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Sometimes you just need a specialty tool. It can save time, or money, or in some cases mean the difference between doing it right or wrong.

Also see Sears.com Mechanic's Tools☁

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1200 Factory Tool Kit

See Main Article: Jack#Tools

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Dwell-Tachometer

Older style (analog) Dwell-Tachometers are inexpensive $20 upᴳ.

Analog Dwell Meter

adjust 4-cylinder points to 49-55 degrees
set idle speed to 750rpm

Album 20098

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Mechanic's Coveralls

Keep your beach clothes clean while working on your Nissan.

Altia - A Dream With No Horizon

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Hand Tools

Just starting out? Get a cheap $10 socket set. Yes it will break sooner or later, but you'll learn a lot. And if you don't stick with "wrenching" you haven't spent too much

Make sure to use 3/8" ratchets and sockets -- never use 1/4" tools except on the tinyest of bolts (1/4" hex head or smaller)

Shadetree mechanics will want a quality set of "guaranteed" tools at a budget price.

In North America, Sears Craftsman is the de facto standard for this application. They are good quality. Yes, they will occasionally break, but the guarantee and location of stores make it easy to get free replacments.

Professional mechanics that get paid by the hour lose money when a tool breaks. So they are willing to pay 4-5x times the cost for "great" tools compared to "good" tools like Craftsman. The best brands include:

Snap-On
Mac Tools

The reason these are better than the more common brands include:

Higher strength. In general, they are less likely to break
Smaller, thinner tools.
- Example: Snap-on sockets fit in tight places a Craftsman socket may not fit. In turn Craftsman socket are fairly thin and fit in a great many spots where cheap thick sockets won't. Ditto for box-end wrenches

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Sockets & Ratchets

You defintely want 12-point sockets. They work much easier to fit especially where you can't see or directly reach the bolt, and so make work faster.
6-point sockets are for very tight, or for worn bolt heads. Definitely always use 6-point for head bolts, lugnuts and seat belt anchor bolts -- anything that is fastened to a high torque spec. Use them anytime a bolt starts to round off.
6-point deep sockets are useful for aluminum wheel lugnuts and a a few other places it is almost required.
Metric deep sockets are nice, however not required. As an alternative, 9/16" works for 14mm, plus larger metric sizes can also be used with SAE deep sockets

Quality vs Budget tip:

Get an expensive ratchet and a budget-quality set of sockets
- Ratchets break more often than sockets

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Sizes

Make sure to use 3/8" ratchets and sockets -- never use 1/4" tools except on the tinyest of bolts (1/4" hex head or smaller)
It is a must to use 1/2" "breaker bar" and sockets on high-torque bolts of 3/4" or larger.

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Wrenches

Combo wrenches are recommended. These have one box-end and one open-end:
On a car, never use a monkey wrench -- throw those aways
Don't use a crescent wrench except for very small bolts, 8mm (5/16") or smaller -- say a 4" crescent.
For 1/2" or larger bolt heads that you can't get a socket on, use Vice-grips, preferably genuine Vice-grip brand.

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Flare Wrench

For safely removing flare nuts without damage. For brakes lines and hydraulic clutch lines. 10 mm is the size used by Datsun 1200.

Album 26150

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Locking Pliers

For removing rounded-off nuts or grabbing stubborn screw by the head, use locking pliers.

Album 26151

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Carburetor Wrench

For removing that pesky carb nut next to the rocker cover, cut a 10 mm wrench in half.

Album 25873

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Engine Mount Wrench

For removing the nut on the bottom of the Engine Mounts, cut a 12 mm wrench in half.

Album 4689

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Oil Filter Wrench

Album 25711

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Torque Wrench

Torque wrenchᵂ is used to tighten bolts to the exact specification, thus preventing over-tightening or under-tightening. Cost: $25 and upᴳ.

