Thread: 300TDI WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT - PULLEY REMOVAL TIPS??? HELP

Originally Posted by mrb505

Try putting a rag between the pulley and the belt so it tries to pull the rag in as you turn the bolts

Good idea - ill give it a whirl cheers mate!

Originally Posted by BathurstTom

If it is the pulley pictured, have you tried an allen key in the centre?

Didn't think it was an Allen key centre - just a round centre but will look again - cheers!

Originally Posted by AK83

Hang on!

I re read your initial post, and you say "pulley below the alternator" ... but you're doing water pump removal?

Unless the Defender 300 tdi was somehow made differently in some models, but I'm sure that the waterpump and pulley is above the alternator on the 300 TDi.(at least it is on the Disco version of the 300 TDi)
The pulley below on that side should be power steer pump.

So from your image, the pulley half in frame with FRONT on showing in the image should be the waterpump .. pulley you want to remove.

ps. the bolts are not M10 either(just in case ....) they are in fact 10mm hex heads, but IIRC they are M8 bolts .. and 12mm length too.

I've had similar issues on some of my pulley bolts(in fact I think all in some manner).
Many of them on my Tdi had been rounded partially, and I got stuck not being able to get some off.

On a money back guarantee from the sales rep at Bursons ... I bought a set of Kingchrome Lok-On sockets, and they gripped like some proverbial stuff and removed the already half damaged bolts!
I now swear by these tools(I got a 3/8 drive set).
Once removed I replaced the bolts with new but I stupidly thought any short bolts would be OK. I got 15mm length bolts which fit nicely, but once fitted they would bind with the extra thread length! ... arrgghh!

Anyhow... sorry for the slightly off topic rambling, but just be sure you are removing the correct bits.

Yes you're right - they are in fact M8 bolts. You need to remove both pulleys to access all the water pump bolts on a 300TDI. Top Pulley came off no trouble but this one is a PITA! ill check out those sockets sound like a good bit of kit - cheers mate!