Club 80-90 Forums

Morning chaps, got to shift the crankshaft pulley to check a coolant leak. Now reading Haynes, it looks like a straightforward job - van in gear, decent sized spanner (30mm?) and off it comes. But, looking at http://www.vw-resource.com/pulley_removal.html, it looks like you need a puller and it's a bit more involved.

Has anyone done it? Is it as straightforward as Haynes make out?

The end of this thread seems to answer your question;

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=123661

Blimey! Seems suspiciously easy...

I'm always wary of Haynes' instructions on removing things, as inevitably they're always light on a few stages. I'll be pleased as punch if that works though!

Is it a 30mm socket needed? I'll need to pick one up at lunch.

If you're lucky, it'll only need very light taps with a small cold chisel from behind pulley, aiming as close to centre as you can. Or perhaps two claw hammers used evenly + small blocks of wood to level against? Latter choice may be the easiest actually. If its still stubborn, puller may be only choice lest you gain a wobble in the pulley afterwards

I jhave done two they were both very easy.

Oil seal runs on the pulley so worth inspecting it if you take it off.

Begs the question to me why?

as far as I know the pulley does not need to come off to remove the metal water pipes you need to inspect.

Thanks chaps, sounds good to me.

itchyfeet - there's no other way I can get to it from what I can see. It's behind, and slightly lower than the crankshaft pulley (the pipe that the blue hose connect to in the pic).

Kevtherev & Pionte have just helped me on this, spanner and large persuader.
Just done it, was easy

Cheers Arripay. Did you tighten it back up to a specific torque or just as tight as it'll go?

Stick in gear with handbrake on,take up all the slack with the spanner, as tight as you can, then give the spanner a whack with the hammer.
Job done

^^^^^ Or use a torque wrench and do it properly its only 60 Nm a lot less than you would think for such a large bolt and you may want to take it off again

Right then - just tried with a large adjustable spanner, and there seems to be a bit of 'give' in the pulley when in gear, making it hard to undo. The bolt is starting to round, so I've eased off on that.

Can't get a socket in there ... 30mm ring spanner??

Yes ring spanner but if you undo it you won't be able to re torque properly

you can't see all the pipe properly without removing it a tiny pin hole round the back may not be obvious
I wire brushed my pipes when off and a hole appeared I consider myself lucky I found it rather than waiting for it to happen on the road

Cheers itchyfeet

I can't see any other way of accessing that pipe though - surely the pulley has to come off?

it will come off with pulley on but I have only done it when removing the waterpump so I'm not sure if it will come out with the pump in place

You can approximate the torque by using a torque wrench on say a wheel bolt with a similar length spanner and getting a feel for how tight 60Nm is

That's the other option I guess ... waterpump pulley off. Hmmm ...