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La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

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Discussions > Espresso > Machines > La San Marco 85...

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lawrencetar
Senior Member

Joined: 4 Jul 2005
Posts: 23
Location: seattle
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: 2 La san Marco 2 group 85...
Grinder: La San Marco and a Dosimeter

Posted Mon Jul 4, 2005, 3:49pm Subject: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

Hi all, this is my first post, I've been trolling this site for info, and its' been helpful. I'm looking for advice on my current rebuild of a La San Marco, here is the current state of things. I've got two machines, the first I hope to rebuild and sell, the second I want to put in my house. I've got all the group heads off the boiler out , went to my local Michealo (nice to be in Seattle), they were very helpful in putting a rebuild kit together for me based on all the parts bags I brought in (they were good about letting me know what was trashed and what was reusable), and their tech gave me a lot of tips and tricks! So my question is on the boiler element which is covered in scale. Both machines belonged to a espresso house in Chicago and I suspect they did nothing to treat the water. In the machine I am currently working on there were clogs all through the lines of the machine, and one of the valves with a little plastic insert (don't know it's name) was cloged with a mineral chunk, which I think was keeping the boiler from filling. Back to the element, I tested it's ohm rating as per the tech's advice and everything is at 43 ohms, is that ok I think he said around 35 ohms was what OEM is? or too high. I've got a small package of scale clean will have to use the 5lb bag. Is there a good way to clean out the element and heat exchangers or should I just soak them in a near boiling pot of water with scale clean? Any advice? I'd like to document my process in a nice howto with picks and post it on my website, but I would like some input. Maybe I will entitle it "How to rebuild an abused La San Marco". I also need to buy a torch today to get that pesky old gasket off the boiler. Attached a pic. (Click for larger image)

Posted Mon Jul 4, 2005, 3:50pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

another pic!! (Click for larger image)

Posted Mon Jul 4, 2005, 3:53pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

the rebuild kit. (Click for larger image)

hifi_guy
Senior Member

Joined: 4 Apr 2004
Posts: 268
Location: Germany
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Simonelli Oscar & Personal V
Grinder: Simonelli MDE, Mazzer Kony...
Vac Pot: none
Drip: Melitta Cone, now unused

Posted Tue Jul 5, 2005, 12:52pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

wow! The second picture looks positively scary. Good luck on your brave project! Cheers, Bernhard

espressoDOM
Senior Member

Joined: 1 May 2003
Posts: 2,188
Location: Bay Area
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: WEGA Lyra (vibe)
Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Vac Pot: (no more coffee equipment)
Drip: French Press
Roaster: Hot Top Roaster; Fresh Roast...

Posted Tue Jul 5, 2005, 1:23pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

(shudder) I want to see how this goes for you...

DOM...evil genius ...Up to no good in espresso at all times... VIVA la parts de Espresso

TampedUp
Senior Member

Joined: 12 Feb 2005
Posts: 39
Location: New York
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Cimbali M30, Elektra Sixties...
Grinder: La Cimbali Junior, Rocky...
Drip: Cuisinart Grind and Brew
Roaster: I-Roast; Hottop

Posted Tue Jul 5, 2005, 8:37pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

Hi. Good luck with the rebuild. I did a similar rebuild on a Cimbali M30. Your element should be fine. If the element were burned out you would not get a resistance measurement across it. To descale the elements, suspend them (do not let the plug end get wet) in a tall container with the scalekleen disolved in very hot water. I found that you may need 2-3 soakings with fresh scalekleen, each a few hours long, to get all of the scale off. I found a lower cost alternative. I used StarSan, a beverage industry sanitizer made from phosphoric acid. With this you can make it as strong or weak as you want depending upon the degree of scale. One 4 oz container makes more than enough descaler for your whole machine and costs about as much as one or two packets of scalekleen. When you descale the rest of the parts, if you put a bronze part with a copper piece in the same solution, the copper color will plate the bronze part. If possible, separate the metals before cleaning. PR

IronBarista
Senior Member

Joined: 13 Mar 2004
Posts: 708
Location: Rapid City, SD
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Ginsu Silvia
Grinder: Ginsu Super Jolly & Rocky
Vac Pot: Ginsu Nada
Drip: Ginsu Melitta (pourover)
Roaster: Ginsu Behmor

Posted Tue Jul 5, 2005, 10:42pm Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

This webby has some cool info. If you have some electrical and mechanical skills, you should be good. I know I'd love to do a restoration.

I drink espresso so I can work longer, so I can make more money, so I can drink more espresso, so I can work longer, so I can make more money, so I can drink more espresso...

Posted Sat Jul 9, 2005, 10:36am Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

Just got the frame back from the welder, the hot water valve hangar was wearing thin, I don't want to sell a machine that isn't going to last. (Click for larger image)

Posted Sat Jul 9, 2005, 10:40am Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

I figured if the welder I went to did bodywork on Bentley's he was more than qualified to work on my La San Marco. I took it to Elhot on 12th in pine in Seattle, he's under the sign shop and charged me $75 for fabricating the support and welding it to the frame. (Click for larger image)

Posted Sat Jul 9, 2005, 10:42am Subject: Re: La San Marco 85 FCS 2 Rebuild

I attacked the frame with a wire brush and a fresh coat of paint, hopefully when I get all the seals replaced it won't corrode like that again. (Click for larger image)

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