Ok, drained 9L
of oil, and dropped the sump. This sump appears to have had a hard life with two huge creases/dents in it. Also - no sump gasket, just a bead of sealant - is that normal?
Anyhow, cleaned the sump up
..., and I think it's curtains for this engine ...
All the white gritty stuff i think is white metal off the bearings. It's got the texture of flaking paint. Then i found this...
..Lying in the bottom of the sump. I think it's a cam sprocket bolt.
Anyway, proceeded to remove the strainer - 4 bolts, one of which is hidden behind an oil return pipe, and a bit of a git to get at. Anyhow - strainer - blocked..
And with most of the blockages oiked out...
I'm still intending to nail it back together, but I reckon I know what to expect. Anyone got a spare X30SE auto engine for sale?