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Espresso: Espresso Mods and Restorations
Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

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CMCM
Senior Member

Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 226
Location: California
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Rancilio Silvia
Grinder: Baratza Vario (retired the...

Posted Sun Mar 30, 2008, 4:41pm Subject: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

I thought I'd post my experience changing Silvia's group head gasket. It was a bear to remove....had been in there for 3 years. I went thru the different methods in the archives....the screw trick didn't work, the paper clip didn't work, but what did work was a dental tool! I had these two dental pick things, made for a consumer not a dentist (Dentek brand).....one has a curved, longer, skinny pick end and the other one was also curved bu shorter in length and a stronger metal. The shorter one was what worked to get into the side of the gasket and get the leverage to pull it out. Once I got the leverage, it wasn't terribly hard to pull it out, and it wasn't in all that bad condition, not as bad as I had expected! I had bought two replacement gaskets from espressoparts.com, so after cleaning all around everything in the group head area, I put in a new one. I had to use a short flat head screwdriver to press the gasket in....when you first put it in and press, it looks like it's in there far enough, but it isn't! I had to position the screwdriver head sideways across the width of the gasket, and then press very hard all around its diameter....and even after I thought it was well in there, I couldn't get the portafilter to go on yet. I ended up turning Silvia upside down, and going around the gasket again and again pressing very hard bit by bit around the diameter to seat it deep enough. It took several passes around the gasket before the portafilter would go on right. Things are tighter than with the old gasket, but that's OK, it will loosen over time. For those who want to be more diligent about this than I have been, I'd suggest ordering a couple of gaskets and get that dental tool to remove it with.

CMCM
Senior Member

Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 226
Location: California
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Rancilio Silvia
Grinder: Baratza Vario (retired the...

Posted Tue Apr 1, 2008, 2:51pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

Another comment....The old gasket had been on nearly 3 years. It actually wasn't in that bad a condition....although there was a distinct groove where the portafilter had pushed into it. It probably could have stayed in longer, but I think it was good to replace it anyway and clean behind it, etc. Interesting thing I am noticing now....with the new gasket in place, the steam wand doesn't seem to be leaking like it was. How could that be??

TroyR
Senior Member

Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 429
Location: St. Albert, Alberta
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: bezzera BZ02s
Grinder: mazzer rio normale, solis...
Vac Pot: bodum santos
Drip: french press
Roaster: i-roast 2

Posted Tue Apr 1, 2008, 5:38pm
Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

CMCM Said:

Interesting thing I am noticing now....with the new gasket in place, the steam wand doesn't seem to be leaking like it was. How could that be??

Posted April 1, 2008 link

When wrassling and inverting the machine you dislodged the piece of scale that was preventing the steam valve from completely sealing... maybe?

geomblog
Senior Member

Joined: 19 Jul 2008
Posts: 1
Location: SLC
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Rancilio Silvia
Grinder: Rancilio Rocky

Posted Sat Jul 19, 2008, 11:48pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

The dental instrument trick worked for me as well (I got it from Ace): I did something slightly different though, which is ok if you don't mind destroying the old gasket. With a small pen knife, I cut a radial slit in the gasket, and used that slit as leverage to start yanking the gasket out. This cuts the gasket in half, but you're applying leverage in a good direction, and then you can literally peel it out by hand.

tcharp
Senior Member

Joined: 6 Dec 2002
Posts: 33
Location: Lubbock, TX
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Alex Duetto II
Grinder: Compak K10

Posted Wed Mar 25, 2009, 10:05am Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

I'm thinking it's time to replace my gasket as well, but it has been in there for 6 years. I have never had any prob with it until recently, and even now it is only a very small leak. I have a gasket in hand, I guess I better go get some dental tools.

santalum
Senior Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2002
Posts: 215
Location: Australia
Expertise: I live coffee

Posted Fri Mar 27, 2009, 4:15pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

tcharp Said: I'm thinking it's time to replace my gasket as well, but it has been in there for 6 years. I have never had any prob with it until recently, and even now it is only a very small leak. I have a gasket in hand, I guess I better go get some dental tools. Posted March 25, 2009 link No need for a dental tool, use a small flat blade screwdriver, tap it into the old gasket at an angle and lever the old gasket out, will come out in pieces but that's no problem, clean the gasket seat up thoroughly, replace the gasket and the jobs done. Pretty simple, 10 mins max, I've replaced mine about 6 times.

Cheers, Santa.

javajueckstock
Senior Member

Joined: 25 Sep 2002
Posts: 104
Location: Sunfield, Mi
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Nuova Simonelli Oscar
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Vac Pot: na
Drip: aeropress,

Posted Mon Dec 21, 2009, 5:01pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

Do I need to remove the Grouphead gasket to clean before it has to be replaced? If it has to be destroyed to remove, then it seems as though I should only do it when it becomes obvious that it needs to be replaced, not as preventative maintenance.

santalum
Senior Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2002
Posts: 215
Location: Australia
Expertise: I live coffee

Posted Mon Dec 21, 2009, 5:38pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

javajueckstock Said: Do I need to remove the Grouphead gasket to clean before it has to be replaced? If it has to be destroyed to remove, then it seems as though I should only do it when it becomes obvious that it needs to be replaced, not as preventative maintenance. Posted December 21, 2009 link No, don't touch it until it starts to cause problems, i.e. starts leaking, then remove it, clean the group head thoroughly and fit a new gasket.

Cheers, Santa.

LottaLatte
Senior Member

Joined: 7 Oct 2010
Posts: 22
Location: The Netherlands
Expertise: Just starting

Espresso: Rocket
Grinder: Cunill Tauro

Posted Sat Oct 16, 2010, 4:02am Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

I'm was in that dark Silvia Group Head Gasket replacement place today. I read this topic after about 10 minutes of messing around but sadly I am no dentist. Then I realised I might have a solution! I got a long narrow screw with a philipshead (I believe this is the name in English), got my screwdriver out and drove the screw in the gasket. After it was in all the way thru I pulled the screw with my hand and the gasket was removed in 20 secondes, no specials tools required! The gasket can not be reused after this of course, it's removal for replacement by another gasket but I worked for my 3+ year gasket.

MikeReilly
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 277
Location: Vancouver Island
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: La Cimbali Junior D, Gaggia...
Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Drip: Cuisinart
Roaster: Behmor, I-Roast 2, Popper

Posted Mon Nov 1, 2010, 10:31pm Subject: Re: Replacing Silvia's Group Head Gasket--What worked

I changed the gasket on my old Gaggia this past weekend (with my Junior out of commission for the time being, figured I'd better get it back on the line). It really resisted being changed. The screw method didn't work at first (I had to pull the screws with pliers and eventually they stripped out of the gasket). So I cut through the gasket with a sharp knife, being careful not to dig into the soft brass of the group head, then put a screw in near the cut and managed to get it started coming out that way. The piece above the dispersion screen didn't come out until the gasket started coming out as the gasket had pretty much molded itself to it. It took a bit of time and elbow grease, but now the Gaggia no longer leaks from the group when I pull a shot. Now if only it was as easy to get a great shot from as it is from Junior. And heated up to steam temp faster. And had a 3 way valve. And adjustable OPV. And adjustable pressurestat.

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