Finally got something!

[ChristiaanV]

Right, everything between the radiator and engine is coated in grime and oil, because the oil seal is leaking and the fan belt is throwing oil everywhere.
So... I'm trying to convince myself when I need to replace it, since if I'm going to do that I might as well hoist the engine out and do a full job on it, and get the mini treated and painted at the same time.

My thoughts were to leave that for December but I guess there's nothing wrong with doing all that now.
But that means I need a way to lift the engine out (and my dad had just over a month ago cut up his tripod system made exactly for this kind of job. We've been lugging it around for the past 15 years and barely used it for lifting heavy things and right when I want to use it, it's not there anymore.)


I'm more afraid of pulling the mini apart to do big jobs on it, and then end up not having a drive-able car for a year because it's taking me so long to make it perfect again. I like to imagine pulling the engine out, cleaning the oil and grease off and leaving it with a paint job will take me a month of work after hours, but my track record just for getting brake slaves is a month and ongoing.

I don't want  to take on more fixes this year, but I know if I don't it's gotta happen in the near future.

edit: Having had time to think about this clearly, I'm not going to lift the engine soon. I'll just make it run for now, then order all the parts I will need and do everything in one go in couple months time. Sure it's just about back to square one but I'll be ready for it with better tools and parts.