Izzo Alex Leva

[RichardC]

Got it Samual, thanks again for breaking it down for me

[AlMac]

If anyone can find the tool needed to take the cap of the piston let me know. I am starting to think it doesn't even exist, except at the factory where they are put together.

I found it - it's called a Budd Nut Socket.
Now trying to buy one in the right size with the correct size pins and configuration.
Have to take the piston in to a specialist tool shop.

Got lucky. A tool guru looked at my photo of it and knew what it was.

[Dr_Dave]

Thanks Al,
I'd appreciate you letting me know when you find it as I would buy one also
Cheers
Dave

[Hack]

I was going to a tool shop to have one manufactured. But, if there is one somewhere, I would like to buy one too.

[AlMac]

I was going to a tool shop to have one manufactured. But, if there is one somewhere, I would like to buy one too.

Will let you know how I get on.
Should get a chance to take the piston out of the machine and into the tool shop in the next couple of days.

[AlMac]

Will let you know how I get on.
Should get a chance to take the piston out of the machine and into the tool shop in the next couple of days.

Another dead end.
The smallest diameter the tool shop could get in was bigger than the piston diameter.

I did learn that the four small notches in the piston head are 6mm across.

While a pin spanner will work well when the piston is out of the Lever Group Body, it won't help you reassemble the piston inside the Lever Group Body.
This is important because when you put in a new gasket you cant slide it back down from the top of the Lever Group Body - it flares out from top to bottom.

I ended up using two 6mm allen key heads, inserted them into two of the buds, placed a large screwdriver horizontally between them, held it all together with my hands and screwed the piston head down until it was below the shower screen line.
Not ideal. Not keen to repeat it.

To work on the group I think you need, as a minimum:
1. wrench and allen key to remove the bolts holding the Lever Group Body together;
2. wrench to remove the bolts holding the Lever Group Body onto the main body;
3. 90 degree bent nose pliers to remove shower screen C/lock ring. Don't skimp. Get the right size nose on your pliers. This lock ring takes some serious pressure to remove;
4. Vice to hold the Lever Group Body while working on it and a thick rag to protect your beautiful chrome surfaces;
5. some kind of tool to take the piston head off and then get it back on when installed back into the Lever Group Body;
6. rubber mallet to very very gently tap the parts of the piston back into the Lever Group Body - patience and super care to line things up and gently get them in is the key;
7. Molykote 111 lubricant. A think smear is all that is needed on the gasket and silicon O-ring (if you like). Do not overgrease - excess grease will end up coating the edges of the shower screen.

Ultimately, it is beautifully simple. Unfortunately, the vital part required to take the piston head off is not readily available.

Note - the springs are not held on by the piston head. There is a separate large bolt holding them in position which sits underneath the piston - which is exposed once the piston is removed.

[Hack]

So, with the right tool, my understanding is that you can service the group head after screwing the piston out from underneath without disassembling the whole lot and removing it from the main body.
Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to contact the manufacturer in Italy?
Even the people at Jetblack said that to service this machine they would either remove the top assembly or manufacture their own tool.

[Dr_Dave]

Hi All,
Some information here
http://www.home-barista.com/levers/i...t25094-40.html

I haven't made a tool out of pvc as was hoping to purchase one. If anyone finds one, lots of us would be keen to know where from
Cheers
Dave

[AlMac]

So, with the right tool, my understanding is that you can service the group head after screwing the piston out from underneath without disassembling the whole lot and removing it from the main body.

Yes you probably can.
I haven't tried that.
I think the shower screen would be hard to get out and in upside down.

Even the people at Jetblack said that to service this machine they would either remove the top assembly or manufacture their own tool.

Does that mean Jetblack hasn't serviced one?

I wonder if anyone has.

Tool wouldn't need to be super strong - there's not a huge amount of pressure on the piston head when screwed in.

[AlMac]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to contact the manufacturer in Italy?

Gave that a try.
Answer - couldn't help.

[samuellaw178]

Just trying to understand here (have not seen a disassembled LSM group in person)...is it necessary to unscrew the piston for servicing? Can't we just remove the lever/piston assembly from the top, and stretch the gasket over the piston (I am assuming we're trying to replace the piston seal here)?

[AlMac]

Just trying to understand here (have not seen a disassembled LSM group in person)...is it necessary to unscrew the piston for servicing? Can't we just remove the lever/piston assembly from the top, and stretch the gasket over the piston (I am assuming we're trying to replace the piston seal here)?

No. Two reasons.

1: the gasket will not stretch over the piston. It is not that flexible and it sits partly inside the piston itself. It isn't a simple ring like the gasket at the group head.

2: once a new gasket is an installed it will not go back in from the top. It is too wide when new.

[Dr_Dave]

Hi All,
In the meantime I removed shower screen and soaked in machine cleaner. I then cleaned (with a brush and machine cleaner) and re-lubricated the bore of the cylinder (when it was cool) with Inox MX6
I put some Inox on the top of the rod (which inserts into the group head) with the lever depressed
I moved the lever up and down a number of times to spread the Inox
It certainly feels smoother
This will do temporarily until I can find a tool to remove the piston and completely disassemble it
Cheers
Dave

[AlMac]

Hi All,
In the meantime I removed shower screen and soaked in machine cleaner. I then cleaned (with a brush and machine cleaner) and re-lubricated the bore of the cylinder (when it was cool) with Inox MX6
I put some Inox on the top of the rod (which inserts into the group head) with the lever depressed
I moved the lever up and down a number of times to spread the Inox
It certainly feels smoother
This will do temporarily until I can find a tool to remove the piston and completely disassemble it
Cheers
Dave

I suggest using Molykote 111 as your lubricant. It is thicker than Inox and seems to hold position better/not move around in the bore as much.
I found Inox didn't last as long or as well.

The amount of lube you ideally need is a smear on the seals.
I don't think you need it on the bore - but agree it does help if you the piston isn't moving smoothly.
My experience suggests that if you need more lube you should be replacing the gasket (black seal) on the piston.

Mine certainly works better now the gasket is replaced, with minimal lube.
One person suggested to me I needed no lube at all - but I am not sure about that. Izzo installs the piston lubed.

I now also move the piston smoothly up and down only full length.
I was doing some short stroke movements to allow water through for cleaning. I am guessing that may have caused some of my sticky piston problems.

[AlMac]

Re-fill
My re-fill was painfully slow.
I removed my in-line pressure regulator.
Problem solved - flow now normal.
I suspect the restricted flow/slow re-fill also played a bit of havoc with the water level sensor. From time to time I had to turn the machine off and on to reset it, as it was failing to re-fill.
Hasn't been a problem since pressure regulator removed.

I have an in-line water filter also (3M).

Was willing to go without pressure regulator, but might not be a "risk" everyone is willing to take.
I made the change because of the issues I was having on failure to re-fill.