I've been wanting to write this one for a while.

One of the first questions I get when people talk to me about my car is "man, that thang has to be hard to work on" or "you must have a garage full of fancy tools!" Also, I've seen a lot of guys that are getting into working on their cars make some bad decisions regarding their tools.

My formative RX-7 years were spent doing a LOT of wrenching on FC's, and most of those years were with a simple plastic toolbox with a basic set of tools in there.

If you're just getting started here's a good guide to what you need and how to "upgrade" your tool collection with more powerful tools. This is all based on my experience - I've used plenty of the right tools and wrong tools for the job. Some of this is personal preference - what works for me might not work for you and the way you turn a wrench.

OK, let's get started.

BASIC TOOL KIT

First off, you can take 98% of an FD apart with 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, and 21mm tools. Most of the sizes in between you DON'T NEED. Weigh this when you go to buy a pack of combination wrenches or sockets, if half the tools in the kit are useless, would it make more sense just to buy the tools individually that you DO need?

Sizes I can guarantee you won't need are 9mm, 11mm, 15mm, 16mm and 18mm. No need to keep these in your toolbox, they'll just take up space. Notice 13mm is absent - this is used on the turbos, but falls into specialty tools, not everyday tools. Also, you won't need any non-Metric tools, like 1/4" or 5/8", on the stock parts on an FD. Some aftermarket parts use weird sizes, but I try to avoid weird fasteners and only use metric on my car so I can use my standard toolset.

Now, the first thing you'll want is a good set of sockets and combination wrenches. Yes, you can get cheapies from Harbor Freight or the dollar store, but they are JUNK. Most of the cheapies don't fit the bolts well, feel cheap in your hand, and WILL break on you. The go-to is Craftsman tools from Sears. They're the Coke of tools, easy to get, good quality, and a fair price. The lifetime warranty is also a plus - break a tool (which is RARE) and take it back for a free replacement. I've also had good experience with Kobalt tools and even some of the Duralast tools from Autozone. But, when it doubt, get Craftsman. You can also hit up Craigslist and buy some used, even if they're all boogered up and broken, you can get them replaced for free.

The higher end tools, like Snap-On and Matco, are also great but you really do pay a premium. Most of those tools are over-engineered for most home users, they're for a pro mechanic that will use the tool 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Also, getting access to the tool truck is trickier if you're just a home user. But, many times you can find deals on these tools used which is worthwhile.

That said, what to get?

- 1/4" drive sockets. Get an 8mm and 10mm regular and deep well socket and a regular and long extension along with a good socket wrench. I keep my 1/4" drive ratchet with a short extension and a 10mm deepwell assembled in my toolbox, I use that ALL the time. That will do almost all of the 10mm bolts on the car. The 1/4" size also gives you a lot better access to tight spots. Removing the nuts on the air control valve with a 10mm socket and a long extension on a 1/4" drive ratchet is a snap, a 3/8" drive can't get in there.

- 3/8" drive sockets. 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, maybe 19mm. Again, deep well and regular, with a short, medium, and long extension and a good ratchet. Since I started using the 1/4" drive tools I NEVER get my 3/8" drive 10mm out of the drawer.

- Combination wrenches. A full set of 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, and maybe 21mm is good to go. I LOVE Craftsman's Pro line of wrenches, they're polished with longer handles. I have a 14mm Pro that I've had for 12 years, it so SO handy when doing downpipes and turbos. Fits the fasteners really well and the length gets you good extra leverage. Again, don't cheap on the wrenches, poor fitting ones will strip bolts and will also break on you.

- 1/2" drive sockets. This is pushing it for the basic toolkit, but it's really handy for suspension work. 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 21mm is a good range, with extensions and a ratchet.

- Screwdrivers. A GOOD #2 Phillips should be in your toolbox, that's worth paying for a Craftsman, along with a stubby #2 Phillips. For the rest, an inexpensive screwdriver set will do just fine, especially on flat head screwdrivers as they're usually just used for prying against things.

- Pliers. A LONG set of needle nose straight and angled is a GREAT thing to have. This is a tool I bought a few years ago and I wish I had from the get go. A regular set of snub nose pliers and a set of channel locks round it out for the basic tools.

