Hi Jay, 
    It appears it is possible to = access the pressure plate bolts through the starter hole in the bell = housing. Sometimes a bad pilot bearing can hold dearly to the transaxle = input shaft but rocking the engine a bit will free it up.  A clutch disk = stuck to the input shaft can be nearly impossible to free up with the engine = and transaxle together. Good luck with your quest.
Darrell
       
----- Original Message -----
From: Darrell Boehler
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 1999 = 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: remove = engine

Hi Jay,
    Be sure you have all 4 bell = housing bolts removed,  one of them helps hold on the = starter. Pushing on the clutch pedal will then cause separation. If not the Transaxle input = shaft is not letting go of the clutch disk.  Not sure if there is a way to = remove the pressure plate stud bolts that go into the flywheel with the = transmission and engine together on a wasserboxer. It is possible to do it on a = bus. Then you can remove the engine and leave the clutch disk and pressure plate = on the transaxle. I will check for a bell housing access hole and let = you know.
 
Darrell
          
----- Original Message -----
From: Jay & Kim Schmidt
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM =
Sent: Thursday, August 26, = 1999 10:36 AM
Subject: remove engine

Hi all,
    I'm doing my = first wasserboxer removal(84) and am all set to drop, but can't get the = engine to pull free(or even begin to) from the trans bell housing. Everything = is  disconnected,I've tried various angles by adjusting the engine = height, but it wont break free. I've never had this problem on my 2.0 aircooled. = I know the lower studs have to come out straight, but I cant begin to pull = from the bell housing. Any suggestions?
    The = alternative is to leave it in and pull the heads. Bentley tells how to do it, but = Haynes says not to. What does the list think?
Jay
84 westy
77 westy
71 highroof camper