Did some more work on the car...
First job was to remove the old clutch plate and cover, one of the locating dowels had clearly been bent by the last person in here, so I had to gently prise the cover off with a crowbar after removing the cover securing nuts. The clutch isn't in bad shape at all, but whilst I'm in I may as well replace it:
With that done I could get the flywheel off, but first I had to brace the main pulley bolt using a breaker bar and suitable socket:
The flywheel was in really good condition
Next job was to remove the filthy bell gasket so I could give it a good clean and get a closer look at the rear of the block:
Gave it a bit of a wipe down:
Now it can clearly be seen that all the oil which had contaminated the bell housing over the years was leakage from the rocker cover gasket down the back of the head and into the bell, there are clear oil streaks down the drivers side of the block:
Gave the main oil seal a wipe over, couldn't see any signs of leaks from it, but what can easily be seen is a chunk missing from the spigot bush in the rear of the crank:
Because the sump gasket and rear crank seal seem to be fine I've decided to leave well enough alone and NOT fit the new ones that I bought, if the sump does turn out to be leaking than I can replace it with the gearbox back on.
Packed the spigot with grease, and used a snug fitting socker with 6 inch extension inserted the wrong way round, covered with cloth and whacked in with a hammer - this is supposed to force the spigot out, but it was having none of it:
Used a screwdriver and lump hammer to break it up instead, it's made of brass so disintegrates easily:
Drove the new spigot in with a suitably sized socket and a rubber mallet:
Remounted the bell gasket:
Refitted the flywheel - torqued up bolts to 110NM:
Used a long 14mm socket and 6 inch extension as a locating tool for the new clutch:
Then fitted the new clutch cover plate after love tapping the bent dowel back into shape:
