toolbox suggestions

[kndlindsey]

what are some not so common tools that I will need for working on my opel?

[opeldean]

I dont know if you consider this common. But you will most likely need a volt ohm meter.

[opelnut10]

10mm and 15mm sockets and wrenches, hard to find anything else that will fit those two sizes. Set of three 12 point external sockets. 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. 8mm for torque tube to diff. houseing, cam sproket and water pump to front cover. 10mm for caliper bolts (also fit 1.1 headbolts) and 12mm for 1.9 headbolts. Most other nuts and bolt on Opel are 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm and 7/16 (fuel pump to front cover).

[asdasc]

aren't the oil pickup tube bolts the 3 squares also?

[hrcollinsjr]

Most fastener heads sizes are:

8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19mm

14mm IIRC is size needed for rod bolts

11mm not 7/16" as previously mentioned

triple square bits as previously mentioned

you can do quite a bit with a simple circuit tester but a multi meter (VOM) is nice to have

wire strippers and crimpers

Band Aids & Aspirin

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by asdasc aren't the oil pickup tube bolts the 3 squares also?

10 mm hex all that I've seen


Harold

[wrangler]

One item that I recently purchased that saved a helluva lota time on the re-installation of my starter was a stubby ratchet drive. Took about an hour to get that PIA bottom bolt out with my standard ratchet giving me 1-2 'clicks' per operation, versus 5 mins putting the thing back in with a 4 1/2" stubby ratchet with spinner wheel that I picked up from Autozone when I took the starter in to be tested.
Also a flexible screwdriver comes in handy for some of those hard to get at screws like the ones at the top rear of the dashboard.

[GTJIM]

Here is a link to a pic of the "Tri-Square" or "12-Point" bits for the head bolts etc. You need the long ones to reach cam bolts and the lower row of head bolts.

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/46177-post6.html

[baronbors]

You might want to invest in a ratchet box end wrench for those lovely little bolts on the front of the seat tracks. Iv'e blocked the size from my mind from the last time I had to remove them.

[kwilford]

I moved this to the "Mechanical" Forum. You will find a "sticky" thread at the top of the Forum on FSM's. Also have a look at the "Tips and Tricks" forum, as there are several threads on speciality tools.

But for the COMPLEAT thread on tools, the following is compulsory reading:
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-te...ion-tools.html
HTH

[computerthug]

Some of the really, really far out "tools" I've had to use to perform emergency repairs of my Opels in the past include:

• A length of string threaded through a length of nylon 1/8" water hose, going from the throttle bracket on the carb through the firewall and under the dash, as an emergency hand throttle, to replace my broken throttle cable, so I could get the car home
• A piece of scrap plastic wrap wadded up inside the compression fitting cap, to block off the mechanical oil pressure gauge sending fitting when the little nylon tube broke. Again so I could drive the car home.
• Spare tire wedged in the back seat edge-on, to hold up the seat back, when the seat locking mechanism snapped and left me hanging onto the steering wheel trying to stay upright while driving on the highway one day.
• A piece of scrap wood wedged under the driver's seat, to bridge the gap where the floor pan was rusted out, when the seat started falling through the rusted-out floor one day while I was again out on the road far from home

All of my best driving memories have been in Opels....

[WannaBOpelOwner]

dont forget the possibility of the tetnus shots

[namba209]

Originally Posted by baronbors You might want to invest in a ratchet box end wrench for those lovely little bolts on the front of the seat tracks. Iv'e blocked the size from my mind from the last time I had to remove them.

Tom, those are 11 mm bolt heads. Just put the seats in Willit? yesterday, rear bolts were easy with a socket, but the front ones were a bit harder, 1/6th of a turn with a box end wrench until they were tight.

[asdasc]

One time I had to drive from Columbus Ohio to north of Detroit thru the pouring rain. The wiper motor didn't have the strangth to pull the wiper blades back down, so I attached some speaker wire to the driver side blade, then thru the passenger door frame to the driver seat. I was able to drive the whole way home pulling on that wire to finish every swipe. 4 Hours!

