Recommendation for crankshaft pulley remover

[motah33]

I've got a MKII GTI 1.8L 8V 1990.

I've removed the 4 hex bolts relatively easily but that pulley seems to be welded on. I tried 'tapping' it with a hammer, spraying it with Plus Gas etc. but nothing.

Is there any puller that people have used that they can recommend? I am right that you don't need to remove the central crankshaft bolt? I thought I'd just double-check as I'm pretty sure you don't.

Thanks

[Sgt_Lemon]

I used a big screw driver to pry it off and some hammer action. Stay with it and it will come off. I removed one about at hour ago which has never come off before.

[motah33]

Thanks for that.

Did you use a normal hammer or some sort sort of mallet and you did you turn the crank as you hit just to keep it all even? I used a hammer, tried to wedge a bar from behind and tried to hit that instead to stop the pulley getting damaged. I was just fearful of the hammer damaging the wheel.

[Sgt_Lemon]

I used an Ali drift and kept cranking the engine so I was hitting it on all sides. Once it gets that initial movement it's not hard to wiggle off.

[motah33]

What an "Ali drift"?

[Sgt_Lemon]

Aluminium drift. A drift is any large all metal chisel or bar used for hitting things you don't want to damage. If your hitting a softer material you need to use a drift made of even softer metal.

[motah33]

Thanks!

[VW BUSH]

I have a little plate that bolts onto the bottom pulley using the aux pulley holes with a 12mm Thread tapped into the plate directly on the centre of the crank.
Do up the 12mm bolt and off pops the grank gear, no hitting or bashing required.

[motah33]

Thanks. Those aux holes are not threaded, are they, if I remember rightly? How do you fix your plate on?

[VW BUSH]

Thanks. Those aux holes are not threaded, are they, if I remember rightly? How do you fix your plate on?

The 4 bolt holes in the crank gear that take the bolts which go through the aux pulley to hold it on, M8 iirc.
Or am I missing something and is it the aux pulley that's stuck on and not the toothed gear?