Engine pulley removal

Maybe. Sometimes they slide right off. Sometimes the pulley needs a puller. They are $20 or so for an adjustable one. All the VW vendors sell them. The VW pullers will work in the small space inside the tin.

The Muir (Idiot) book says to use two large screwdrivers behind the pulley. Sometimes that works.

Two large screwdrivers behind the pulley , alternate pulling sharply on the pulley, it will move it a few thousands at a time and will increase as it works it's way loose. It may take a minute but it will usually free itself.

Alan and Danny P are right, two large screwdriver have worked for me in the past. Work pulling evenly on both sides first and if that doesn't move it try pressure pulling right then left and walk it off the crank.

All, thank you for the superb feedback.  I'll give the screwdriver approach a go just to avoid the delay of ordering a wheel puller.  Already backed the car up on to my ramps this morning excited to retry.

Any other warnings coming up ahead on the road?  Like there being some difficult with reassembling with the taut belt?  I guess if there are you'll hear from me 😅

Break the nut loose on the alternator/generator AND the crank pulley before you attempt to remove the pulleys. Take note of how many shims and which side of the pulley they are on the alternator pulley. This way, you can put it back together with the same tension.

The crankshaft pulley fits tight for a reason.  If you walk it off one side at a time with big screwdrivers or pry bars you risk losing that fit and the pulley could start moving around.  This will destroy the pulley, then the keyway/end of the crank and possibly damage the case opening.  Al

Even pull or bust, Al is right. Don't "walk" it off.

Thanks all.  So I ran back into battle and I return to you defeated.  But the war's not over.  Couple questions if anyone could help:

I got ahead of myself by asking about how to pull the crank pulley out, but I should first be asking how to loosen the nut (or is it a bolt?).  I tried putting a large screwdriver through the cross drilled holes of the crank pulley, against the crankshaft body itself, to keep it from turning (correct strategy?).  Next, tried a crescent wrench and then a pipe wrench to turn the nut, that thing is NOT budging.  I didn't want to strip it, so I stopped.

I'm assuming I should buy a socket and use a breaker bar?  Looks to be 30 mm.  If this is the way to do it, I assume it's the same way you tighten it back up?

Next, as @DannyP mentioned I need also to loosen or remove the alternator/generator pulley (I think because otherwise the belt will fight me even if the crank pulley is off).  How is this pulley loosened?  There's nowhere to do the large screwdriver trick to keep it from spinning...

I meant to add- I'm not sure how a breaker bar + cheater bar are supposed to work because there's not much room for a socket to fit inside the bellied pan space.

And I think an impact drill isn't an option in there either?

And I see some YouTube videos where they start the car for a moment to use the engine.  Not sure how to do that here, and I don't know, doesn't seem like the most elegant / risk-conscious solution.

Following up on my comment about how there isn't room for a socket, I just realized there are low-profile / short sockets.  Or I could buy a regular one and grind it down...

Using a big screwdriver or pin-bar through the pulley hole, wedging against the crankcase is a time proven method for keeping it form turning (assuming you already have it in 1st gear with the e-brake on).

You can do what you like, but when I was learning how to work on things I was told to never use a pipe-wrench on a hex nut. An adjustable wrench is fine when you are in a pinch and have no other alternative, but they are the surest way I know to round off a hex head.

Buy a combination wrench set from Harbor Freight. You'll probably need a 30 mm, so get a set that has that one. You're not going to get a socket of any kind in there.

If you need additional leverage, use the box end of the combination wrench to get it off, like in the picture below.

Keep everything straight, or the whole thing will want to slip apart and make you think about saying bad words, or throwing something (if you are that sort of person).

It's a frustration, but not an insurmountable challenge. Good luck.

To remove the alternator pulley you may need to rotate it around by turning the crankshaft pulley with your wrench. Eventually you'll find the slot in the pulley where you can insert a flat-bladed screwdriver.

@Stan Galat You're absolutely right, the pipe wrench did a number on the hex nut, but thankfully I had backed off before it was stripped too much.  Argh I feel like an idiot- I'm not sure why I wasn't thinking about combination wrenches...  the best deal was a set from Harbor Freight like you'd mentioned.  Oddly the 30 mm was a bit large but worked (the 27 mm definitely too small).  Anyway, I'm happy to report that I got the pulley wheel off.  Thanks for your guidance & photos.

@Robert M Yet again I feel like an idiot- I'm not sure why I hadn't noticed that EVEN AFTER inspecting it for a clue of how to keep it in place!!  I'm feeling like a monkey that's failing a spacial IQ study.  Also thanks to you for tips & photo.

After all that, and applying the teflon tape to the threads, I think it might still be leaking oil just as much 😳.  But hey, this is part of "the madness," part of the leak hunting process, and if nothing else I'm happy with what I learned about my car along the way.

I replaced my crank pulley bolt with a round one with a 3/8" square hole that takes a 3/8" ratchet.  It makes it easier to remove and to replace with the proper torque.

@Sean Seena posted:

After all that, and applying the teflon tape to the threads, I think it might still be leaking oil just as much 😳.  But hey, this is part of "the madness," part of the leak hunting process, and if nothing else I'm happy with what I learned about my car along the way.

Well....

The thread just hold the pulley on. They do nothing to seal. There is no seal at all. The hub of the pulley goes into the case, and there's a gap all the way around it.

The crankcase is pressurized, so VW devised a "slinger", which rides on the crankshaft inside the case and is meant to act sort of like a shield. They also cut grooves in the hub to "screw" the oil back into the crankcase.

My theory is that the entire apparatus was designed by the Sainted German Engineers on the Friday afternoon before a 3-day weekend in autumn, while the tuba was tuning up out in the square, and the frauleins were setting up for Oktoberfest. It is "aspirational" for a 1300, and laughable for anything larger than a 1600. 94 cylinders make a mockery of the entire Rube Goldberg arraignment.

A sand seal might help, but probably not. You'll need to get an extended sump and run your level a 1/2 qt. down

... or learn to love the oil spray.

@Stan Galat posted:

The thread just hold the pulley on. They do nothing to seal. There is no seal at all. The hub of the pulley goes into the case, and there's a gap all the way around it.

 

I might've said that part about the threads out of context- I was referring to the threads of the fittings/hoses below the car (shown by the photo in my OP), which were what I was ultimately trying to get to.  I think you're referring to the threads of the bolt holding the pulley wheel in?  In other words, the bolt you helped me remove with the combination wrench?  

Either way, I quite enjoyed the picture you drew of the engineers...