Changed the immersion heater on my mum's Hotpoint w/m yesterday and it was a pig until we discovered what the problem was.
The heater is held in place by a single bolt which squashes the large rubber "bung" between two plates making the fitting water tight. Over time, the rubber bung develops a ridge on the inside so it will not pull straight out even though everything seems loose.
All you have to do is to prise out the rubber from one edge with a screwdriver being careful not to crack the housing (plastic drum). Once one edge is out, the rubber just slips out easy as pie !!!
The heater is held in place by a single bolt which squashes the large rubber "bung" between two plates making the fitting water tight. Over time, the rubber bung develops a ridge on the inside so it will not pull straight out even though everything seems loose.
All you have to do is to prise out the rubber from one edge with a screwdriver being careful not to crack the housing (plastic drum). Once one edge is out, the rubber just slips out easy as pie !!!