automotive tools

RICH’S REPAIR RAMBLINGS, ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEP. 2019

AUTOMOTIVE-SPECIFIC TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

In the initial installment of this column, found in the Aug. 2019 Road Map, we listed the basic hand tools you should have for maintenance and repair work on your classic car. This month, we’ll add the automotive-specific tools and equipment you’ll need, plus our recommended shop supplies and consumables which should be in any automotive workshop. (Additional car-specific tools will be covered when we feature certain repairs, for example, brake tools for brake work.)

Lifting: Performing the most basic repairs, such as oil changes and front end work, requires lifting the car. So let’s make this point early: YOUR SAFETY, MEANING PREVENTION OF INJURY OR DEATH, DEPENDS ON SAFELY LIFTING A CAR. Never, ever, use the factory jack for anything but changing a tire in an emergency. And never, ever, get under a car supported by just a floor jack, or heavens, by milk crates or cinder blocks.

Get a good floor jack, and one or two pair of jack stands. The floor jack weight rating should equal or exceed the weight of the entire car (for example, use a 2-ton jack to lift a corner of a 4,000-lb. car). Make sure the jack stands are low enough to get under your car, and high enough to raise the car to your desired working height. Use the jack stands every time you raise and work on the car. I have a floor jack and three sets of jack stands (different heights for different cars), plus a set of drive-on ramps, convenient for oil changes since wheel removal isn’t necessary.

3.5 ton jack is overkill for my 2,000 lb Alfa. These jack stands have locking pins for added safety.

Oil Change: You can do an oil change without these, but a dedicated oil drain bucket (low profile, with at least a 6 qt. capacity), a selection of funnels, and an oil filter wrench that fits your car’s filter will make the job easier and neater.

Drain bucket with two different size funnels. Oil filter wrench takes 3/8” drive ratchet or extension.

Electrical Work: You don’t do electrical work? I’m hoping you will after future columns discuss how easy this can be. For wiring repair, start with a wiring cutting/stripping/crimping tool. Basic circuit checks can be made with a test light, but better still, consider investing in a digital multimeter (DMM). They have dropped in price; I bought mine for under $50. Also handy is a terminal release tool to disengage terminals from multi-plugs.

Back row: test light, DMM, crimping/stripping/cutting tool. Front left: terminal release tool.

Ignition: Our old jalopies use ignition points, condenser, cap, rotor, spark plugs, and plug wires. To do the job right, you need a dwell meter, timing light, and plug gapper. Spark plug sockets are worth it: internal foam protects the ceramic and grips the plug upon removal (there are two sizes, so check whether your plugs are 5/8” or 13/16”). Spark plug wire pliers are nice to have; they help remove stubborn wires.

Back: Timing light, dwell meter; Front: spark plug sockets, plug wire pliers, plug gapper.

SUPPLIES

It’s a major annoyance when I want to start a job on a weekend only to discover that I’m missing some “supply” that requires me to drive back and forth to the store, when it’s a $10 item I really should have on hand. Whether you’re just starting out, or looking to replenish, it’s a best practice to have a variety of supplies and consumables in your storage cabinet.

Chemicals: Here are the “essential seven” that I couldn’t work without:

Spray lube: WD-40 is most folks’ go-to lube, handy whenever you need to unstick something. Most of it evaporates, which is usually an advantage. If you need something heavier, white lithium grease in a spray or tube works well.
Rust-buster: Sooner or later, you’ll need help loosening a fitting that’s rusted tight. My dad used Liquid Wrench, and so do I, although lately I’ve been fond of B’laster spray. Your local store shelves have lots of choices.
Thread locker: Some automotive fittings rely on more than mechanical tightening; they need chemical help too. Thread locker liquid hardens and prevents fasteners from loosening due to vibration. Your vehicle service manual will tell you when it’s required.
Glue: Glue fixes objects which are NLA (no longer available), and on our old buggies, there could be many such things. Again, dad was using two-part epoxy back in the 1970s, and I’ve made repairs with it that are still holding 40 years later. Other automotive choices include rubber cement, contact cement, and weatherstrip adhesive.
Cleaner/degreaser: Dirty car parts need to be clean upon reassembly. If I don’t want water in the mix, a great all-around product is spray brake cleaner. Be aware that you’ll go through a can in about 5 minutes. If it’s OK to get the part wet, Simple Green works well. Your local hardware store has a variety of grease-cutters.
Gasket maker: Gasketing material in a tube is a life-saver when working on old cars. Many gaskets are NLA; even with a gasket, gasket makers can act as an additional sealant. We don’t want leaks! RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) dries semi-hard; I’m partial to the stuff that stays sticky and doesn’t get completely firm.
Petroleum jelly/dielectric grease: Great for battery terminals, I use this on electrical connections on my old Italian car to chase away those electrical gremlins. British car owners should buy it by the gallon.