[okieopel]

1) a good digital camera, 3 megapixel or better.
2) a Facom Ratchet or other premium ratchet with a 72 tooth spline mechanism.
3) Digital calipers (Metric/Inch) would be nice too.
4) a used copy of “How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot” (Paperback). For general car maintenance and humor (but not for spelling).

[wrangler]

Originally Posted by computerthug Some of the really, really far out "tools" I've had to use to perform emergency repairs of my Opels in the past include: A length of string threaded through a length of nylon 1/8" water hose, going from the throttle bracket on the carb through the firewall and under the dash, as an emergency hand throttle, to replace my broken throttle cable, so I could get the car home All of my best driving memories have been in Opels....

Could not help but laugh as I was reading this... brought back memories of a buddy of mine back in Montana. We were heading out to the lake... me in my Mustang, he on a little Honda 125 with a bent front rim that made the front end bounce up and down. The throttle cable had broke loose from the handle grip, so to control his speed, he would pull on it. So, it quite literally looked like he was riding an 'iron horse' as he 'galloped' down the highway, holding onto the reigns, yet he never lost that s*** eaten grin on his face!

[ben]

the best tools i have found for working on opels, are a set of metrinch they are the best tools for working on opel in my book because ,they fit both metric and standard bolt& nuts
a lot less chasing back &forth form the work bench
try them you like them
i love mine
you can find them at
metrinch-tools.com
really they are really great tools
the only thing that i have brake in the ten years that i have mine is the extension but i was trying to turn a welded nut
which it did before it broke

[jeff denton]

This is getting very funny. The throttle cable suggestion reminds me of when I helped a Firebird owner at a local rod run, his cable broke and in my truck happened to be some fencing wire. We made a new "cable", the wire actually fit smoothly in the original cable housing and bent nicely at each end to hook up. Worked beautifully!
Steve's story hits home, too. When I worked for a cement company that generally forbid me to actually fix anything I had to rig up a piece of cord to the windshield wiper of a cement mixer. Ran it from the blade, through the vent windows on each side, and tied together. The driver simply pulled the cord one way and then the other. Not DOT approved but when shown to the company owner he actually agreed to allow me to order a new wiper motor...
Dan's VW book review is a coincidence. I was cleaning thirty years of junk out of a storage building at work yesterday when I came across THAT book, which I have seen before, it is hilarious. Unfortunately this one was in horrible shape, water damaged, torn up, pages missing, chewed up by mice, etc. I threw it in the dumpster, it was really that bad...
Computerthug's suggestion about the oil pressure line reminds me to suggest to everybody to never use that phony plastic crap, I know it is the standard of the backyard auto repair industry but it is an upcoming failure for you for sure! To cite examples of my experiences with this would take a while...

[69whitegt]

Also, a good tool to have around is a strong Impact Wrench for those rusted bolts. If you have a air compressor.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by 69whitegt Also, a good tool to have around is a strong Impact Wrench for those rusted bolts. If you have a air compressor.

If you don't have an air compressor you can still get an impact tool you smack with a hammer, they're available at most tool outlets and motorcycle shops. I've had one in my roll-a-way for many years. Works great to break loose the rotor/hub bolts.

[crliwa]

Reading about the broken seat and wipers had me cracking up -- My first Opel had the broken seat and no heater and a variety of other problems. If you've never owned a car that was held together with chewing gum, string, rubber bands, wire coat hanger and tape then you are just plain spoiled
(and rich) It wasn't fun then but looking back 35 or so years later those were great times.
Definately duct tape and a wire hanger are a must have in an OPel toolbox

[kndlindsey]

I love the "so I could get home stories" should be a mastercard commercial. Keith, thanks for the link, i didnt realize someone had already addressed this issue....I thought i was so clever

Thanks so much for all the suggestions guys. We had a marathon gargae cleaning session today, most of the trash out and the office is clean, Cody's girlfriend has a line on some big comfy furniture for it. Cody is out there right now putting the transmission back in his lowrider and hopefully the garage will be clean and empty this weekend so i can get my opels in. Then i can work on taking off the waterpump and getting the headlights to roll over.