Taiwan DMV "Mechanical Knowledgee" Test Question

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Messages
4,823
Location
Taiwan
Bit of a change of gear, but here's a question from the Taiwan DMV "Mechanical Knowledgee" Test, for your Chinese New Year infotainment.


039 What kind of oil do you put in a 4-stroke engine? (1) Oil mixed with gasoline.(2) Lubrication oil. (3) Regular oil.


Should be easy for you guys.
smile.gif




There are LOTS more like this. Where the question is meaningful the "correct" answer often isn't.
 
Last edited:
I'd have to say "lubrication oil". Oil mixed with gasoline is of course for two stroke engines,and regular oil is so vague it could mean a bunch of different types of oil,"regular cooking oil,regular sun tanning oil,regular nourishing oil,etc".
 
I had never encountered multiple choice questions in an exam until I came to North America. I guess they make marking a lot easier, but I often think they could do an intelligent candidate an injustice when it comes to interpretation.

I would say the question in the OP is a good example.

I could think of many Lubrication oils that would be unsuitable, and as I said, What is Regular oil.
 
That's not a bad question to ask on what I assume is a drivers license test. I don't recall if the tests administered in the US ask anything about mechanical upkeep of the car.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
That's not a bad question to ask on what I assume is a drivers license test.


Really? You mean apart from being meaningless?

I take it that you mean some test of mechanical knowledge in the drivers test might be a good thing, but this isn't it.

I looked into this in some detail because I needed to get a motorcycle license here (and maybe a car one, since driving on an IDP for so long is a bit iffy)

In the “real” world, mechanical questions would be “universal”, since mechanical realities pretty much are (with perhaps minor variations due to climate).

This would mean that, if you had reasonable mechanical knowledge, you could rely on answering most questions correctly.

However, this isn’t the real world. This is Taiwan, where, due to a combination of translation problems, Chinglogic, and culturally imposed cluelessness, this test is actually impossible unless by rote learning.

Here's a selection of questions that one might, with a reasonable level of mechanical knowledge, still get wrong.

In many cases this would be because the “official” answer (and/or the question) is, IMO, absolute bollocks. I might be wrong about that in some cases. If you can be bothered to read all (or any) of this (NOT recommended) and you can come up with a reasonable explanation, I'm all virtual ears.Enjoy.

(Note: The single digit after the 3-digit question number indicates the "correct" answer)

002 3 Diesel engine compression refers to (1) compressing pure diesel fuel. (2)
compressing a mixture of air and diesel fuel. (3) compressing pure air.

Comment : presumably because the fuel is injected separately, but at some points in the cycle a mixture is being compressed.

009 2 If the vehicle runs out of diesel fuel when the engine is running, you need to (1)add fuel to the tank. (2) fill up the fuel tank and get rid of any air in the fuel lines.(3) Both statements are correct.

Comment : Since 1 is contained in 2, Both statements are correct.

012 1 If the air pressure in the tires is too low, which of the following will happen? (1) The sidewalls of the tires will wear out faster. (2) The tire treads will wear down faster. (3) This will have no damaging affect on the tires.

Comment : Simplistic. It’ll be 1 and 2

018 3 If brake oil in one braking system of a dual-braking system is leaking, what will happen? (1) The braking system will still work for three tires. (2) Both of the breaking systems will fail completely. (3) The brakes will still work for the tires on one end of the car.

Comment : IIRC the split is usually diagonal, so I think this is wrong

027 1 If the clutch pedal gap increases too much, (1) you will have hard time shifting.(2) the engine will put out less horsepower (Hp). (3) the clutch will slip.

Comment : I suppose “clutch pedal gap” means pedal free travel

031 1 To park a manual drive vehicle, you must shift into (1) Park (P). (2) Reverse (R)). (3) Neutral (N) and use the hand (emergency) brake at the same time.

Comment : “manual drive vehicles” don’t have (1) Park (P) so this is wrong

032 3 Under normal driving conditions, the engine temperature (1) is higher in the winter. (2) is lower in the summer. (3) varies.

Comment : not by much

039 3 What kind of oil do you put in a 4-stroke engine? (1) Oil mixed with gasoline.(2) Lubrication oil. (3) Regular oil.

Comment : Meaningless Q + A / distinction

040 3 What is the normal color of smoke discharged by a 4-stroke gasoline engine? (1) Black. (2) Blue and white. (3) It’s colorless.

Comment : Then it isn’t “smoke”

046 2 How do you make it impossible to start a gasoline engine? (1) Cut off the fuel supply. (2) Disable the spark plugs. (3) Reduce the master cylinder pressure.

