The V8 Owners Forum -

Lansalot, as I said when I text messaged you earlier, your early engine has an extra oil deflector plate on the end of the crank, which is hiding the camchain and gear from your vision. These plates were fitted to the early engines with the rope-seal design of front timing cover, commonly referred to as a "Pre-SD1" style of engine. This oil deflector plate was removed from later engines as it was not required, its purpose was to prevent the rope style of seal becoming flooded with excess oil and causing static leaks as a result.
Once your front pulley is located over the crankshaft key and slid fully hone (and torqued up!), there is NO gap for mud, oil or water to pass through.

The deflector plate /disc was also there to throw oil up onto the mechanical fuel pump cam on the earlier carb engines.

Regards Denis

That's exactly it, thanks for all the assistance guys. I took the old pre-SD1 engine apart and sure enough there's a plate in there.

Got enough on my hands trying to get the thing to run without worrying I'm going to kill it the moment it hits its first puddle :p

Thanks again to all, can't wait to get it fired up.

A