Senior Master Certification ASE tests

Fordracer · November 19, 2008

I got rid of the union in our shop a couple months ago and now the general manager will pay us for our certifications and he wants me and the other top tech in the shop to become senior master certified. I never bothered to get it before because of the requirement to take the ASE tests T2, T6, and L2. We don't work on 650 or 750's so I know nothing about medium to heavy duty trucks.

I bought the Motor Age study books and read them twice and last night I took the tests and I'm fairly sure I failed the T2 Diesel Engine test. The book was useless for that test.

Do you guys have any ideas on finding the information I need to pass this test and the L2 test that I will need to take later?

ChristopherH · November 19, 2008

I hear what you are saying. Its almost like ASE needs to come out with an Advanced Light Duty Diesel Certification as well, but for now Ford says the T2, T6, and L2 covers things. When I took these tests for the first time, I went to a local tech college that has a diesel mechanics program and found out what textbook they use. Then I went to their book store and purchased said book--if you buy a new one, this can be a little expensive. If you can find a used one it isn't much more than the study guides. If you put some time in with it though, you'll pass all those tests with flying colors.

Fordracer · November 19, 2008

Do you remeber what those books were?

Bruce Amacker · November 19, 2008

I never bothered to get it before because of the requirement to take the ASE tests T2, T6, and L2. We don't work on 650 or 750's so I know nothing about medium to heavy duty trucks.

I bought the Motor Age study books and read them twice and last night I took the tests and I'm fairly sure I failed the T2 Diesel Engine test. The book was useless for that test.

Do you guys have any ideas on finding the information I need to pass this test and the L2 test that I will need to take later?

I think you're going to have a tough time finding a better T2 study guide than Motor Age. The problem is just what you state- you don't work on MD/HD trucks, and that's what the T2 is aimed at. You need to know and understand everything from Cummins PT all the way through late common rail systems. The test is specifically aimed at MD/HD and not light diesel. L2 will be even harder with a lot of troubleshooting and schematic questions.

Contact your local community college and speak with their head diesel instructor. See if they offer any ASE refresher classes that might be of value to you.

Good Luck!

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Bruce Amacker · November 19, 2008

I hear what you are saying. Its almost like ASE needs to come out with an Advanced Light Duty Diesel Certification as well, but for now Ford says the T2, T6, and L2 covers things. When I took these tests for the first time, I went to a local tech college that has a diesel mechanics program and found out what textbook they use. Then I went to their book store and purchased said book--if you buy a new one, this can be a little expensive. If you can find a used one it isn't much more than the study guides. If you put some time in with it though, you'll pass all those tests with flying colors.

ASE is bringing out a new test- the A9 Light Duty Diesel test, in the spring, I just finished a workshop writing the questions for it. Before you get excited, I'll tell you it will not be an easy test. The problem once again is that it covers all diesels under 14,000GVW, which means it has questions on Powerstroke, Cummins, Duramax, 6.5 GM, Isuzu, VW, Mercedes Benz, and BMW.

If ASE were to come out with an Advanced Light Duty Diesel Certification, it would require the techs to be a master at all of the systems I listed, plus be able to diagnose the "camel" or composite vehicles used in the L1 and L2 tests. This would also be a very difficult test to pass.

This has been a common problem for dealer technicians for years- how can they become proficient on vehicles and systems that they do not work on? The only way to do this is study. I'd suggest joining IATN and hanging out in the HD/Fleet forum and read all of the posts every night. It's free if you just want to read the posts and be able to respond.

http://www.iatn.net/

http://members.iatn.net/forums/read/?c=1&f=forum18

It's one of the few places where you can get regular exposure to ALL LD/MD/HD diesel systems in a relatively professional forum. I know there are guys there who don't know what they are doing, like any internet forum. But there are also some of the smartest diesel technicians in the country hanging out there that help people daily. You'll figure out who the smart ones are pretty quickly.

If you become a Sponsor ($10/month) you can do searches on any topic and have enough reading material to last the rest of the century.

Good Luck!

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G. Bedford · November 20, 2008

If you become a Sponsor ($10/month) you can do searches on any topic and have enough reading material to last the rest of the century.

Think the price went up to $15 a month according to my billing. Still a bargain, though.

Fordracer · November 20, 2008

Thanks for all the info Bruce. I used to be a suporting member at iatn about 10 years ago but I dropped it. I liked it back then but I didn't have time to mess with it anymore. I see that they have changed alot since then.

I just don't see why Ford wants you to have those certifcations if they don't even have classes for the 650-750 that I can find. I did see they have a WBT course 31G03W0 for prepairing for the L1 ASE test. I might have to get gas certified and get my Senior Masters going that way since L1 is the only extra ASE you have to take.

I just can't see spending alot of time studying up on something or going to classes for something I won't use or make money from just to become a Senior Master.

Keith Browning · November 20, 2008

Correct me if I am wrong but I recall that you don't necessarily need to be diesel certified to become a senior master technician. I thought that you could be a senior master with being EITHER gas engine or diesel engine service specialty. Both are not necessarily required. Has this changed?

Jeff_ · November 21, 2008

You are correct Keith. To become a Senior Master you have to be Ford master certified in Chassis, Driveline, and Engine, which involves going through the approximately 150 Ford classes (most are web based). As well as having the 3 year tenure requirement. The Chassis and driveline master requirements are the same regardless of which senior master path you take, the difference is in the Engine Master section, where one can take either the Gasoline or Diesel Path. There are also Ase's required either way, but the specific Ase's required depend on whether you choose the Diesel or Gasoline path.

Gasoline path requires : A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, L1

Diesel path requires: A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, T2, T6, L2

I'm one class away from being a DUAL Senior Master /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/borgsmile-1.gif

Brad Clayton · November 22, 2008

I will say that it is much easier to get senior master thru the diesel path. You cut out about 4 "away" classes that would need to filled in the gas driveability path.