W202 - can't get DIF ABS sensor out

Phil_MK

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Found my ABS problem, DIF sensor is open circuit. Got Torx bolt out holding sensor in but can't get sensor out. It twists (stiffly) and I've managed to prise it out about 1/10th inch but there it is stuck.

I fear it might break up and leave half still in the hole :-( , I've heard these can be difficult to get out.

1. Any advice on getting it out.
2. Any idea why it's being so stubborn?

Thanks.
 

Number_Cruncher

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Spray some penetrating oil or plus gas onto it, and go and do something else for an hour or two.
 

bigasotonuk

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Hi,
I have done my diff sensor, and from what i can remember there should,nt be anything else holding it in, and if you have it so far out, and it twists I don,t really understand why it can,t be removed. IIRC there was an O ring seal on it unless this is catching it inside, I would just put a pair of Parrot nosed grips on it and twist and turn it out, I think you would be unlucky if it was to break up.
 
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Phil_MK

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Soaked it in oil, left for a while, still wont do anything but stiffly twist.

Drilled a hole thru the body and threaded a wire loop and then had someone pull a rope from outside the car. Despite quite some pull on the end of the sensor and twisting and oiling it, it still wont budge any!!

This is driving me nuts trying to get it out!!!
 
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Phil_MK

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bigasotonnuk.... is the hole smooth? Do u know if there is anywhere it can get caught??
 

robparker

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it is just a smooth hole, i find they are usually pretty tight. i usually tap on the edge where the bolt was with a hammer backwards and forwards to get it twisting more freely then you just have to keep doing it and use a flat blade screw driver to carefully prise it out, some of them can be a rear bugger, but there is not much esle you can do, loads of wd40 of equivelent and keep trying, it will come eventually.
 

5pares

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Ive drilled a hole through the centre in the past,then used a long self tapping screw over a socket and a few washers to drive whats left of the sensor out.
 

Alex Crow

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these are always a pain to get out. the aperture rusts on the outside of the `o`-ring and traps the sensor in. try as above posts, failing that you can drill the guts out of it. this is tricky as the magnetic core can not be drilled so you will have to drill around it and remove all the material (lots of fine wire, lots of plastic!), then the magnetic core, then you can `fold` the edge in and extract it with a hard piece of wire bent over at the end - instrument pulling tools are ideal.
 
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Phil_MK

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OUT AT LAST!

It was a real struggle. Combination of drilling down the side of the plastic part of the sensor and pumping in loads of penertrating oil, heating the housing with a blow tourch (after carefully moving and protecting petrol pump/tubing etc!!!), a lot of pulling and wriggling. In the end when the metal part started to appear it was still so stiff that the plastic and coil pulled right out leaving the empty stainless shell (about 1 inch long) still in the hole. Managed to get a long self tapper down the side between the bore and the shell and eased it out until I could grab enough with the molegrips.
Beware, once the metal shell is out or compromosed, the DIFF oil starts coming out, so having a temporary plug handy helps.

Thank to all the people who made suggestions. :lol:
 

television

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So pleased,,not funny is laying under the car,,your arms do not have the same strength
 


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