good idea - I can try that...

the sensor itself has a cracked cover so I'm still checking around for a replacement. I can fix the cover if I need to.

I have it soaking with penetrating oil on the inside and I'm going to torch it over the weekend -if that all fails I'll start grinding. It threads into a piece of square stock and grinding one side off might work - hard to get a hacksaw in place since the body of the sensor is in the way. Now if I had a milling machine...