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Espresso: Espresso Machines
Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

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Discussions > Espresso > Machines > Help!! DIY gone...

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Rmg1
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Location: BOSTON
Expertise: Just starting

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 1:28pm Subject: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

Hi everyone, big problem. My gaggia colour is playing me up. Firstly, for some time its been getting gradually worse in pumping through the espresso. Im using the same coffee as always, but whats happens is this. After ive turned the pump on to give espresso, the pump dies on me, going very quiet and failing to pump through. After about a minute the seal gives up and sprays coffee evrywhere. i regulary descale and have done so again. if i try pumping using no coffee in holder, it pumps through fine-just with coffee in. Anyway now ive made it worse, i took it all to pieces to see if i could replace the pump if needed, but by doing this (not replaced pump yet) and putting everything back to gether (i even took apart the bit with the element in), now when i turn it on, i dont get anything through. The pump turns on, sounds either very noisey or normal, but NO WATER comes through at all. The frother seems to work fine, and water comes out there, but no water from the holder. PLEASE HELP. Regards A VERY DEPRESSED COFFEE LOVER who refuses to drink instant!!

Intrepid510
Senior Member

Joined: 30 Dec 2010
Posts: 303
Location: California
Expertise: I love coffee

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 2:54pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

If you turn on the pump you can get water through the steam wand correct? Have you taken the shower screen off to see if it's all gunky? The fact that it sprays espresso everywhere leads me to believe there is something else going wrong besides the pump.

Less water, more grounds.

Rmg1
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Location: BOSTON
Expertise: Just starting

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 3:03pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

All parts are as new-no gunk or anything. pump sounds like pumping but nothing through head. before i had a play, the pump would partially pump through water but not enough-occasionally before, it would try to pump, then all of a sudden find an opening be ok-almost like popping open. Now though, it looks and sounds like the pump just isnt moving anything-and it looks like theres is air in the tubes. The steam frother is ok i think as it dosnt require the pump-could it be air in syatem which needs removing (some way other than priming)??

Rmg1
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Location: BOSTON
Expertise: Just starting

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 3:05pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

and it only sprays everywhere afetr the seal gives up after the pump has been trying to push through for some time-guess somethings gotta give??? and yes, i get both water and steam through frother.

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,192
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 5:06pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

If I understand correctly, your pump acts normal if you pump with the steam wand open. If that is the case, then the pump is likely ok. One area that sticks is the valve 21,22,23 of page 3 below. The mushroom hangs up. You can get it apart, and you may have already. Some have used a blunt object through the bottom to push up on the mushroom, 21. Not hot where it will burn you if you get it free :) Click Here (www.partsguru.com)

Rmg1
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Location: BOSTON
Expertise: Just starting

Posted Thu Nov 29, 2012, 1:46pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

it sounds ok-however no water through head. i can do everything with the frother as before-make steam and get water though it. no water leaves the tank when pumping for espresso-or bubbles. Have i got an air blokage somewhere?

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,192
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Thu Nov 29, 2012, 3:00pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

What did you do about the "mushroom?" If you pump water out of the tank with the wand open then the tank is full of water. The wand exits at the top. The bottom outlet to the group/brew head is plugged or stuck. That is the mushroom valve.

Rmg1
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Nov 2012
Posts: 6
Location: BOSTON
Expertise: Just starting

Posted Sun Dec 2, 2012, 10:21am Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

hi, ive had the mushroom valve out, cleaned it, checked it. spring looks ok etc. tried it again, no change. will try it again tomorrow without it in at all-will the water just run through without it in there? or does it need pressure to pump through?

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,192
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Sun Dec 2, 2012, 1:24pm Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

If you get good flow without the mushroom and poor with it, perhaps the pump will only pump with essentially no resistance. You can test pressure via the steam wand and see what pressure the pump can gererate. Click Here (www.orphanespresso.com) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnl0LaezLuw I did not get that feeling on the initial post.

SStones
Senior Member

SStones

Joined: 24 Nov 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Canada
Expertise: Professional

Espresso: Giga 5, ECM Giotto, Rocket...
Grinder: Anfim Milano-Best
Vac Pot: No :(
Drip: Some $30 thing from Walmart
Roaster: I buy pre-roasted.

Posted Sun Dec 2, 2012, 9:14pm
Subject: Re: Help!! DIY gone wrong. Gaggia Colour problem.

Rmg1 Said:

hi, ive had the mushroom valve out, cleaned it, checked it. spring looks ok etc. tried it again, no change. will try it again tomorrow without it in at all-will the water just run through without it in there? or does it need pressure to pump through?

Posted December 2, 2012 link

It takes about 4 bar pressure to overcome the valvolina and spring in the Inove machines I've seen, but you've said...

After about a minute the seal gives up and sprays coffee evrywhere.

And if it's coffee and not just hot water, then it's the group gasket giving up... Group Gasket is downstream from Valvolina and re-suggests that your problem is in your filter-basket or dispensor...
If you fill the basket with really coarse coffee, do you get decent flow? If so, then your coffee is clogging your basket.

Is the showerface filter (above where the grounds go) damaged? Is there a chance that your grounds could be going up into the spring area and preventing the valvolina from opening against the spring properly?

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Discussions > Espresso > Machines > Help!! DIY gone...

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