbureted, I am NOT about to start getting in to EFI with him). At least half of the questions will be "identify this part" from a multiple choice list.

Any good questions you guys have for me to include?

I'm not sure if I can get ahold of them, but in high school, we used to use ASE test questions for class, I might be able to get ahold of the basic engine diagnostic questions, atleast some of them

Good idea Corey. Zack, check this out, should give you some great questions.

http://www.freeasestudyguides.com/

Thanks guys. Some great ideas for sure.

A big one is ring position. To make sure all the compression rings are in the correct places.

Spark plug reading is a big one, like the pages in the back of a Chilton.

I'm thinking that you go even simpler. Have him identify the intake stroke, compression, power and exhaust. The answers can be;
A. During this stroke of the piston, atomized fuel and air are pulled into the cylinder.
B. During this stroke, a spark ignites the compressed air and fuel and the piston is forced down, turning the crankshaft.

I learned about cars because my dad bought me a $500 1972 plymouth duster when I was 15. My brother got a $400 67 Galaxy 500 four door. I'm all for testing, but he may be able to apply the info when you rebuild a carb and set the timing on some classic car and make it chirp the tires.

My point, I guess, is if he's on a rough path, make it easy to get onto the automotive one. Comprise the test of questions that he can get right. Hopefully he passes with a 98%. Then see if grandpa down the street would part with his Pontiac Ventura.

Funny you bring this up. Coming back from hockey this morning, my son (7 y.o) asked me how/why cars have gas and batteries. I went through the basics of why it needs a battery and he ended up wanting to know about how many "small explosions" happen in the engine when we sit at a stoplight when the engine was sitting at idle. He completely got the general concept of how an engine works. Good on you Zack.