- Lifting tools. A GOOD big jack and 4 jackstands is a must. Get one of the big, long jacks with a low saddle height, 3" is usually a good minimum height. With this, you can put a jack under the front subframe and put the front end on jackstands, then jack up the diff and put 2 jackstands under the rear. I have a Torin jack that's part aluminum and part steel I got from Pep Boys that I love. Get good, solid jackstands, the ones that are super light weight are rickety. Remember, this is for your safety!

- Toolbox. If you're just getting going, a basic plastic toolbox with a handle will do you right. It's cheap, it keeps everything together, and you can store it anywhere. Always take the time to put your tools up at the end of the day, tools have a tendency to go missing if you just leave them wherever.

- Personal. Get some orange hand cleaner and plenty of "workin' on the car" clothes. Dark colored clothes are usually better as they don't show grease as easily so it's less embarrassing when you make a parts store or Taco Bell run. You'll want to have plenty so you can change if your clothes get totally sweat-soaked or super dirty so you can keep going.

ELECTRICAL TOOLS

- Multimeter. You can get a great meter for around $20. Minimum should read voltage, amps, have a beep for testing continuity, and should auto shut off. Craftsman has some really nice ones in that price range.

- Wire strippers. I have a set of automatic wire strippers I found ages ago at Autozone that I love. Put the wire in, squeeze, strips the wire. It can also strip the center of a wire super easy, which is great when tapping into an existing wire.

- Crimpers. Get a dedicated set, not the ones with the wire strippers built in.

OK, that right there will get you going. There will be other things you'll need like shop supplies such as brake cleaner, sandpaper, etc. but that's pretty good for tools.

Also, if you are trying to do something and you're just not having success, step back, think if a different tool would do it faster or easier, and go get it. I never pass up an opportunity to buy tools .

AIR TOOLS

OK, so you've been wrenching for a while now and you're ready to step up your game. If you're going to do a big job, like removing the transmission or doing suspension, you might want to think about making the investment. The amount of time air tools save on pulling and reinstalling the transmission is CRAZY. You do have to have room for the compressor and a safe, dry place to keep it of course.

- Compressor. You really don't have to get crazy here, a $150 compressor will do a great job. The big thing you'll be using is an impact gun and it doesn't need a huge air tank. Probably a 10 gallon tank will be fine. The cheaper compressors will be much louder than the more expensive ones, weigh that if you have neighbors that will bitch if they hear an air compressor running a lot. Also, get one that plugs into a regular outlet, some of the bigger ones have to be hardwired to 220.

- Air hose. Measure out your work area and figure out how long of a hose you need. Get the quick-disconnect fittings to plug it into the compressor, makes it easy if you need to transport the whole setup like to work at a buddy's house. Also, get a reel of some kind, even a plain plastic reel to wrap the hose around.

- Impact gun. This is the #1 reason to have an air compressor. Get a 1/2" drive gun with whatever foot-pounds you can afford. The more powerful the easier it will pop that dude loose.

- Impact sockets. Get 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, and 21mm impact sockets, as well as an impact universal and extensions. Long extensions are a good idea, makes getting to the top tranny bolts a cinch. Yes, you can use regular sockets, but the impact will break them in short order.

- Accessories. Get a blowoff gun that lets you blow things off with compressed air and a tire chuck to air up tires. Cheap and you'll use them all the time.

Yes, there's plenty more air tools you can get but that's the basics. If you plan on painting or using an air grinder get a bigger air compressor, they use a lot of air volume. Of course, you can get a smaller one to start with and sell it down the road when you've outgrown it. They'll sell easily on Craigslist. That said, you might find a good deal on one used yourself!

SPECIALTY TOOLS

These are things you should buy beforehand when you're going to be doing a certain job that calls for them. Most of these you only need every now and again, but when you do you'll be happy you have it.

- Torque wrench. I use mine primarily for tightening lugs on wheels and doing an engine rebuild, most everything else I can torque by feel. If you're He-Man and always snapping bolts, might get one and tighten things the right amount of snugness . You can get a decent one for $20-30. When done using it, set it at zero torque to store it so it stays accurate.

- Impact screwdriver. I love these things. Harbor Freight has one for $5 or less that actually works well and holds up. Put the tool on a screw, hit the back with a hammer, and it will bite into the screw and twist slightly. Most screws that you'd end up stripping out this will properly break loose without damage. Brake rotor screws and the screws on the rat's nest come to mind here.

