All:

I am sharp enough to admit defeat when I come across it, but I'd like to know what beat me after it is said and done.

I am trying to change the timing belt on my 97 jetta ]I[. I removed the airbox and hoses, got the timing belt cover, v-belt and serpentine belt off with a minimum of swearing.

Then it came tme to get the crank pullies off. 4x 6mm allen head bolts hold the pulleys to the crank snout. I tried to hold the crank steady (its an automatic) using a bar on the 19mm crank nose bolt, and a 1/2" drive socket wrench on the 6mm Allens holding the crank pulleys on. No F***ing way! They would not budge.

What am I doing wrong? Are they left hand thread? Are they welded in? I tried shooting some penetrating oil into the area where they bolt into the crank snout, and no way were they going to budge.

Help?

Also, the Haynes manual I have shows an eccentric bolt timing belt adjuster, but my car has a hydraulic adjuster on it. Any advice on how to work on this? Do I have to drain it to relieve the pressure, or does it use a ratchet (like the BMWs)?

Thanks in advance! (bad timing joke there...)

I had a 1/2" drive socket holding the pulley, and a 6mm allen socket (3/8" drive) for the bolts. Have you tried putting a long pipe on the end of your ratchet or wretch? You're more likely to round an allen head off, but you're also more likely to break it loose, just take it easy and see what happens.

Are you using an allen wrench or an allen socket?

I have found the allen sockets invaluable when working on my car - I just finished a trans/clutch install, and I used them MANY times.

As for the adjuster, my A4 is definately not an eccentric, it had a high pressure (spring or hydraulic, not sure) tensioner with a pin it. I pulled the pin when I was done, the tensioner did it's thing, and I was a tooth off (lined up perfectly when untensioned) Pulled the tensioner, and put it in a vise to recompress it (probably hydraulic then) and do it again. If yours has a pin, tension the belt by hand and see if you marks line up. If they do, pull the pin, if they don't, readjust it.

Hope this isn't too retarded (even worse timing joke there...)