Automotive Tools For The Road Warrior

June 12th, 2010

In today’s highly mobile world, many spend countless hours and miles traveling in their automobiles for work and vacation. Modern cars are also far more reliable than the cars of 30 years ago. We have begun to take them for granted. We expect them to just work day in day. However, the time to learn the lessons of basic car repair is not on a deserted highway at 2 am on the way up to the ski slopes! Automobiles still breakdown, have flat tires and batteries run out of juice. Most people think that you have to be a space shuttle engineer to even open the hood of a 21st century car. While it is true that computer technology has drastically changed the way engines and cars operate, there are still some basic car repairs that you can perform in a pinch. You must carry some basic automotive tools with you at all times in order to carry them out.

A basic kit with automotive tools doesn’t have to break the bank or require you tow a trailer full of tools. You can go as basic as you want and add more tools as your needs change. The first thing to do is put together a list of automotive tools that you will probably need. (I have included one in this article.) You will be surprised to find that you own many of them already. The real chore is to get them together in one place and carry them with you. You will also need something to carry them in. First see if you have an old duffle bag stuffed in a closet. If not you can probably get one cheap at an Army surplus store. Now it is time to look at our automotive tool list and start collecting them.

Automotive tools for your kit should include the following: set of various screwdrivers (both flat head and Phillips), crescent wrench, pliers, torque wrench, pocket knife, jumper cables, battery terminal brush, spare fuses, 1 quart of oil, duct tape, flashlight, gloves, medical kit, road flares, reflective vest, blanket and funnel. Make sure your car jack and tire iron are in their proper place in your car’s trunk. After you have gathered these items and put them in your old duffle bag, store it in your truck so its there when you need it. These items can prove to be invaluable to help you fix a minor problem and be on your way.

Comments ( 0 )

, , ,

Types of Automotive Tools

June 10th, 2010

No matter your area of automotive expertise or personal skill level; if you love to work on cars in your garage in your spare time, or call the business your trade; whether you’re into the classic muscle cars of the sixties and seventies, or the latest auto to roll off of the assembly lines in Detroit, there’s a wide array of automotive specialty tools that are the perfect fit for your tool chest.


If you’re into the generalized wheel area of cars (tires and wheels), standard wheel cover tools, torque socket sets, torque extensions, wheel stud installers, tire repair kits, needles and the necessary plugs to fill the holes are just a few necessary items that you should keep handy. There are different tools specifically designed for trucks and SUV’s, so if you either drive one, or plan to do work on such vehicles, careful attention to the exact uses for tools is a key element to your success.


When it comes to fuel systems and the necessary tools for service, maintenance and repair, diagnostic testers lead the pack in importance, if you don’t know what the problem is, just how are you supposed to fix it. Fuel injector pulse testers and fuel injection probes are the two most popular tools in this category.


Brake bleeders and brake bleeder vacuums are just a few of the automotive tools you’ll need if you’re involved with the wonderful world of brakes. Be sure that the brake bleeder attachment is the proper size for the vehicle that you are working on. If it’s not, there are different attachments available, so be sure to check your inventory before you agree to any job.


Suction cups to hold a door window in place while work is performed in and around the door area are just another tool designed to make the life of an automotive specialist a bit easier. Specialty knives and locking strip tools are also complete tasks that could be done with other tools, but why would you want to do all of that extra work when you don’t need to?


Of course, just as any time you’re using any type of tool, taking the proper safety precautions and wearing adequate safety gear is the most valuable part to any successful effort. A tool or automotive part car be replaced with a quick phone call or click of a mouse, but your body parts are a bit more difficult to be restore and/or replace. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use and safety for all of automotive tools.

Comments ( 0 )

, ,

Automotive Scan Tools And The Modern Car

June 10th, 2010

Thanks to the increasing complexity of modern automobiles over the past few years, most professional auto shops and garages now require a selection of automotive scan tools with which to carry out day to day diagnostic work in order to pinpoint any problems with an engine or engine management system in order to discover what action is needed in order to effect a repair with the minimum of error and maximum efficiency.

There are a variety of different tools available to carry out diagnostics and scans on different types of car and to prepare to repair as effectively as possible. Knowing in detail what issues are causing a car engine to behave in a particular manner is the key to being able to correct the fault in a timely and effective manner.

Perhaps the best known manufacturer of automotive scan tools is OTC, who make a range of tools designed for the highest quality and best price. A comprehensive range is available to enable mechanics to be able to tackle any job they come across, and the range of OTC automotive scan tools is recognized as one of the top choices for the professional, as well as being affordable enough for domestic use under certain circumstances.

