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☁

1200 Factory Tool Kit

See Main Article: Jack#Tools

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

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Mechanic's Coveralls

Keep your beach clothes clean while working on your Nissan.

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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

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

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.

Wrenches

Combo wrenches are recommended. These have one box-end and one open-end: http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm219/ddgonzal/sightings/forum/interlocking_combo_wrenches.jpg
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.

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.

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Locking Pliers

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

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Carburetor Wrench

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

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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.

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Oil Filter Wrench

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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.

Grease Gun

For chassis lube

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Ball Stud Puller

For balljoints and Steering Linkage ball studs.

Purpose-made ballstud puller

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Body Rotisserie

See Main Article: Spit

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.

Diagnostic Tools

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

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.

Vacuum Gauge

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

diagnostic vacuum gaugeᴳ $15-$30 USD

Engine Vacuum/Fuel Pump Tester

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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