Morning All.
All understood etc. The only reason I'm in this minor pickle, is that the clutch started slipping under "Power". 50MPH and full throttle, the rev's would go up, but not the road speed. :-( Plus that smell if you let it do that for too long... Not even towing a trailer either. Mind you, in the last 20+ years since the big build, it's had some (ab)use to say the least (Abingdon event MudRun Recovery duty etc..) so not done bad.
When we (finally) seperated the g'box and engine, and especially after removing the clutch assy, we could see engine oil around the flywheel bolt heads, and a small pool resting in the middle of the flywheel. Though the clutch plate was worn, it was not too bad, however it had that oily/greasy feal and was obviously contaminated. Hence the stripdown, as the flyweel bolts at least needed investigating. (Evidence that most if not all of the oil had seeped past the threads and bolt heads!)
Of course, with them out, and flywheel off, we could then see the seal, that also "Appeared" to be leaking. (But on investigation I don't think was, but without the install tool, it's just as easy to replace it etc, or that was the thought at the time!) It was also evident from looking under the engine, that oil was getting out between the FW housing and block etc. When we got the FW housing off, the gasket had failed, as the bottom half fell on the ground, so oil was getting out that way.
So, what started as a "simple" clutch job. (Are they ever?) Escalated quickly to say the least, and here we are!
Hopefully in a few hours, now I've found someone with a large press of sorts, and also a bit of a LR nut, the seal (second attempt) will be in and
not damaged during fitting, and re-assembly can commence. New FW bolts, Housing/Block gasket, Blue Hylomar, HD clutch kit, release bearing, slave cylinder, coffee etc etc... (Not evident in the attached picture, but there is now a new spiggot bearing fitted too.)
And yes, the bulkhead footwell on the left also needs attention. It was "New Old Stock" 20 odd years ago, + I had it "Profesionally" prepared and painted after the needed minor mod to clear the Disco Lump exhaust, and also filled all it's cavities with WaxOil. It's now turning to dust in significant places (but not where the footwell mod was done) just like a 20 year old Solihull product of it's generation... That'll be another big job for next year, and another thread. Like this job, and the original rebuild, all done on the driveway in the open, dodging the British weather from time to time...
Regards to All.
DDave.