Comment : 1+2 will both do it, unless you consider that an engine started on residual fuel has had its fuel supply cut off. (it hasn’t, not yet)

049 2 What are the advantages of having a turbocharger? (1) It improves the
performance of an idling engine. (2) It enhances the performance of an engine
running at medium or high speeds. (3) It improves the performance of an engine running at a constant speed.

Comment : 3 also true.

057 2 If the fluid level in the overflow tank of the cooling system gets too high, it’s
probably because (1) the radiator is leaking. (2) the radiator cap was not completely tightened. (3) the vehicle cooling system doesn’t have a thermostat.

Comment : Uh?

059 3 The air filter is designed to (1) prevent dust from getting into the cylinders. (2) prevent combustion and fire in the exhaust pipe. (3) Both statements are correct.

Comment : [censored]? - I suppose this is a mis-translated / misunderstood reference to a "flame arrestor" function of the air filter in the event of a backfire. Dunno if modern paper elements are really effective in that role, but I suppose ye olde wire mesh/oilbath ones might have been.

Still wouldn't start a "fire in the exhaust pipe", unless the engine was running backwards and the intake manifold became the exhaust pipe. This super-esoteric situation (in a diesel) actually appears as a test question elsewhere:

066 2 If you use the clutch too often, which of the following parts will probably
become damaged? (1) The clutch bearings. (2) The clutch. (3) The clutch fork.

Comment : Assuming you can “use the clutch too often” (?) why not all of them?

067 2 When clutch is worn out, it (1) becomes looser. (2) becomes tighter. (3) makes no difference.

Comment : Dunno what “(2) becomes tighter “ means. Suppose the pedal travel is reduced?

069 3 If there’s no gap between the brake pedal and the floorboard, the (1) brakes won’t function well. (2) the brakes will function better. (3) the brakes will stick and not work.

Comment : Meaningless question/distinction

070 1 The clutch in a rear-wheel drive vehicle is located (1) in front of the
transmission. (2) behind the transmission. (3) inside the transmission.

Comment : “transmission” is apparently being mis-translated as gearbox here ( or that’s American English? – which is sort of an institutionalised mis-translation) because the clutch is part of the transmission.

077 2 If you drive a car normally, as the mileage increases, the clutch will (1) gradually become looser. (2) gradually become tighter. (3) remain the same.

Comment : Again, dunno what “(2) become tighter “ means here. Suppose the pedal travel is reduced?

080 1 The longer you drive a vehicle, the gap between the brake pedal and the
floorboard (1) will become larger. (2) will become smaller. (3) stay the same.

Comment : Uh? Pretty sure hydraulic brakes are self-adjusting and the brake pedal height should not change with pad/shoe wear, though the level of brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir drops. This isn't a ref to cable-brakes on mc's, since they don't have "floorboards". Scooters do but hardly any of them have brake pedals.

081 2 Unbalanced tires are likely to cause (1) the engine to seriously vibrate. (2) the car to pull to one side during braking. (3) nothing.

Comment : I’d bet on 3 (in reality, not in this test)

087 2 You should change the engine oil and the transmission fluid (1) when the engine is shut off and cold. (2) after you have started the vehicle and the engine is starting to warm up. (3) anytime, no matter whether the engine is hot or cold.

Comment : This implies you change fluids with the engine running, FFS

092 3 The differential in a front-wheel drive vehicle is located (1) behind the clutch. (2) at the rear end of the drive shaft. (3) inside the transmission.

Comment : 1 and 3

093 3 Which of the following is the main purpose served by rear axle ratio? (1) To make it easier to reduce speed. (2) To enable the left and right wheels to spin at different speeds when turning. (3) Both statements are correct.

Comment : Both statements are utter bollocks, as is the question

108 3 Battery fluid consists of (1) pure sulfuric acid. (2) distilled water. (3) sulfuric acid mixed with distilled water.

Comment : Ambiguous: could be either 2 or 3. Stuff you buy labeled “battery fluid” is distilled water

128 1 A fuel injection engine is ignited by (1) spark plugs. (2) a glow plug. (3) high temperature self-combustion.

Comment : Should say “gasoline fuel injection engine”, to exclude diesels

132 1 If the alternator starts making a squeaking noise, (1) either the bearings are worn out or the front axle is bent. (2) there’s too much spring action in the carbon brush spring. (3) there’s not enough spring action in the carbon brush spring .

