Steady on lads, no fighting over an old boiler!
After refusing to work all day, I decided to have one last go last night. Held the button in for over a minute, and it worked! Pilot stayed on all night and at present, is still on. I don't want to spend money on it, as we're getting a combo boiler in the new year, so fingers crossed it will limp along until then.
I did that on my mum's old boiler a year or so back - after holding the gas button in for well over a minute, the pilot stayed on for some reason - and it lasted a good 3 months until the boiler was replaced.
Does anyone know why this happens - ie holding the gas button in longer somehow keeps the pilot on - I'm thinking more current can get through to the solenoid this way as the t/c itself is failing?...