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Specialist in turbos, quattros, electrics and non-starts

The ultimate toolbox for Audi quattro I5 turbo engines.

General

Good quality tools will always give good service - in some cases here "quality vital" is noted, especially for cutting tools. Professional brands (Snap-on, MAC, etc.) tend to be overpriced and are generally sold through a very inefficient and expensive franchise system - the exact same product made by the same manufacturer is often available with a different name stamped on it for a third of the price. Snap-off CPT110A is actually a rebranded FACOM D.120 - etc. Halfords' Professional range is as good or better and some of the packages are attractively priced. In independent tool merchants, Teng is an option. A good tool merchant will sell single Allen keys - having to buy a complete set to replace one Allen key is fiscal and ecological nonsense.

Socket sets

In general ratchet handles should be multi-pawl 72-tooth - especially useful for, e.g., bell housing to engine bolts. Long-handled versions reduce tiredness in long sessions. A modern 72-tooth long-handled ratchet will double as a breaker bar, withstanding tremendous torque - even foot pressure undoing front caliper carrier bolts. A 3/8" ratchet handle with a gimbal head - not a simple flex head - is extremely useful as a speed brace, spun between the palms. Repair kits should be carried for all ratchets - they have a habit of breaking simultaneously. A full set of extensions (especially short) should be carried for 1/4" and 3/8" sockets - a single 6" extension is adequate for 1/2" drive. Wobble end and flexible extensions deliver few benefits - locking types make some changes two-handed and should be avoided. Universal joints are unnecessary for 1/4" and 1/2" drive - a 3/8" universal joint wrapped in gaffer tape to stiffen it is useful in some exhaust applications.

A 1/4" drive roller-style palm ratchet with adapters to 3/8" and 1/2" is sometimes useful to avoid finger fatigue. Another option is the LASER 4009 ratchet head.

1/4" drive sockets:

• 6mm - hose clamps (flexible driver usually better, but socket sometimes essential).
• 7mm - hose clamps, throttle body switch on MB/MC.
• 8mm - alternator cover, upper headlight retainer, Type 44 trim, wastegate cap.
• 10mm - cam cover (waisted design such as Carolus or Teng preferred), oil pump, thermostat cover, right undertray, sump cover, oil pump, etc.
• 10mm extra-deep for handbrake adjustment.
• 13mm - clutch master cylinder (waisted design such as Carolus or Teng much preferred), hydraulic pump bracket, exhaust manifold.
• 14mm - single-pin black temperature senders (semi-deep preferred).
  
• 11mm 12-point Crowfoot (Stahlwille) - brake bleeding, especially Coupe quattro.
• 12mm 12-point Crowfoot (Stahlwille) - injector lines at metering head, MB/MC engines.
• 14mm 12-point Crowfoot (Stahlwille) - cold start valve and warmup-regulator lines, MB/MC engines.
• 12mm open-ended Crowfoot (KD) - in-situ Dialynx manifold tightening.
• 13mm open-ended Crowfoot (KD) - in-situ Dialynx manifold tightening.

3/8" drive

• 10mm - six-point surface drive - brake accumulator bush.
• 13mm - common useage - both 12-point and 6-point surface drive recommended. Thin-walled useful for engine to bell housing bracket.
• 15mm
• 17mm - turbo to downpipe flange, aux radiator support bracket (waisted design such as Carolus or Teng preferred).
  
• 15mm - Crowfoot (Stahlwille) - lower turbo water line, MB/MC engines.
• 17mm - open-ended Crowfoot - KD - #6 main bearing with engine in car

1/2" drive

• 13mm - common usage, six-point preferable.
• 14mm - big ends.
• 15mm
• 16mm
• 17mm - suspension, caliper carriers, six-point surface drive preferred.
• 17mm - extra-deep with plastic sleeve for wheel bolts - LASER 3701 or similar.
• 18mm - new-style suspension bolts.
• 19mm - suspension.
• 24mm - steering wheel boss.
• 27mm - for turning crank using harmonic damper bolt (tighten using 3/4" drive).
• 14mm draglink - for hydraulic pump caps.
  
• 19mm - open-ended Crowfoot - KD - with torque wrench adapter - cam pulley.

Allen Drivers

Allen drivers the right length are often hard to find. It's easy to make your own by cutting a high-quality Allen driver with an angle grinder and cementing or welding the cutoff end into a standard socket of the correct size. Commercial drivers usually have slightly chamfered ends - these should be ground off to leave a sharp edge. The driver can then be seated in a rusty Allen screw (turbo oil feed to filter bracket, rear brake calipers, gearbox drain plugs) to dislodge the rust so it can be picked out. This operation should be repeated (perhaps with the driver being hammered in) before any attempt is made to remove the screw.

• 4mm - impact type for hydraulic pump.
• 5mm - ca. 110mm long.
• 6mm - 141mm long.
• 6mm - VAG 1669 or FACOM SHP.6EL2 for 20V inlet manifold.
• 8mm - rear caliper carriers.
• 11mm - earlier style injector seats.
• 12mm - some early rear brake calipers.
• 13mm - later style injector seats.
• 17mm - transmission drain plugs - FACOM D.107-17 highly recommended - most others are too long.

Triple Square Drivers

• 8mm - driveshafts on some non-quattros.
• 10mm - driveshafts on quattros and some other cars.
• 12mm - cylinder head bolts
• 16mm anti-tamper - new-style oil drain and filler plugs - FACOM D.120-16 highly recommended. Snap-off CPT110A is the FACOM driver renumbered at twice the price. Whatever.

