Jobs were delegated yesterday to a friend who did the work yesterday, all I did was hold a torch.
He tried the 5mm allen key then the 6mm, and true to form it felt ''somewhere in between the two''
He also tried his torx bits, he tried T30 and T40 and said it was between them, I jumped up saying I had a Torx 35 (remember front seat rails) and again - it wouldn't work.
We then jumped to the conclusion it was rounded. Perhaps I had tried so bloody hard a few days ago that no amount of strength could move this very clearly stuck screw. If the screw is as stuck as it is, then surely the head was going to get mashed up anyway...
We are talking about a 13 year old screw, I doubt this job has been done before.
Anyway, my mechanic friend said to chisel through the side of the sensor, chisel off the screw.
Much elbow grease later and a piece of plastic went flying. He'd done it. He's broken the sensor away from the retaining screw.
I did say a couple of days ago this bolt isn't going to make it out in one piece and it became clear yesterday that the original sensor wasn't going to either, lol.
Anyway, with the sensor now free from the retaining screw we thought it would be easy enough to prize out the hole... WRONG. She put up a fight again. We tried everything to try and prize it out.
Was then advised to take the disk off and adopt the 'punch it through' idea...
It didn't take long and it was punched through (yippee!)
The bad news.
Although the sensor is out of it's place, the fact remains that bastard screw is locked into position with a knackered head. This is going to be an absolute pig of a job to do. My friend is a very strong man and if he couldn't do it - I stand absolutely no chance.
With work ground to a halt again I have no choice but to delay the MOT. Was hoping to have it done by the weekend (and drive over to Grampy's next weekend to lay flowers on his 2 year anniversary of passing) but I am sure he will understand my dilemma.
At the end of the day, he knows better than anyone what it's like to work on a stubborn machine.....

Ready for pics?


On a side note: I burnt 2 disks for my friend who helped me with this yesterday. I tested both in Miss Pug, both worked perfectly.
However, in his German crapola car - neither would play.
Nawww, see - Pugs are the best... just a teeny tiny bit too stubborn at times.

Will take photo of the screw soon.