Cheers Lerk, your post saved me a lot of head scratching, if not a lot of swearing and cursing!
All the bolts on my 1996 300 tdi were seized solid and even with the assistance of a bucket load of wd40, a strap wrench and a length of pole I had to grind one of the power steering pump pulley bolts off after it rounded on me!
Thought the job was a good un after that if still a struggle fighting with every bolt that was packed solid with crud, then had to use a long chisel to split the nut on the end of the long bolt the holds the housing in place after it started rounding off on me too (bolt and nut c in Lerks how to).
Still job done now though and can only say if it wasnt for the easy to follow how to I think I'd still be at it yet!
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My only tip would be, if your bolts are as welded on as mine, to make sure you've got a decent set of 6 pointed hex sockets as we burst two 10mm Draper Expert 12 pointed sockets while rounding off the two most stubborn bolts but got on fine with a random make 6 pointed set.
All the bolts on my 1996 300 tdi were seized solid and even with the assistance of a bucket load of wd40, a strap wrench and a length of pole I had to grind one of the power steering pump pulley bolts off after it rounded on me!
Thought the job was a good un after that if still a struggle fighting with every bolt that was packed solid with crud, then had to use a long chisel to split the nut on the end of the long bolt the holds the housing in place after it started rounding off on me too (bolt and nut c in Lerks how to).
Still job done now though and can only say if it wasnt for the easy to follow how to I think I'd still be at it yet!
+
My only tip would be, if your bolts are as welded on as mine, to make sure you've got a decent set of 6 pointed hex sockets as we burst two 10mm Draper Expert 12 pointed sockets while rounding off the two most stubborn bolts but got on fine with a random make 6 pointed set.