I found this in the back of my lathe base cabinet. That doesn't mean it has anything to do with the lathe. The central threaded shaft can spin and is held in place with a C-clip. It can also be locked in place with the nut on the top. The two bolts 180 degrees apart on the steel cylinder have odd heads that look like giant Torx. Any ideas?

https://www.toolsource.com/cra...taller-p-110089.html

Image search says: Ford crankshaft seal installer...

"Designed for use on 1993-1997 Aerostar or 1993-2004 Ranger and Explorer w/4.0L V6 engine"

Link above looks close, but not identical.

- Brian

That is similar and holy crap what an expensive tool! Maybe this is for seals for some other type of vehicle...

quote:

The two bolts 180 degrees apart on the steel cylinder have odd heads that look like giant Torx. Any ideas?

Those are 'Triple-Square' Bolts

It could be some sort of seal installer, but more likely for something from VW or Audi. The triple-square bolts are something I associate with those vehicles - they use a lot of them, on everything from brake calipers to cylinder heads.



Does that have threads on it? And what are the measurements, especially the inner and outer diameter of the cup-shaped part and that captured center part? It looks way too big to install a camshaft seal, but if around 4 inches, could be for a crankshaft rear main seal. The center piece could fit down a crankshaft pilot hole.

Sorry, I should have put a scale in the photographs.The outer cup is 3 1/2 inches in diameter, the inner piece is 2 1/2 inches. The piece you circled is threaded, and is 3/4 of an inch wide.

I see about the triple square bolts. 12 points, so three squares on top of each other. Fancy.

The Audi version of the tool listed by Orion ( although not shown) is $420!

My god. This isn't even that complex, mechanically. I could make one of these.

I have no idea what to do with this.

That sounds too small to fit over a crankshaft flange, and I have never seen a crankshaft pilot hole (for the nose of an input shaft & pilot bearing or torque converter) with threads in it. But it could be to install a front seal or harmonic balancer.

Closest I could find is for a Porsche:

https://www.fvd.net/us-en/FVD7...made-in-germany.html

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
Closest I could find is for a Porsche:

https://www.fvd.net/us-en/FVD7...made-in-germany.html

I think you are on to something. I noticed a faint stamping of “P215”. Lo and behold:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/M....htm?pn=PEL-TOL-P215

Anyone own a 911? I have zero use for this. A guy I work with collects them, so maybe I’ll ask him.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
That sounds too small to fit over a crankshaft flange, and I have never seen a crankshaft pilot hole (for the nose of an input shaft & pilot bearing or torque converter) with threads in it. But it could be to install a front seal or harmonic balancer.

The crank pilot hole doesn’t need threads; that’s what the tool’s circular plate does. You put the seal on, bolt the plate to the end of the crank with the two triple square head bolts, then thread the bolt and cup through the plate bolted to the end of the crank. As you tighten the bolt going through the cup, the cup presses the seal into the engine block.

Stands to reason that those “triple square bolts” are on Porsche, Audi, etc.. Those are exactly the same type of bolts as on the individual heads of the DDC/MTU 12V 2000 engines on the yacht I run. Been very familiar with them the last few days in particular…..