Porsche P258 pinion tool

[Olivier]

Hello!

Does anybody knows a source for the P258 tool used to set the diff in the housing?
If possible, without having to part with a leg or a kidney!

Thanks!!!

Olivier.

[savaden]

Carquip in Boulder Colorado made some from differential carriers. I bought one quite a while back and I think he might have mentioned it was the last one. But maybe they have made some more.

[Olivier]

Thank you for the tip!

I sent them a mail. Will see if they answer me.

Olivier

[Jon B]

Olivier,

P258 was the original Porsche pinion tool, but the Volkswagen tool VW385 will perform the same function.

A complete P258 set includes two P258b bearing sleeves, one P258c supplement gauge block, and one P365 indicator sleeve.
The tool was originally supplied in a black wooden box.



Jon B.
Vista, CA

[Ralfy]

Hello Jon

Was there a tracer pin for the indicator in the little vial also?

Good suggestion on the VW385 universal tool as I feel it's a little more attainable.
You can do a search on the Samba and you just may luck out and find one.

[Jon B]

Was there a tracer pin for the indicator in the little vial also?

Hi Ralfy!

P258 was not supplied with an indicator pin or extension, although a longer pin is useful when doing a 915 transmission.
There was a shallow drilling in the wood box to hold the tool's indicator sleeve, when removed.
When setting the pinion on a 905 Sportomatic, the standard indicator sleeve was replaced with P365, an extended sleeve.
I placed a spare sleeve in my box as an example (below), but when the standard sleeve is being used, that space would be empty.
The Sportomatic sleeve will fit there too, but the box lid won't close over it :-(



Jon B.
Vista, CA

[Ralfy]

Great Info as always Jon.

Ive never rebuilt a Sporto so I wasn't familiar with the longer sleeve.
I assumed it came with the pin because my 258 came with a little vial with a short indicator pin located in the shallow drilling. Similar like you would find in the VW289D. The sleeve was already in the 258. It's in the black box as you mentioned. I'm always missing something!
When I get back in town Ill take a pic if you'd like.

I also like how you store your honed bearings. :-) I finally made my own also, Shims were getting slim messing them up on the GT Diffs.

Thanks again.

[Jon B]

Ralfy,

I have a few of these tools, set up for different transmissions, and have owned and sold others.
There were three versions I'm aware of, all pictured in the various Porsche manuals.
There may have been differences in the boxes as well, since they were made for several years, and for different transmission models.
I'll try to photograph some tomorrow, and would like to see yours too.

Jon B.
Vista, CA

[Ralfy]

Always learning something from you Jon. I appreciate it.

I'll get some pic's to you.

[Jon B]

Pictured below are the two most common versions of P258.

The earlier version (L) was painted gray, the later version (R) was blackened.
Both have MATRA plaques, and have blackened, knurled ends for handling.

The earliest version of P258 was painted, but had no plaque, and was not knurled.





Jon B.
Vista, CA