Inexpensive beam-and-pointer type
Album 4204 WIKI click for photo

Top scale: Newton Meters, bottom scale: Inch Pounds
WIKI click for photo

Hot Rod Magazine Tech Articles - Torque-Wrench Calibration☁

if you use a clicker-type wrench, always return it to the lowest setting on the scale after use. That relieves tension on the internal spring, maintaining its accuracy over a longer period

If you use your torque wrench often, it should be calibrated at least once a year.

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Grease Gun

For chassis lube

Album 11925

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Ball Stud Puller

For balljoints and Steering Linkage ball studs.

Purpose-made ballstud puller
Album 5599

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Body Rotisserie

See Main Article: Spit

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Calipers

Calipers are used to measure diameter. You can also measure width to a far more precise degree than a tape measure.

Dial calipers are only $20. Precise enough for 99% of all uses, short of measuring internal engine clearances. A quality plastic one is inexpensive yet with high accuracy. Stainless versions are expensive yet stay cleaner and may last longer.
WIKI click for photo

Vernier Calipers are necessary for higher precision, such as measuring internal engine clearances down to thousands of a millimeter.

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Diagnostic Tools

Save time and money by determining the real problem before buying parts.

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Compression Tester

Price Search: compression testerᴳ

$23 USD - Summit Racing.com 2023
Post 497643

I find that the kind with the screw-in fitting is much easier to use — you don't have to hold it in place. You can place the gauge on the engine top and view it through the windshield while sitting in the driver's seat.

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Vacuum Gauge

For testing running engine vacuum and for testing fuel pump pressure.

diagnostic vacuum gaugeᴳ $15-$30 USD

Engine Vacuum/Fuel Pump Tester

This particular gauge reads in Inches (and fuel pressure in Pounds)

 0-10: RED
       late valve timing or manifold leak
10-14" LOW maybe a small vacuum leak?
14-18" LATE IGN. TIMING
18-22" NORMAL
22-30" maximum, not usually seen on a gasoline engine

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Vacuum Gun

About $40 to $50 at http://sears.com. Easiest way to test for Vacuum Leaks

MityVac Automotive Vacuum Test and Bleed Kit

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Fuel Pressure Tester

See main article: Fuel pump pressure test

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Cooling System Tester

See main article: Cooling System Pressure Test

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Colortune

Combustion inspector

Album 16515

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Engine Stand

Generic common engine stands work with A-series engines too
Album 8359

Custom A-series engine stand/rebuild stand
Album 24269 Album click to view Album click to view Album click to view

A-series display stand
Post 483590 Post 483590

Running Stand
Album 7164 Album 7164

Album 7163 Album 7165 Album 5374

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Battery Tools

Terminal cleaner - see Battery Maintenance

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Spring Compressor

Valve Spring Compressor Search as inexpensive as $16

Valve Spring Compressor

On-Engine Valve Spring Compressor
Album 7342 Album 7343

G-Clamp (C-Clamp) can work in a pinch:
Post click for topic

OHV Valve Spring Compressor Balkamp 7769094 at http://napaonline.com
{{Photo!|Spring_Compressor_7769094.jpg|sightings/forum}|width=256}

Also See: Valve Spring Removal/Installation

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Leaf Spring Compressor

Album 18678

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Strut Spring Compressor

http://www.napaonline.com from $34

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Tools

Current revision

Contents

1200 Factory Tool Kit

Dwell-Tachometer

Mechanic's Coveralls

Hand Tools

Sockets & Ratchets

Sizes

Wrenches

Flare Wrench

Locking Pliers

Carburetor Wrench

Engine Mount Wrench

Oil Filter Wrench

Torque Wrench

Grease Gun

Ball Stud Puller

Body Rotisserie

Calipers

Diagnostic Tools

Compression Tester

Vacuum Gauge

Vacuum Gun

Fuel Pressure Tester

Cooling System Tester

Colortune

Engine Stand

Battery Tools

Spring Compressor

Leaf Spring Compressor

Strut Spring Compressor