[Vwdiesel] Alternator Pulley-Gone!

[Travis .]

There is no bolt. The Alt shaft is threaded externally (male) and the pulley is threaded internally (female). You do need the special tools (2 total). One holds the alt shaft in place while the other moves the pulley. Without a picture though I can't tell you what is left of the pulley to know if you can get it off with a special tool. You can get the one on with one for sure. Careful as there has been one person that barrowed my tools that actually broke his alt shaft it was on so tight. Pulley is around $65 and the tools are around $30 from Metal Nerd. You will want the newer shorter tools so you can do in the car. The older set you had to pull the alt out on the ALH (not the PD though). I had to change one pulley. 
 
Warning to the rest-if the belt is jumping around it is your pulley-some replace the tensioner (which actually costs more) and it only looks like it helps-for a bit till the shock is worn out (ALH has a shock- PD just spring). They tend to make noise at idle from jumping around. That is the engine pulses fighting the alternators mass on the belt which is the reason for the clutched pulley. The other sign is the battery light. Some fail solid and cause the belt noise. Some fail free spinning which doesn't charge the battery. To check-pull the belt off, put a screw driver in the internal fan blades and try to turn the pulley. It NEEDS to turn ONLY one way. Both ways or neither-replace. Rarely-they do fly apart like what Dave found. Sometimes though they can fly apart and damage other close by parts like jaming the timing belt and one even started there bug on fire. 
 
Travis 

> 
> Started the car ( '02 Golf TDI) this afternoon, heard a noise (but nothing else out of the ordinary) and shortly afterward the battery light came on.
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> I drove home hoping that it was the serp belt, but unfortunately no dice.? 
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> 
> The damn alternator pulley is gone!? 
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> There appears to be shards of a sliver of a metal sleeve or something (maybe innards of the pulley?) around the alternator shaft.
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> So what are my options?? Since the old pulley seems to be gone, does that mean I need a special tool to install the new one?? I feel like I can feel threads on the inside of the shaft with my pinky, but I suppose that I should pull the alternator to inspect to make sure that the threads aren't damaged or something.? 
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> ?
> Source for pulley and bolt?? The alternator seems to be rotating freely and such.
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> Dave Cook
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