Have a 2.0 engine I want to do a compression check on but it’s out of car. Any suggestions or does anyone have a belhousing I can attach a starter to? Thx

bell housing is your best bet.

If you had to, we could come up with a crazy Rube Goldberg contraption to spin it from the front fan pulley.

Yup - spare trans is the way to go.

Will a VW trans work, type 1 or 4 or whatever?

Why not do a leak down test? No need to spin the engine, and you will learn more.

Both are worth doing, and they tell you different things.

Leakdown needs special equipment (I think you can get a leak tester at Harbor Freight, but the one I had from them wasn't the best).

Your cold compression numbers will be a little lower then if you had a hot running engine, but it will give you in idea.

As long as you are thinking of doing this, make sure your valves are adjusted properly, and make sure you have an open throttle (or just open intake if you have the intake track removed).

VW trans will mate to the engine case. But the trans may have the starter in the wrong place (different size flywheel). If you have one handy, checking would not take you much time.
Zach

in your situation would be better and easier to do a leak down check

Another vote for leak down.
I've done hot and cold on same engine with negligible differences.
You can make a single gauge leak down tester for <$10.