Different jobs require different tools, and some are more complex than others. Typically, any job to repair a modern car begins with plugging the scanner into the engine management computer and downloading a log of current performance date. This will include fuel consumption, and time since the last service. It will give the mechanic a complete overview of how the engine is operating, and where there might be errors occurring. The scan will show the mechanic examining the engine whether there are any problems with the fuel supply, the electronics, the air filters, and the running temperature, it will also provide plenty of insight into whether any problems are related to an issue within the engine itself, or indeed within the way the management system has been set up.

A complete diagnostic of a car’s engine management computer system will typically offer an almost immediate list of the performance details for the vehicle, and a good automotive scan tool will shave hours off an otherwise lengthy repair task, as the mechanic will be able to tell almost immediately what is wrong, and what needs to be done in order to repair the damage.

Of course, technology only works well in the hands of those who understand it, and are able to sift through the data provided through a scan and interpret it correctly. However, the latest OTC automotive scan tools have been designed to be almost fool proof, and are able to draw on the experience and insight of hundreds of different programmers and mechanic’s personal records in order to provide a more accurate overview of the data and even present possible solutions to many of the most common problems that a mechanic might encounter.

While some manufacturers release their own range of tools, that are aimed at main dealers, a commercial mechanic may deal with many different models and manufacturers in their day to day role, and this is why it is often an idea to purchase OTC automotive scan tools, as they will be compatible with a range of different vehicles from different international makers, and therefore offer greater flexibility without having to compromise on quality or pay repeatedly for scanners for every single car that is on the market.

While commercial level automotive scan tools are expensive to install and themselves require regular system updates that carry the latest settings for every new vehicle released, they pay for themselves almost immediately thanks to the time that they are able to save, and the fact that without them, even the most experienced mechanic would struggle to discover the inner workings of the latest car engines, which have been designed to be efficient, and robust, but are increasingly too complex for anyone but the experts to consider carrying out any work on.

Comments ( 0 )

, , ,

Automotive Tools For Your Home Garage

June 9th, 2010

You can save hundreds of dollars on garage fees every year by carrying out minor servicing and maintenance jobs on your car yourself. Armed with a selection of widely available automotive tools, a garage manual for your car, and enough time and patience to get a job done properly, pretty much anyone can carry out the routine tasks needed to keep your car on the road and running smoothly.

One of the most satisfying aspects of carrying out maintenance tasks on your vehicle – aside from saving money on expensive garage bills – is that you are able to get an understanding of how the car works, and the more you understand about the vehicle, the easier it is to put things right in the event of a breakdown.

Any home garage requires a good selection of automotive tools to carry out work on a car. Some vehicles from certain manufacturers have non standard machining and sizes used throughout their construction, and you will need to get automotive specialty tools designed for the purpose of working on that particular car from a motor store. No home workshop is complete without a trolley jack and axle stands to allow you to get under the car and do things like oil changes and exhaust checks.

For most small jobs, such as changing the oil or replacing filters, changing the spark plugs and brake pads on your vehicle, general tools such as a wrench and a screwdriver are all that is required, and these are widely available in most hardware stores. It is a good idea to keep your automotive tools separate from other tools you may have, because if you begin a job and then discover that the tool you want to use is missing, it can cause major headaches.

Twenty years ago, cars were much simpler to maintain and understand than they are today. Computerised engine management systems and adjustable fuel injectors are now commonplace, and special automotive diagnostic tools are required in order to make adjustments to the engine timing and fuel air mix, whereas in the past, these jobs could be done quite simply.

Areas of the car that almost anyone can handle the regular maintenance of are the interior and exterior panels. Simple scratches and dents to the bodywork are easy to repair using a soft mallet for panel beating and abrasive paper, spray paint and filler for paintwork repairs.

If your car is well used, the interior is likely to start to look tired and dated and in need of a little tender loving care. Thankfully, there are many automotive upholstery tools available to help you to tidy up the interior of the car and bring it back to its sparkling best. You can repair small tears and burns on the seats by darning them or applying a repair patch over the affected area. The trim of the car can be brought back to life with a good buffing using a polisher, while using specialist tools it is possible to repair the carpets or even replace them.

Of course there is much more to owning and maintaining a car than just tightening nuts and sewing up split seams, and you may find that you want to add non-stock parts such as a more efficient air filter or new exhaust to improve performance, and once you understand the basics of automotive maintenance, upgrades and tuning will become more accessible, saving you even more money in the long term.

Doing small jobs yourself can save you plenty of money on garage bills, and having the right automotive tools to get the jobs done is an excellent idea that will save you time and effort in the long run. However, one of the most important things for any mechanic to know is when to pass over a job to an expert, and rather than potentially do more damage than good, to get a qualified mechanic to carry out work on a car.

Comments ( 0 )

, , ,