Ideal Classic LXFF Thermistor Pocket

[Brisk]

Hi everyone,

First post so hopefully someone can help.
Basically, I have only ever really dealt with the breakdown of newish boilers, today I got called out to an old Ideal LXFF.

Anyway, Using the usual fault finding ways I found that the Thermister had given up. Ordered a new part and luckily managed to get it this afternoon, with it being a dry pocket I went back to change it right away.

However I came across a small problem, with the boilers I have been dealing with thermisters usually just pull straight out, but this has been in so long the heat transfer compound within the pocket had totally sealed it in, and thus - It snapped!

So Im left with a dry pocket with half a thermister inside it. Its actually within the channel of the pocket now, so my grips cant get a hold of it.
What I want to know is there anyway of still getting the termister out of the pocket, I did consider sticking in a 2mm metal bit and giving it a whizz to try and remove it, or do I need to order another dry pocket and drain the boiler down and install a whole new dry pocket?

Obviously I would rather a quicker way than a drain down, but needs must.


Any help is appreciated,

Thanks everyone!

 

[misterdubya]

Drill it out?

Mr. W.

 

[Agile]

Isn't this pocket just a drilling into the c.i. heat exchanger?

Tony

 

[Brisk]

I was going to drill it, but then I had a horrid thought that the actual brass Thermister pocket may have somewhere that the old Thermister could fall into, thus effecting the new one, and the old bit being lost forever.

So if I stick my 3mm drill bit inside the pocket channel where the old one used to be and give my drill a quick whizz, All of the old Thermister should just fall out the front and allow my new one just to slide in easily?