- Pickup magnet. This is a strong magnet on the end of an extendable antenna-like pole. It is SO handy it isn't even funny, a good one can pick up bolts that are dropped in the engine bay as well as sockets and whole socket wrenches.

- Pilot bearing removal tool. If you're doing an engine rebuild or clutch job, might want to get one of these. It's available from Mazda, last I checked around $100 or so. It's a slide hammer with a end that fits nicely into the pilot bearing. I've used other tools and tried a number of the tricks to remove a pilot bearing, but this sucker does it RIGHT. You can pull a pilot bearing so quickly and so easily that everything else is a joke.

- Compression tester. If your car is having some weird problems it's great to be SURE the engine is good before troubleshooting further. A plain piston engine one works just fine, that will tell you everything you need to know.

- Dremel. I use mine all the time, especially the cutoff wheel and the wire wheel. It's useful for doing custom stuff, and the wire wheel is great for removing rust and old gaskets. Make sure to get a pair of safety glasses to go with it!

- Bench grinder. I have one on a stand from Harbor Freight and I LOVE it. Most useful on the grinder is a wire wheel for cleaning parts and a buffing wheel to polish aluminum and stainless. The buffer will do in 2 seconds what would take HOURS by hand.

- Rechargeable LED light. I've got one with a big 3x8 panel of LED's, goes hours on a charge, super bright, easy to get wherever, and it stays nice and cool.

I'm sure there's more, but that's some of my top ones right there.

TOOLS I'M NOT BIG ON

This is stuff that I've bought and thought would be great but turned out to not be as great as one would think. Some of these tools might be the best thing for someone else, but not for me. If you have one of these and love it, that's OK .

- Air ratchet. They're noisy, they're slow, and they use a LOT of air. I just don't get it. I can remove the fastener faster and much easier with a regular ratchet.

- Ramps. I overshot a set of ramps with my old FC back in the day - no thanks. Jackstands are much easier to use and much faster to set up.

- Creepers. The FD is so low, even up on jackstands, there's not a lot of room to get under the car with a creeper. Also, when you go to break loose a fastener you scoot yourself in the opposite direction. Much better idea? Put a sheet of cardboard under the car, it's slightly padded and easy to slide around on.

- Universal joints. I can't remember the last time I used mine. The one for impact tools is great to have, but the one for standard tools just isn't that handy. You end up jumping off the fastener or dropping the whole assembly more often than actually doing any work.

- Adjustable crescent wrenches. These have no business on a car. Use the right size tool for the fastener, if you don't have the right size, go get it. A crescent wrench will just round out the fastener or do nothing. Same goes for other "one size fits all" tools.

I'm sure there's quite a bit I've forgotten, if so I'll add more in later.

I am quite glad that Mazda kept the number of special tools down. Try working on a German car sometimes with goofy torx and triple-square fasteners - that just drives me nuts. No good reason for those oddball fasteners.

Questions or additions are welcome.

Dale

 

Great write-up Dale. This should be added to the FAQ's....

 

Just one addition to Dale's list. When getting sockets (1/4", 3/8", 1/2", deep and shallow) get them in 6 points whenever possible. This will greatly reduce your chance of stripping a nut/bolt head and busting a knuckle.

 

Good point! Forgot about that. 12 point is handy sometimes in very tight spaces, but 6 point is always a winner.

Dale

 

Great post! Great reference, especially for those that are tooling up for work on their vehicle. I can't tell you how many tools I have purchased that I have not used.

 

A couple thoughts...

-- Impact tools are great, but you can break stuff with them if you aren't careful. Some of us have learned the hard way. As for the compressor itself, one thing to look at is how much CFM it is rated for at 90psi. That will determine how well it can drive a lot of tools. The air compressor is also useful for pressure testing should you suspect you have a vacuum/boost leak.

-- a crappy Walmart tool set is nice to keep in the car, or a small tote bag. it keeps you from being completely helpless when the inevitable occurs

-- you can pull interior panels off with a cordless drill and magnetized screwdriver bit. just be careful of course.

-- soldering gun: You may need to solder some wires together at some point: I recommend something from Weller, at least 140 watt.

-- electrical tape: Not all electrical tape is created equally. The crappy stuff will unravel easily when exposed to heat. 3M makes good stuff and is available at a lot of auto parts stores. There is also adhesive-less "self fusing" tape which is good for wrapping harnesses.

