Saving Old Seagulls

.... both the pulley and the retaining screw

To an extent it doesn't matter, but I want it to be right.
I have been soaking it in penertrating oil for weeks in the hope that either the pulley wheel frees up or the retaining screw will undo
Has anyone overcome this problem? The thought of centre drilling the screw out of a soft aluminium casing doesn't fill me with joy!

I have a few that are solid. If after a few attempts to free off they don't move, then I leave well alone.

You will either strip the thread in the casing or mangle the pulley.

It work well enough if solid, the only down side could be that the rope wears a little quicker.

If you use the engine enough perhaps the vibration and some additional WD40 may loosen it off.

H-A

If in doubt use heat, ally pulley wheel, steel shouldered screw then thick gloves, I find that as the pulley wheel is seized on the screw, if you remove the recoil unit from it's support then undo the screw, the pulley will come off at the same time, a few light taps will remove the screw, clean grease & then replace.

Don't break anything, spares are difficult.

I dug out my biggest flathead screwdriver .... Fortunately, its a lovely wide slot in the screw!
A huge effort and it finally unscrewed with the pulley as described above
A few taps and the pulley separated. Thank You