Comment : “Front axle” presumably is supposed to mean alternator rotor shaft here
 
Last edited:
Well if the NJ DMV test had mechanical knowledge questions GHT wouldn't get a driver's license. So there's that.
 
it's long, but I guess I know what they mean by this:

Quote:
057 2 If the fluid level in the overflow tank of the cooling system gets too high, it’s
probably because (1) the radiator is leaking. (2) the radiator cap was not completely tightened. (3) the vehicle cooling system doesn’t have a thermostat.

Comment : Uh?


if the radiator cap isn't tight, the coolant might boil, and the steam will push all the fluid into the overflow bottle, like what happens if you have a headgasket failure and exhaust gas makes it into the coolant.
 
Quote:
077 2 If you drive a car normally, as the mileage increases, the clutch will (1) gradually become looser. (2) gradually become tighter. (3) remain the same.

Comment : Again, dunno what “(2) become tighter “ means here. Suppose the pedal travel is reduced?


clutch pedals get harder towards the end of the clutch life, unless you have a self adjusting clutch (not very common until recently). pedal travel stays the same, though you'll have to push it deeper to get the clutch to release
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
it's long, but I guess I know what they mean by this:

Quote:
057 2 If the fluid level in the overflow tank of the cooling system gets too high, it’s
probably because (1) the radiator is leaking. (2) the radiator cap was not completely tightened. (3) the vehicle cooling system doesn’t have a thermostat.

Comment : Uh?


if the radiator cap isn't tight, the coolant might boil, and the steam will push all the fluid into the overflow bottle, like what happens if you have a headgasket failure and exhaust gas makes it into the coolant.


OK, that one's my fault then. Thanks for taking the time to explain that.
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Quote:
077 2 If you drive a car normally, as the mileage increases, the clutch will (1) gradually become looser. (2) gradually become tighter. (3) remain the same.

Comment : Again, dunno what “(2) become tighter “ means here. Suppose the pedal travel is reduced?


clutch pedals get harder towards the end of the clutch life, unless you have a self adjusting clutch (not very common until recently). pedal travel stays the same, though you'll have to push it deeper to get the clutch to release


That was my understanding too, but I can't relate it to their description, which I find ambiguous.

In practice I didn't have to do the "mechanical knowledge" test for the motorcycle license. It may be for the car license or(more likely given the diesel-bias) for truck drivers, though in that case I dunno why its translated because I don't think foreigners are eligible.

If its for truck drivers, I wonder if it is in fact a disguised psychological test, selecting for sociopaths, like the one featured in The Parallax View.

That would go some way to explain their driving.
 
Its been pointed out to me that this forum is for "Science and Technology".

Clearly there's not much of either in evidence here, so perhaps mods could move this thread somewhere more appropriate, (Maintenance?) or delete.
 
Last edited:
From the Mechanical Knowledgee Simulated Test

Vehicles are more fuel efficient when driven at high speeds. Therefore, you should drive as fast as you want.

I said F, they say T??

A very dirty air filter will cause the vehicle to burn more fuel and have less engine power (Hp).

I say T, they say F??

Before you check the oil, you should park your car on a flat area and only check the oil while the engine is still running.

They say T, which is nuts

With an ABS braking system, it's easier to control the vehicle when you stop abruptly.

They say F. What's it for, then?

Seems to be pretty random.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked
From the Mechanical Knowledgee Simulated Test

Vehicles are more fuel efficient when driven at high speeds. Therefore, you should drive as fast as you want.

I said F, they say T??


Well, technically it's sorta true. You have to be going fast enough to be in top gear, and possibly a pinch faster (above idle) so as to be at a good reasonable engine rpm. But that's comparing say 10mph to 50mph. You may be envisioning comparing 50mph to 100mph instead.

Quote:

A very dirty air filter will cause the vehicle to burn more fuel and have less engine power (Hp).

I say T, they say F??


With carbs, true. With any sort of feedback (which most any EFI setup has, if not all), mpg won't drop, although WOT horsepower may drop--or may not, as a very dirty air filter may still not present enough of a restriction (envision a filter sized for a large V8 used on a small I4).

Quote:
Before you check the oil, you should park your car on a flat area and only check the oil while the engine is still running.

They say T, which is nuts


Technically it'd be a matter of what the manual says, no? I've never had a car that this would be prescribed for, but I see no reason why it could not be so.

Thought of another way, is there a conventional automatic (one with a torque convertor) where you check fluid level with the engine off?

Quote:
With an ABS braking system, it's easier to control the vehicle when you stop abruptly.

They say F. What's it for, then?

Seems to be pretty random.


The questions do see all over the place though. Pretty messed up.
 
Driving isn't a "right" in most part of urban world, and you don't NEED a car in Taiwan for sure.

I assume the "regular oil" means cooking oil but was lost in translation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top