Back: B’laster, brake cleaner, gasket maker, dielectric grease, WD-40; Front: Thread locker, two-part epoxy.

Electrical: A roll of black electrical tape, some 14-gauge black wire (the smaller the number, the thicker the wire), and crimp-on terminals will get you started with electrical repairs.

Electrical tape, black electric wire, and crimp-on terminal assortment

General Shop Supplies: A fire extinguisher, eye protection, and a first-aid kit can literally be lifesavers. Gloves, paper towels, rags, and hand cleaner all help keep the mess at bay.

Hand cleaner, fire extinguisher, and eye & hand protection are shop must-haves

My dad was a career mechanic-machinist, spending most of his working life first in the garment district in Manhattan, repairing sewing machines, then with Proctor & Gamble at their Port Ivory (Staten Island) manufacturing plant, maintaining the production lines. Much of the love and respect I have today for tools of all kinds came from hanging around my father in his workshop. It is also my privilege to have inherited many of his tools, which now reside in my garage. Recently, when straightening out one of my tool drawers, I thought that featuring some of my dad’s old tools would be an enjoyable topic for a blog entry.

While it’s a cliche to say “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”, in many cases they don’t (but in some cases they still do!). To the point: these measuring tools, each about 60-70 years old in my estimation. Their metal composition gives them heft in the hand, yet operating their slides and dials is to exercise their silky smoothness. Their markings are for the most part stamped into their faces; no printing or transferring to wear away. They feel like they will last another 75 years. They may see infrequent use; but there is no doubt that they have maintained their measuring accuracy.

This first tool is a micrometer, with two features that I especially enjoy: it’s metric, and it’s digital. Reading a micrometer in the conventional way is something I can do, but I’d rather look at the digital readout! This one is marked “Starrett No. 216”, and to my surprise, it’s available today from Starrett:
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/216P-1

Another Starrett micrometer in my collection looks a little worse for wear, but still functions fine. This one, model #230, has its fractional readings converted out to 4 decimal places in both 16ths and 32nds. I love the way those numbers are sturdily stamped directly into the frame of the tool.

This too can be bought new from the Starrett Company:
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/Outside-Micrometers/Micrometers/Precision-Hand-Tools/Precision-Measuring-Tools/230FL

MZB vernier calilper — **MZB vernier caliper**

The kind of automotive work I’ve done has called for use of Vernier calipers more often than a micrometer. This Vernier caliper was made by a company called “MZB”. A Google search coughed up this ad from the May 1951 issue of Popular Mechanics. It would not surprise me if my dad bought this via this advertisement. (What, they don’t take Pay Pal?)

**MZB caliper ad, May 1951 Popular Mechanics**

On my calipers, of special note is the reverse stamp: “Made in Germany Western Zone”. That must date its production to the time immediately after the end of World War II. (Also note my father’s name engraved into the tool, as he did with almost everything he owned.)

**MZB caliper: Made in Germany Western Zone**

Spot-On Engineering Products of London England produced this lovely dial indicator, in its own protective hard-shell case. Little else is known about Spot-On, at least based on futile Google searches. However, the tool lives on in my garage, seeing occasional use for run-out measurements. It’s delightful to operate, and I especially enjoy watching the dial move around the face of the gauge.

What is it about tools that appeals to us car guys? Whether we fix our own vehicles or not, I think we share an admiration for the fine workmanship and usefulness that goes into a long-lasting quality tool, much like we feel about our classic rides.

richardscarblog

All automotive, all the time

Rich’s Repair Ramblings #2: Automotive-Specific Tools & Equipment

Garage Tools: Micrometers, Vernier Calipers, and Dial Indicators