-- if you need to test vacuum related stuff you can get a cheap Mityvac

-- instead of universal joints (which have limited use, I agree) you can buy actual swivel sockets with built-in joints. They're not exactly cheap compared to normal sockets but I have a swivel 12mm and 14mm I use.

-- ratcheting wrenches have come down in price over the years. They can be pretty helpful at times so you can turn a bolt in a tight space

-- ramps: there are low profile ramps you can get. If you have a car that is very low or has an aftermarket bumper, you drive them on to the ramps so that you can fit a normal jack under the car.

 

If you look around you can find cherry pickets that hook up to an air compressor to make lifting easier (you can hold the pressure switch and be able to walk up to the engine to jiggle it) this is a nice feature to have if you work alone.

There are floor jacks that have this same feature. (even more helpful if you have more than one car in the garage & don't want to be swinging the Jack handle around and dingin' doors)

pry bars (come in handy when moving seperating things) I hate putting my hands in pinch points.

Various hammers/ mallets (deadblow, non-gnarring, ball-peen & raw hide
or rubber) dead blows are a godsend when removing the flywheel. Non gnarring is great for bumping suspension fastners loos from their death grip. Ball peen is great for shocking pulling devices (when pulling the hubs) a solid ball peen hammers offers a quick crisp shock that the rest of the hammers do not. Raw Hyde or rubber mallets are great for seperating gasketed surfaces.

Gasket scraper/ skyver

Map torch & PB blaster (a must for the first dissassembly)

drop lights. (sometimes you just gotta flood The area with light) get the florescent type, halogen lights get hot)

radio... Working in silence blows

PPE: gloves, safety glasses, coveralls, closed toed shoes, a hat that coves your hair when your laying on your back, so your not mopping up the oil underneath.

Drip pans

funnels

broom, hand broom, dust pan & garbage can (stop moving the dirt pile around, just pick it up)

bag o kittah litter (makes for quick clean up of fluids)

engine stand & rotary engine stand adapter (don't leave your engine on the floor)

 

I was going to put an engine hoist in the special tools, forgot that one . That's neat there's an air powered one, never seen that before!

For those new guys reading this post, I know many vets will be posting up their favorite tools. You don't need everything to work on the car, my basic tools will get you going. Don't get overwhelmed!

Also, this is primarily about TOOLS. I'm saving shop supplies for a future post, stuff like PB-Blaster and the like. If it's consumable, it's not really suited for this thread.

Few notes on the responses -

- Engine hoist. If you're going to be working on friend's cars or doing a fair amount of engines, it's worth getting one. If it's a rare occasion, rent an engine hoist or borrow one. A decent one goes for around $200 or so.

- Engine stand. If you're rebuilding an engine or doing a substantial amount of work on an engine out of the car, this is a must. The rotary engine stand adapter is WONDERFUL and really not too pricey.

- Lighting. I prefer to work outside on sunny days, you can't beat sunlight. I agree on halogen lights, they're too damn hot and burn out frequently. Fluorescent or LED is the way to go.

- Impact tools and breakage. Impact guns will actually remove some fasteners that you would break/twist off with a regular wrench and breaker bar. The hammering effect is great on rusty and really stuck fasteners. But, you can break stuff when re-installing the fastener, you really have to know the gun and how much you can hammer it tight.

- Cordless screwdriver. Personally, I don't like using power tools in the interior. FD interior plastics are SO fragile that you really need to feel what the screw is doing and take your time. This goes double for tightening screws in the interior.

- Mityvac. Forgot this one, it's really handy for testing solenoids and such. Harbor Freight has their own brand of vacuum pumps that work well for cheap, you don't necessarily need the name brand here.

- Sockets with swivels. These can be really handy, I've used a 10mm version on doing turbo oil drain lines before.

- Ratcheting wrenches. Also really handy, but I've found that sometimes the ratcheting mechanism makes them too bulky to get into tight spots. I have a 10mm and 12mm ratcheting wrench, I haven't really found a need for larger sizes personally.

Dale

 

well regarding the bulkiness of the ratcheting wrenches, I have a whole set of them that I took to the bench grinder and I ground the housing down so they are very close to the size of normal wrenches. It takes time, and you have to take it slow, but it makes life so much easier.

 

So compression test can be done with a piston tester? I thought a rotary specific was needed.

