Clarke 160T MIG Wire Feed Issue...

[silverzx]

Was in the process of welding a flexi pipe into my downpipe on my car last night and half way through the welder stopped working.


After a quick look it appeared the wire had clogged up in the feed.

I pulled the wire out, cut it and fed in some fresh wire and it fed all the way through until after the torch brass block (post liner) and then stopped, hit something and blocked up at the wire roller again. I tried this three times and same thing happened each time.

Obviously there is a blockage somewhere near/after the torch brass block but I'm not sure where and whether there is anything I can try before replacing it altogether with a new swan neck -


Clarke MIG 160/165 Swan-Neck Assembly
£18.45 (inc VAT)
No.5 in the diagram. Complete with Items No.4 & No.3

Should I try poking some wire down from the tip end? Should I change the tip?


The downpipe:



The problem:





I had it apart last night and it seems to get past the block, circled in red.




Am I right in thinking if I unscrew the swan neck from the brass block (as circled in yellow) if will reveal this spring that might be the problem as it could be snagging on the side of it and rotating it could cure the problem?