Tools needed for car repair (Mazda Capella GF)

Choosing good tools is the key to good maintenance and successful car repair. For car owners who don't have such tools, purchasing them may seem like an expensive luxury, but when you compare the cost of the tool with the yen for maintenance and repairs at service stations, the benefits become obvious.

To help the car owner decide what tools he needs to perform the various jobs described in this guide, we have compiled three tool lists under the following headings: "Service and Minor Repair Tool Kit", "Medium and Major Repair Tool Kit," and "Special Tools and Accessories.".

Owners who are new to repairs should start by acquiring a set of tools for maintenance and minor repairs and limit themselves to simple tasks. Then, as your confidence grows and you gain experience, you can move on to solving more complex problems, acquiring additional tools as needed. Thus, over a long period of time and without large one-time costs, it is possible to expand the set of tools for maintenance and minor repairs to a set designed for medium and special repairs. Experienced car enthusiasts may have a tool kit suitable for most repair jobs and supplement it with tools from a "special" list if they are confident that the cost of purchasing them is justified by the frequent use of these tools.

A set of tools for maintenance and minor repairs

This list provides a minimum set of tools required for maintenance and minor repairs. We recommend purchasing combination wrenches (a box-end wrench on one side and an open-end wrench of the same size on the other), although these wrenches are more expensive, they have the advantages of both types of wrenches.

• Set of wrenches:
• metric - 6-19 mm inclusive
• inch (if necessary) from 1/4 to 1 inch
• Adjustable wrench - 35 mm jaws (approximately)
• Spark plug wrench (with a rubber insert) - for models with a gasoline engine
• Spark plug gap adjuster - for petrol models
• Set of feeler gauges
• Key for unscrewing the brake system purge nipples
• Screwdrivers:
• with a flat end - 150 mm length, 6 mm diameter
• with a cross-shaped end - 150 mm length, 6 mm diameter
• Pliers
• Hacksaw with spare blades
• Tire pressure indicator
• Butter dish
• Oil filter removal tool
• Fine sandpaper on a cloth backing
• Wire brush
• Funnel (medium size)
• Sewn-up glasses
• Car stands [2]

Note: If the service is intended to also include basic ignition and fuel injection adjustments. then it is advisable to supplement the specified set with a stroboscope and an automotive tester, which can function as a tachometer and an ignition coil angle meter. Although these devices are listed in the special tools list, they are mentioned here because without them it is difficult to make adjustments with acceptable accuracy.

A set of tools for medium and major repairs

These tools, in addition to the previous list, are essential for a car owner who plans to perform major repairs on his vehicle. This listing includes a set of socket wrenches with interchangeable heads. Although it is expensive, it is absolutely necessary for more or less serious work. We recommend purchasing a 1/2-inch square socket head set, as this kit includes large-sized heads and can also be used with most torque wrenches.

• A set of socket heads in the range of the previous list (including Torx type heads)
• Reversible ratchet handle (for use with thorium heads)
• Extension cord 250 mm long (for use with socket heads) universal joint ratchet (for use with thorium heads)
• Torque wrench (for use with thorium heads)
• Tightening wrench
• A sharp-faced hammer
• Soft-faced hammer (plastic, aluminum or rubber)
• Screwdrivers:
• flat-ended - long and strong, short (wide), narrow (for electrical work)
• with a cross-shaped spear - long and strong, short (wide)
• Pliers:
• with long noses:
• side cutters (for electrical work)
• pliers for spring rings - external and internal
• Chisel - 25 mm
• Marker
• Scraper
• Kerner
• Punch
• Hacksaw
• Set of hose clamps
• Kit for removing air from the brake system or clutch
• Drill with a set of drill bits Steel ruler
• Allen's Keys (from 4 to 10 mm)
• A set of files
• Wire sway
• Car stands
• Hydraulic jack
• Portable lamp with extension cord

Special tools and devices

The tools and equipment listed in this list are quite expensive and not used very often. Buying many of them will not pay off if complex mechanical work is performed infrequently. If this is the case with the depot, then you could team up with friends (or join a motorist's club), to buy such tools or rent them from specialists.

The list below contains only those tools and accessories that are commercially available, not those that the vehicle manufacturer produces specifically for its dealers and service stations. You may occasionally come across references to such tools in the text of this guide. An alternative method of doing the job without such tools is usually given. However, sometimes there is no alternative. If this is the case and the appropriate tools cannot be purchased or rented, then you will have to entrust the work to the company's specialists.

• Valve spring compressor
• Valve grinding tool
• Tool for removing/installing piston tracks
• Honing head for processing cylinder mirrors
• Ball joint puller
• Suspension spring compressor (depending on the design)
• Two and three jaw pullers for feet and bearings
• Impact screwdriver
• Micrometer
• Pointer indicator
• Strobe lamp
• Ignition Coil Angular Contact Meter / Tachometer
• Trouble code reader
• Cylinder compression indicator
• Hand vacuum pump with pressure gauge
• Clutch slave disc alignment tool
• Brake pad removal tool
• Tool for pressing out/pressing in bushings
• Stud extractor
• Set of taps and dies for cutting threads
• Device for lifting loads
• A jack on wheels

Purchasing tools

A novice car owner who plans to start with only maintenance and minor repairs and doesn't yet plan on undertaking complex repairs can get by with tools purchased individually. If you are planning more serious work, it is better to purchase a set of tools and then supplement it with individual tools as needed.

The article is copied from the resource Mazbook.ru

Remember, you don't have to buy the most expensive tools, but you should also avoid buying the cheapest ones, especially screwdrivers and socket heads. Beware of 'bargain' tool deals offered in parking lots or sold out of car trunks. A cheap tool won't last long, and you'll still have to replace it with a better one.

Storage and maintenance of tools

Once you have purchased the necessary set of tools, keep them clean and in good condition. Before storing tools after use, always clean them from dirt, oil and metal particles with a clean, dry cloth. Never leave them scattered around after work. For tools like screwdrivers and pliers, a regular shelf on the wall is very convenient. Store spanners and thorium wrench heads in a metal box. Any measuring instruments, indicators, etc. should be stored in places where they will be protected from damage and rust.



When using tools, take some time to care for them. Sooner or later, the hammer head becomes nicked and the screwdriver blades become dull. A little timely sanding or filing will quickly restore such instruments to good condition.