 

the more expensive ratcheting wrenches tend to be slimmer and fit better. But yes there are times the ratcheting versions simply won't fit.

 

You must have a big pair of channel lock pliers, especially to remove OEM hose clamps around the airbox.

 

Actually, you just have to have them long enough to insert those hose clamps in the trash. If I'm working on a stockish car, those get replaced with regular worm drive clamps.

Why Mazda chose to use such medieval torture devices to keep INTAKE pipes on I'll never know. Those clamps would have made more sense on the post-turbo piping, but whatever.

Yep, a plain compression tester can be used. I'm sure this is covered elsewhere, but you crank the engine while holding the relief button down. You should see consistent pulses on the gauge. If you see one high and two low pulses, you've got a blown apex seal. Let go of the button and you'll get the built-up PSI the motor does, giving a general health of the engine.

The Mazda tester will give accurate numbers for each compression face, but most time you just want to know how tight the motor is and if it has a bad seal. This will tell you those answers very easily.

Dale

 

"Vise-Grips" hold the world together. Could not have done many things without them. Small, medium, large.

 

Snap-Ring Pliers - These are a necessity if replacing suspension bushings.


One nice thing I found out last summer is that you can rent just about any tool from Autozone for as long as you want for free, you just need to pay a security deposit which is returned in full upon returning the tool. They are not the best tools, but functional.

Great write-up Dale!

 

While on the subject of decent wrenches I couldn't live without it is a craftsman 12/14 mm box end wrench its not the one in the pro series(the pro has offset ends and not as usefull for me) it has enough length to break stuff loose or reach into a area that a can't get my hand into.

 

Another must tool is a BLOCK OF WOOD

 

You guys forgot the most important tool of them all...Hand wipes.
Dont wanna touch the FDs interior after all that wrenching specially when it brakes down on the side of the road.

These are about $17 but they are the best in the cleaning business. You can even clean the dirt right of tools and car parts...

 

You know everyone should have those cordless impact driver/wrench, I like the 12v and below to remove M6/M8 bolts. Makita makes a 10.8v and has like 800 in-lbs (not sure how accurate is), great for small stuff.

Why spend 15 seconds remove a bolt, when it will just take 3 seconds? Speeds up removing and installing stuff. Plus I doubt they are strong enough to snap a bolt (M4 maybe)

Snap-On makes a very good cordless impact wrench @ 19.2 V? or something. That sucker can take off lug nuts almost as fast as a air impact. Just watch out for those cheap ones from habor freight, and I really like lithium batteries more. Seems to hold there power/usage longer then ni-cad ones.

 

I had an IR cordless impact that was just as good as the Snap-on ones. It was definitely handy for removing bolts in a hurry. Just take care that any rechargeable tool is good for a couple of years, tops before the battery is shot. It's been trashed since I couldn't find a replacement battery and I think I'll go air tool in the future.

I also find the swivel-socket wrenches very handy, particularly a 6-point 10mm socket on a 3" or 6" extension. I can reach a lot of the little 10mm bolts around the engine bay without taking off extra parts or stretching things too far.

Ratcheting box wrenches are very handy. I never reach for the standard box wrenches anymore. If I had to buy tools all over again I'd skip the standard box wrenches.

Last but not least you'll need a good jack. I have one of the AC Hydraulics long-reach jacks for my garage and it's great. I can lift the front of my R2 with the lip spoiler and 1.5" drop without ramps.

Another must-have tool are long reach needle-nose pliers. I use the ones with straight and 90 degree tips regularly.

Dave

 

most of the Peterbilt plant uses Makita cordless impact guns to put the truck together. Makes things go a whole lot smoother. I think the stated accuracy is +/- 15% if I am not mistaken.

 

i couldnt agree more, i hate those damn things. great write up Dale

 

I like the stock clamps, partly because I have the right tool to remove and replace them . I thought that was the point of this thread. With the right tool, they go on and off much faster than a worm drive clamp

 

gear wrench ftw awsome to have when you just cant use a socket!!!

 

I had a 3/8 socket that'd been giving me trouble. This afternoon I swung by Sears to get it replaced. I was literally in the store for 2 minutes. Walked up the desk, said "this is broken". She opened a tool kit, scanned the barcode and printed a receipt, DONE.

I was actually surprised b/c I thought it was gonna be a nuisance - "fill this out" "When did you buy it" yada-yada. Instead it was easy.