Help! MK3 VR6 Coolant pump pulley loose

[vduber6er]

The car: 1998 GTI VR6
Location: Scripps Ranch, San Diego
I was changing my serpentine belt and notice that my pulley has a lot of play in it. I'm guessing it is either loose or my bearings are going bad. Has anyone here ever changed or accessed the pulley to tighten? Im reading the manual about how you have to loosen the front motor mount and lift the engine. I've never done that so I'm not sure how to approach it. The pulley should not be wobbly at all right? Help please, this is my daily driver to and from work. I tried to leave it be and retighten my tensioner but when i give the engine a couple of cranks, the belt wants to slip off.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Eric

[Carlos]

are you talking about the waterpump pulley or tensioner pulley? the tensioner pulleys tend to go out at higher miles.

[vduber6er]

water pump

[Carlos]

you need to check them with a 5mm allen. it sounds like the pump bearings are going out though.