Hi
It will seem a pain the first time you take the engine out, but it is better than removing the head from an otherwise healthy engine. When the engine is out, any task on it is much easier. Someone to help pull it out and set it down somewhere and put it back is a help, but not essential. Make a note of what goes where as you remove it or take a picture.
The bell housing joins the gearbox to the engine and covers the clutch - if you look behind the engine you'll see it sloping away. When you remove the engine, you'll be leaving the bell housing and gearbox in place. Here's the procedure:
Make sure the car is on level ground with room to pull the engine out. Handbrake on, battery disconnected.
Remove engine compartment lid (don't forget to disconnect the numberplate wire)
On the right of the engine
Remove the heat shield from above the exhaust
Disconnect leads from ignition coil to distributor
Disconnect oil pressure switch lead (down behind distributor)
Disconnect heater air hose
On the left of the engine
Disconnect earth strap
Disconnect dynamo/alternator (which ever you have) but make a note of what goes where or take a picture
Disconnect large air hose (elephant's trunk) from fan case
On the top/centre of the engine
Disconnect the choke and accelerator cables from the carb
Disconnect the fuel pipe from the pump, and the return pipe from the carb if there is one.
Under the car
Remove the skirt/tray from below the alternator/fan casing
Remove the clutch inspection plate (almost triangular, between engine and gearbox
Remove wires and cables from starter motor (behind exhaust)
Remove the bolts which attatch the starter motor to the bell housing
Removing the engine
You need a plank of wood long enough to sit beneath the engine, right from the fan casing to the exhaust, but it must not stick out further or it will snag on the bodywork as the engine is pulled out. Put this on a trolley jack and run the jack under the sump.
Raise the jack so that it takes the weight of the engne
Undo the rear engine mount (bolt through centre of the spring) - you may need to adjust the height of the engine using the jack to make this easier
Remove the cross-member (the rear panel the bumper is attached to).
Support the gear box of a jack or blocks of wood.
Remove the remaining bolts joining the bell housing to the engine - I can't remember how many there are.
Slowly pull the engine from the car.
Put the engine back is reverse of above - just be sure it is lined up nicely so the gearbox shaft slots into the clutch and never allow the shaft to take the weight of the engine (i.e. don't lower the trolley jack too much without some bolts joining the bellhousing to the engine in place. Before fitting the engine back, clean out the oil filter (centre of fan belt pulley on engine). You'll need a new seal for this, but it is essential maintenance work. There are other posts up about this.
It sounds a lot of work, but after the first time, you'll do it in no time at all.
