Can anyone tell me why... Or if it's normal to be able to turn an engine over via the crank pulley bolt whilst it's in gear?
Manual transmission.... What's gone wrong? rebuilt the motor and put it back in the ute though now I'm having doubt about it all. Clutch is fine but I can crank the motor over by hand whist its in gear.

That's normal. Just think, what's the engine doing whilst driving it on the road in gear??

Turning over.

But with the engine off... I should be able to crack the crankshaft puller my bolt if it's in gear.... Insted it turns over...

The engine turns over regardless of it being in gear or not. What are you trying to do exactly?

I'm just trying to crack the crankshaft pulley bolt so I can take the timing cover off to fix a coolant leak :/
But yeah.... The motor turns when it's in gear and clutch is out.... I thought this would meen that the clutch doesn't engage to the flywheel... Because like.... Motor turns gearbox- turns tailshaft- turns diff- turns wheels.... But in this case motor turns the motor and nothing else even though it is in 1st gear

Take the starter motor out and use a lever or something simular to lock the flywheel using the teeth on the ring gear. You may need assistance.
JD

The crankshaft bolt is torque tighter than the force required to turn the engine by hand tool -- even if in gear and it will move the car.

1st gear makes it easier to move the car via the engine. Try 4th gear. You can also try setting the hand brake, it may be enough to hold it ...

What works for me is to put a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt. Rotate it down to the ground. Pull the coil wire off the coil. Then turn the key to START for a second. That breaks it loose

So if it's in first... It should rotate the wheels by the crank bolt if everything is normal?

Yes, easily. My 1200 moved if I grabbed the fan belt and rotated it

There's my problem.... The wheels won't move when it's in gear... And I turn over the engine with the crank bolt.... Any ideas why that is??