You'd have to take the bottom pulley off. I've got the cheap small puller for the oil pump if you need it.
Having a break from it. Trying to find a garage to send it to, otherwise I'll shove it in the garden for a while. Unless some body buys it.
Been following your thread for a while now, please don't give up. You've encouraged me to have a go at bits on mine, thank you. Andy
I have worked on Vauxhall's and Fords, but the flat 4 VW aircooled engine always worried me as it was something I had never worked on before. Our first 1600 twin port engine went within the first year we bought the van and I got a replacement fitted at VOLKSPARES in London and went for the 1641 with 32/36 Webber progressive carburettor. That went well but still lacked torque so we eventually had a 1776 built by Laurie Pettit with dual Kadron carburettors and had it tapped for full oi lflow to a remote oil cooler with a different cam. Initially it ran well but then a valve guide 'slipped' and ended up going into the cylinder causing issues and we ended up pulling the heads off and had the valve guides replaced. All this work was done by others. Having the 1776 I decided to put the 1641 into the beetle and so pulled out the 1300 which sat in the garage unused. The other year I thought I ought to look at the 1300 and that was when I somehow managed to break the bakerlight fuel rod guide and pieces of it went into the crank case. This was the point I decided I had paid enough to others and decided to give it a go myself. So I did a complete strip down and followed the Haynes manual and all went well. I found out my 1300 pistons were domed for higher compression and once back together it ran okay Then the other year the camper engine started to make an awful sound and I stripped the engine but for the life of me could not find anything wrong So rebuilt it and it started to run bad again within a few minutes. Then I found this issue (Facebbok link) https://www.facebook.com/joseph.stone.927/videos/760408837427495/?l=2140644483931597561 So the heads came off and went to an Engineering Company who sorted the valve guides and did all the valve seats. Reassembled and she runs great again (Facebbok link) https://www.facebook.com/joseph.stone.927/videos/764137447054634/?l=1032343716619778886 persevere with it fella..... the feeling of sorting it yourself cant really be beaten.
If it makes you feel any better mine went to a professional engine builder and came back with an oil leak. Still haven't got to the bottom of it. So don't beat yourself up
How bad is the oil leak dude? When we had the Remte. 1641 type 1 motor fitted in Gusbus, that always had a leak from the crank pulley, we had it off several times and checked the spiral bit for blockages, it was always clear. Zen suggested venting the crankcase breather (from the oil filler) to fresh air to see if that was the cause. A section of 10mm i/d hose and voila, it stopped leaking and didn't loose any more oil.
It's going off to dubs and classics in Norfolk this this week. I needed it out my sight. Now I can revert to annoying my nuclear family instead of entertaining my neighbours and passers-by, who , originally bouyant with admiration and wonder at my dedication, in recent times have been more pitiful. "Dude, it's 2am and the streetlight won't illuminate the underside of your van" , "stop crying", you're a dick", "you're not a mechanic are you", "now you've *****ed it", "is that what the internet said to do". Etc.
Sounds like a good decision to save your sanity! Enjoy the break, and even more, the drive back down when she's sorted and running beautifully Perhaps this summer we might even get that drive out on the forest with the dogs!
I know the type of neighbour! He helped us fit the sliding window in Gusbus as he "had done lots of them" until we got so far in and he decided upon a flat blade screwdriver and large hammer to get the seal in place. He's not been back since!
Probably the best thing to do - these things can drive you nuts. Why Norfolk, BTW? They're strange folk up there...