bob_the_bass Senior Member Joined: 28 Mar 2012 Posts: 7 Location: england Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: gaggia classic Grinder: mazzer mini e
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 12:08am Subject: problem with our Gaggia Classic
Hi, my first post, and I guess like many it is because I have a problem!
We have a Gaggia Classic espresso machine that has served us pretty well for the past eight years. It has recently developed an odd fault in that I can’t get the handle on so that it fully locks in with the large gasket. I changed the gasket as they can get a bit hard and brittle over time but this has not helped.
On two recent occasions the handle has slowly turned backwards during extraction and on the last occasion fell off the machine and took out a cappuccino cup on the way down, not good.
Everything looks OK, yet it just will not fit properly. I have removed and replaced the gasket just to make sure it was bedded in properly and this has still not fixed it. Any ideas? Thanks, Bob
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 7:26am Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
Have you cleaned really well around the sides of the group head (where the ears on the portafilter lock in place)? It can really build up with coffee oils and grinds and goo.
I use a toothbrush (or they make dedicated brushes just for cleaning the group head) to scrub the showerscreen after a session - it's hard to get a toothbrush up into that area by the gasket and where the PF locks in but a q-tip can help clean that area. And I also use a blind filter basket (I have a spare Portafilter that I keep the blind basket in so it's always handy) to do a quick backflush --- and also I will loosely lock the PF with the blind basket and pump water so it overflows around the edges (locked loosely enough that it doesn't seal against the gasket) and do a little back and forth wiggle of the PF handle while the water is gushing over the edges. This helps clean the gasket and that whole area. You might want to use some coffee detergent (you might even want to remove your drip tray and water tank and turn the whole machine upside down so you can fill that whole area (where the PF locks into the group) with hot water and coffee detergent to let it clean the whole locking area).
OK ... now finally, if that doesn't work ... I have never needed to do this on a Gaggia ... but I have had other machines where the PF would start to back itself out of the group when it got under pressure. The ears had gotten polished enough that they were just so slick they wouldn't stay locked. I just took a small file (I used a nice, jeweler's file - but some sandpaper or a nail file would work) and lightly roughed up the surface of the ears (this would be the bottom surface of just the ears on the PortaFilter - the bottom surface pushes against the ramps in the grouphead to push the PF up against the gasket). Don't remove any material - just give the surface a bit of a scuffing so it isn't shiny - it doesn't take much. I did the scuffing motion at right angles to the direction of motion the ears would take when locking into the group -- so I'd set the file on the ear and then slide it to the outside edge (hope that makes sense)
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,312 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 11:26am Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
I have read somewhere about a warped group head I wish I remember where I read that. If his suggestion doesn't work make sure everything is true and even. If it got really hot and warped or banged up things might need to be replaced.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 11:37am Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
You have probably eliminated this possibility, but just in case: are you sure the new/replacement gasket was/is the correct thickness? I might be (often am) wrong, but I think a too thick gasket could cause the problem you are having.
bob_the_bass Senior Member Joined: 28 Mar 2012 Posts: 7 Location: england Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: gaggia classic Grinder: mazzer mini e
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 5:25pm Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
SJM Said:
You have probably eliminated this possibility, but just in case: are you sure the new/replacement gasket was/is the correct thickness? I might be (often am) wrong, but I think a too thick gasket could cause the problem you are having.
Too thick a gasket would make perfect sense. I hope it is the correct gasket. I bought the part from Happy Donkey in the UK. Gaggia UK has gone bust and I found it really hard to find parts over here. Who do most UK coffee-heads get their Gaggia bits from?
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 6:29pm Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
I know we have members at the Gaggia Users Group from the other side of the pond. I don't know where they source their parts, but I know they would share the information with you if you want to come on over and ask the question.
I know, I know, I could ask them on your behalf, but heck we only have about 1600 members and I'm always trolling for more....:-))))
In the meantime, maybe you could pull your gasket out and put the micrometer on it.
I would if I had a micrometer. I would have said its not standard household issue here in the UK. Do all you guys over the pond have them..? We live in a quaint 20th century world over here ;-)
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Mar 30, 2012, 8:02am Subject: Re: problem with our Gaggia Classic
I'd like to grin and say that was a joke, but....I simply misspoke/miswrote.
What I meant is whatever gizmo you use to measure how many millimeters thick it is. Our rulers (even here) usually come with inches on one side and millimeters on the other.
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