Please, help with non functioning Gaggia

For non-TMC members to ask questions and offer comments

Moderators: GreenBean, Gouezeri, bruceb, CakeBoy

Please, help with non functioning Gaggia

Postby Ingeborg Foco » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:52 pm

Dear TMC members,

I have a Gaggia espresso machine. I purchased the machine in 1980 upon my return to the US after a three year stint in France; Simply could not live without espresso.

It served me well for all of those years but went into storage during a major across the country move. Last night it was time to fire it up and it refused to work. The machine lights come on, the machine gets hot but no water comes thru.

Today I took the machine apart, cleaned the screen which needed it. I took out the plug according to directions and reamed a needle up the opening which did nothing. Machine still does not run. Any ideas of what the problem could be? My machine looks very similar to the Gaggia Classic that I saw on the internet.

I called around for repairs but feel the people I spoke to don't know how to repair an espresso machine. I am living on an island and espresso is not much in vogue.

I have removed the top cover and am studying the inside. It all looks relatively simple but I don't know how to trouble shoot the system. Is it the water pump?

Any help you can give me will be sincerely appreciated.

Ingeborg
in SW Florida

Ingeborg (transplanted German)
Ingeborg Foco
 

Postby simonp » Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:07 pm

Is it the water pump?


Possibly, do you get hot water from the steam wand?
Profitec 700 dual boiler
Isomac Rituale
Mazzer Mini
Mahlkonig Vario
Chemex
Aeropress
2 Bodum press pots
Hottop updated to a B with Compuetr control
Imex roaster, dimmer mod on heater (under spare bed)
Rival popper, with split motor and dimmer mod on heater (retired)
User avatar
simonp
 
Posts: 1910
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:14 am
Location: Wiltshire, UK

Postby Guest » Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:09 pm

You can try the following open the steam wheel and then press the coffee button water wil come out of the steam pipe. if this doesnt work then try to decalcify it with the right detergant and not with vinigar!
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:35 am

negative. no water coming out of the steam wand. What is the proper detergent? I've always done the vinegar thing. Obviously that wasn't the thing to do.
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:27 am

Hi again.

I completley took the machine apart. Cleaned the boiler lots of loose
scale and a thin layer on the inside of the boiler. Checked all of the piping to make sure water flowed thru. Then reassembled the entire thing boy of boy...Can't believe I got all of those electrical connectors back in the right place. However, still no water running thru the steam wand or the boiler. So, now I've taken the pump apart and am about to try to trouble shoot the electrical part. If this doesn't work, I don't know what to do.

Ingeborg
Guest
 

Postby jumper » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:04 pm

i opened a classic not so long ago and on the back of the boiler there was a valve i think that if thats stuck youll get nothing try opening that and cleaning it
moccatronic eleganza 2gr
ecm botticelli 2
mazzer mini
fiorenzato t80
User avatar
jumper
 
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 2:34 pm
Location: the netherlands

Postby Guest » Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:48 am

I have opened up everything, water pump was corroded and the piston not moving freely. After some cleaning (with a wire brush) it is smooth and operational; water pump is pumping which it did not do before. Checked all of the tubes runing in all directions to make sure water flowed and nothing was plugged. Put it all back together again (for about the 5th time) and everything works except the boiler leaks. sigh!! Took it apart again and ground the surface smooth put it back together again and everything works but it still leaks. Today I ran all over the place trying to find an o ring large enough to solve the leaking problem. No luck.
I know more than I ever really wanted to know about the inner workings of an espresso machine and all I want is for it to make a cup of coffee. At this point I feel like I could go into the repair business.:)
It is Saturday evening here and Monday morning I will call around and see if I can locate an o ring. 3 1/2 inches od. That's all I need to make this Coffee Gaggia operational again.

Thanks for your help TMC people.

Ingeborg
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:52 am

Hi Coffee people,

No place could I find an o-ring the size I needed. Gaggia has apparently made the boilers much smaller by about an inch. Well, I ground the head of the boiler down some more and did bit of rework on the bottom part- the boiler, name of the part eludes me at this moment. Used the same o ring and lo and behold, it worked. I did however order an o ring from a company that required only 10 minimum. However, I had to pay a premium to order the minimum, and pay shipping on top of that. What else could I do?
So I will once again take the entire thing apart to put in the new o ring which should last another 20 years; I hope.

I managed to make a fine cup of coffee from my old Gaggia and am really happy to have made it work. It took an unbelievable amount of time especially since I am not necessarily mechanically inclined. However, I had nothing to lose as the machine would have been toast and not repairable by anyonw else......too expensive to fix and parts not available.

Motto: Don't give up and you can do it regardless. Now, it is time for me to get back to my own line of work which is Clay Artist/potter and pots are waiting for me.

The best to all of you TMC people. I plan to check in periodically to see what I can learn about this wonderful hobby of yours.

Ingeborg
Guest
 


Return to Open House

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests

cron