Postal Exam

Hello GRM Brain Trust! So, I just submitted my application to the USPS for a vehicle technician job they have posted. After the extensive application, they informed me at the end that I will need to take exams 943, 944, and 945. I was just hoping someone here could give me a little insight as to what those tests might cover so I can study up a bit. Thanks!

Found these overviews and sample questions , I couldn't come up with anything on test 945.

These exams that are so closely linked that we must discuss them together. Exams 943 and 944 are technical tests that deal exclusively with automotive maintenance and repair.

Exam 943 is used to hire Automotive Mechanics who are responsible for routine types of maintenance and repair.

Exam 944 is used to hire Automotive Technicians who are responsible for more complex types of maintenance and repair.

Here’s the odd part of this situation, to get an Automotive Mechanic job, you take one exam: the 943. To get an Automotive Technician job, you take both exams — both the 943 and the 944 — together.

We do not publish study guides for these tests, and we have no personal knowledge of guides available from other sources. But there are many auto repair books available, and there are even test prep books for auto service and repair certification exams. You might look into some of these books if you feel the need, but none of them are directly related to Postal exams 943 and 944.

However, in interviews with people who have taken these exams, the below statements were almost unanimously given: 1.Years of automotive experience and training are required to pass these tests, and if you do not have such a knowledgeable background, you probably cannot make up for it by trying to study or prepare before the exam. Or to quote one particular fellow: “Either you already got it, or you don’t. And if you don’t, you can’t get it by studying no book.” 1.Even professional mechanics confessed to having difficulty passing these tests, so casual or handyman type mechanics may have real trouble with them.

http://www.post-office-jobs.com/Postal-Exams/943-exam.html http://www.post-office-jobs.com/Postal-Exams/944-exam.html

When I took the test for a position with the city of Columbus, Ohio it was alot like the ASE tests with some specific questions about the types of stuff and vehicles they had. Tough, but as was said above, you knew it or you didnt. They also required a hands on test. All said and done I scored a combined third highest out the applicants which meant guy 1 got the job, and I was on the wait list behind guy number 2. Wait list was only good for two or three years and nobody quit or retired in that time. When they reopened the test I was back in college and didnt bother.

Thanks guys!

Well, ASE style test questions won't really bother me, but what is the hands on like? I've searched around and some mustang forum popped up that said you have to do a brake job, pull a distributor and reinstall, and then set the timing? I'll be honest, in the 8 years I've been doing odd fringe automotive stuff (like, test lab, and bio conversions instead of traditional shop work) I haven't had to pull a distributor! Just once back in school...

Mark the rotor location on the distributor body and the distributor body to the block orientation before you pull it out, if some yahoo messed it up in the past and put the plug wires on in a different order, even setting it to TDC wont get it running again. Some distributors are driven off the cam with a helical gear and the rotor will spin when the distributor is pulled out so observe how much it moves and put another mark on the distributor body when you pull it out.

To reinstall, put the rotor at the "removed" position and slide the distributor into place, then put the distributor body to the mark with the engine block and verify the rotor is in the "installed" position relative to the distributor body and it will fire right up.

Or just set the engine to TDC on #1 before you touch anything (remember there are two TDCs, so make sure its on the compression stroke), pull it out without referencing anything, and reinstall it per the factory settings.

mrjoshm wrote: Thanks guys! Well, ASE style test questions won't really bother me, but what is the hands on like? I've searched around and some mustang forum popped up that said you have to do a brake job, pull a distributor and reinstall, and then set the timing? I'll be honest, in the 8 years I've been doing odd fringe automotive stuff (like, test lab, and bio conversions instead of traditional shop work) I haven't had to pull a distributor! Just once back in school...

My hands on test required me to use their scan tool to pull a DTC and their service info to look up its meaning. I also had to look at a schematic for a police car and identify a bunch of things the examiner pointed to. What they were and where they were on the car. Finally, they had a car bugged as a no start. There was a fuel pressure gauge hooked up and a test light. You were told you could only probe without removing anything and you could only use a schematic, no service info.

Thank you both, I'm not having high hopes or anything for the post office, but it is time I start looking for another job, and this will help!

mrjoshm wrote: Thanks guys! Well, ASE style test questions won't really bother me, but what is the hands on like?

Full digit insertion by a "gentleman" with size XXXL hands.

Oh, postal exam...can't help you there