Allen keys

• 3mm - long (preferably one-piece T-handled) for adjusting fuel mixture. Audi tool #P377, Beta951, etc. Zero-hysterisis rigid tool much preferred over socket driver.
• 4mm - several fittings
• 5mm - flywheel senders, cold start valve, inlet air temperature sender, warm-up regulator, seats.
• 6mm - long-handled, short side cut down for cam belt cover & MB/MC metering head. A better option is the bit holder included with the Halfords ratchet spanner set and a ground-down 6mm driver bit.
• 6mm - long-handled, high grade (Beargrip) for some strut tops.
• 7mm - long-handled, high grade (Beargrip) for some strut tops.
• 10mm - long-handled, short side cut down for MB metering head.

Spanners

(see American translation)

Halfords are now supplying ratchet spanners made by Gear Wrench (Taiwan) in their "Professional" range. These are proving astoundingly robust in use - none is yet known to have failed. Caution - however - there is no reverse lever and it is possible in some situations to wind a nut or bolt out and jam the spanner against the bodywork irretrievably. The hinged (flex) versions offer few advantages over the rigid ones.

The screwdriver bit holder included for the 10mm ratchet spanner is extremely useful. There is also a set of three inserts that turn the 10mm, 13mm and 17mm ratchets into 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive ratchets respectively - handy in an emergency.

• 6mm - open/ring combination - difficult hose clips.
• 7mm - open/ring combination - MB/1B/MC hydraulic pump belt cover, hose clips.
• 8mm - open/ring combination - various, especially trim.
• 9mm - open/ring combination - bleeding brake proportioning valve.
• 10mm - very common (normal, short, non-offset ring, offset ring, ratchet, stubby ratchet, refrigeration-style).
• 12mm - exhaust (non-offset ring preferred).
• 13mm - very common (normal, short, non-offset ring, offset ring, ratchet, stubby ratchet, refrigeration-style).
• 15mm - offset ring for engine mounts.
• 15, 17mm slim-line open ended wrenches - caliper guide pins, suspension.
• 16mm - offset ring for new-style wishbone nuts.
• 17mm - offset ring for older wishbone nuts.
• 18mm - offset ring for new-style wishbone bolts.
• 19mm - offset ring for older wishbone bolts.
• 22mm open - alternator adjustment, distance sender.
• 11mm flare nut - brake bleeding. Williams SuperSlim ideal.
• 12mm flare nut - fixed to flexible brake lines.
• 14mm flare nut - fuel lines.

Miscellaneous Tools:

• Adjustable spanner to at least 24mm - quality vital. Bahco, etc.
• Flexible 6mm & 7mm drivers for hose clamps, e.g., HAZET 426-6 & 426-7. Avoid the reversible end variety - the end often stays on a rusted clip when the tool is withdrawn.
• Roller-style stud drivers - 6mm, 8mm and 10mm.
• Brake caliper piston retraction tool (cut-down Sealey cube a.k.a. K-D 3163, Draper 179) w/ pins filed ever-so-slightly to fit rear calipers.
• Small engineer's hammer.
• Small cold chisel - quality vital.
• Selection of pin drifts - 2mm useful for unseating handbrake cables from caliper, ca. 5.5mm for clutch slave cylinder.
• Selection of seal picks, prodders and pokers.
• Gasket scraper.
• Hose clamp kit - Draper 55591.
• Wire brushes - brass and steel drill type (cleaning threads).
• Small battery drill or powerful screwdriver with chuck attachment - general derusting.
• Centre punch - quality absolutely vital.
• Knife - a solid clasp knife rather than a flexible box-cutter type.
• Assorted screwdrivers.
• Channel Locks.
• Soft-faced hammer.
• Needle nose pliers.
• Side cutters - quality vital.
• Small flat file.
• Assortment of cable ties.
• Mechanics gloves.
• Small tube of hand cleaner.
• Small mirror on telescopic handle
• Telescopic magnetic pickup tool - small diameter prefered.
• Aluminum 2 ton racing jack.
• Extra H1/H4 bulbs.
• Multimeter with 5-cylinder tachometer range, e.g., Draper DMM 5.
• Tyre pressure and tread gauges.
• A penetrant - Lubrice, Plus-Gas, 3-in-One, Halford's own brand, etc. WD-40 is a water displacer (hence its name) and not a penetrant. Classic Coke has been reported to have good results.
• Blu-Tack - to hold nuts in sockets for placement. Also see HAZET 960 MgT - magnetic inserts for standard sockets.
• Epoxy adhesive - twin tube or "stick of rock" variety.
• Red Plastigage.
• Misc wire and shrink wrap.
• A wire coathanger fashioned into a long hook with a handle (air filter housing clips, retrieving the power steering belt, etc.).
• Neon spark cell.
• Gunson Colortune.
• MityVac vacuum tester.
• Compression tester.

Workshop Tools:

• 36mm socket
• 30mm socket
• 27mm socket - 3/4" drive - Crank bolt/Balancer.
• Dremel tool (exhaust work) - cutoff wheels.
• Angle grinder.
• 3/8" drive preset torque wrench.
• 1/2" drive preset torque wrench.
• 3/4" drive beam break torque wrench to at least 750Nm (550lb ft).
• 3/4" breaker bar with 1/2" adapter.
• Long reach needle nose pliers with angled tips.
• 22mm cutaway socket for strut bearing nuts, e.g., Stahlwille 1051.
• Very long 3/8" extension (800mm+).
• Strut spring compressor.
• Strut top nut sockets (LASER 3466 - set of three, fits all VW/Audi).
• Crank lock tool (for engine of choice).
• VAG 3036 cam locking tool.
• Valve spring compressor.
• Valve stem oil seal pliers (removal) - HAZET 791-5 for 10Vs, 791-8 for 20Vs.
• Wire strippers - Plasplugs, HAZET 1862.
• A repair kit for each ratchet handle and the breaker bar.

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