feeler gauges. which ones? how many? best type?

[wibble_puppy]

all the books I have consulted on servicing a Minor have listed the tools you will need - good *nods* - including "a set of feeler gauges".

OK fine.

But I need to know a bit more detail so I get the right ones - so I thought I'd check with you lot.

A quick Froogle reveals a huge variety in the price of sets, in the number of feelers per set, in the range of gaps they can measure, in the steps between the gap measured by each feeler - and I dare say in the quality of the sets (longevity, accuracy?)...

I do realise this is an "under-a-tenner" issue but there are so many of these low-priced things at the moment and boy are they adding up!!!

Any advice welcome

[Onne]

Find out what you need your feeler gauges for, normally just for the tappets and the points.

Any cheap set will do fine, just make sure you store it in a dry place, if they go rusty they are useless.

[flying]

halfrauds do a good set that have a good range on them

[Packedup]

Sizes for the jobs you'll most likely need them for:

12 thou (tappets)
15 thou (points)
25 thou (plugs)

Get imperial ones as otherwise you've got to start flicking through the books for conversions or figures in brackets (and at least one Haynes had the wrong conversion for an SU jet, so I'm not convinced about any other figure they give!), or have to remember them.

Any cheap set will do, but if it has 12, 15 and 25 as individual feelers so you don't have to "double up" then all the better. As Onne says, keep them dry - But also keep them lightly oiled, and even a poundshop set should last quite well. A set with a small knob so they can be loosened to pull out and tightened when put back is handy as well. Mine are like that, just dug them out and they're Draper, part 4616. They won't have cost more than 3 or 4 quid, because I refuse to pay more than that for flimsy little tooly things

[paulk]

Try and get some with good clear markings or remove all the sizes you don't use.

The markings can wear off the really cheap ones but mine are 20 years old to be fair, probably time I invested another £3 or so

[jackkelleher]

I found these interesting circular ones that have a gradient, and so do every size in the range depending on how far you rotate them. They have measurements in both systems, one on each side. Don't know where you'd find them in England, though, I'm afraid.

[DavidCragie]

I usually find you get good (old) sets at car boot sales, along with whitworth spanners etc

[wibble_puppy]

They won't have cost more than 3 or 4 quid, because I refuse to pay more than that for flimsy little tooly things

Just as well you aren't a brain surgeon, Packedup

Thank you for all that useful info you posted - you sussed exactly the sort of things I wanted to know *hugs you*

and thank you to everyone else, too, who posted such handy tips about keeping 'em clean and dry and oiled and the dangers of the numbers wearing off and the advisability of removing the ones you don't use and reasonably good makes

*trots off to local motor factor with me £1.50 pocket money to invest in one of their lovely cheap sets*

[wibble_puppy]

am now the proud owner of a £1.95 set of Draper imperial feeler gauges, same part no as Packedup, thank for all your advice guys