Just my idea!!
To remove the pump & to leave it off you also need to pull the shaft out which means clutch cover off as comes through a 'sort of cast' bush & has the drive gear on the inner end of course. Otherwise could just reduce the pump stroke to zero or minus zero then block pump off still with oil to cavitate & be lubricated going nowhere. In theory [my theory] you could leave the line to the cylinder in place. Then with pump capped where oil tank delivers--just remove the tank--or is it gone anyway. Alternatively [did it on one of mine] removed pump then found a tube that fitted over the push then filled tube with oil & capped it--just to keep the bush lubed. Has a seal inboard so no clutch/trans oil get to the bush--but pump being full of oil kept it lubed.