Izzo Alex Leva

[trentski]

Ouch, I would be looking at the Amazon alternative at that price

[Dr_Dave]

I finally found the tool I was describing - see https://www.espressoparts.com/produc...er-piston-tool
However expensive..
Regards
Dave

[Sink_cut]

Was looking through some stuff on HB and found this link to a metal tool for $18 :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Apparently you just need a little filling to get it to fit,
I wont be getting one just yet as my pvc will last a few more services yet…

Here is the HB thread:
https://www.home-barista.com/levers/...65129-170.html

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I was bored this morning so took some photos of alternate SSshower clips.
It’s really hard to tell if there is any difference in the shower as its pretty patchy at best…

Modified Porta filter Spring: (dirty rust stains from original clip). - screen had a little play but pour looked OK



50mm OD stainlesss cir-clip - Harder to install than the original, and i needed two install attempts to get an eveniish.pour. - the first time install looked fine but poured strongly to one side so it must have been slightly crooked - here is the final install - and i think i will keep this on in preference to the original (even though harder to install).

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I recently tried to find this tool and could not (even emailed coffeeparts). I ended up using PVC pipe with a 48mm ish OD (i think it was 40mm pressure coupling). I marked 4 posts with a texter did the crappiest 2 min job on the bench grinder to get it to the shape i thought was right… and it worked. (You can see how dodgy it is !!)



Thankfully My piston did not have any lock tight, but i still needed the leverage provided by a screw driver put in the side of the tool. When replacing the piston i needed the extra leverage again just to get the piston high enough to install the shower screen.

[Dr_Dave]

Hi,
No you don't need to release the spring. A friend made a tool some years ago to undo the piston as they often are stuck with "locktite", You can buy a commercial tool to undo the piston - I think coffeeparts were selling them from memory
Failing that people have made them - see Good luck
Dave

[amellor]

Hi David,
I have had my machine for about the same time. As to servicing it - interesting question. Im in the regular servicing before it goes wrong camp. I have a friend who never services any of his equipment until it doesn't work! He laughs at me spending money on preventative maintenance. Didn't work out for him last time he bought his chainsaw round to cut some trees and spent half the day trying to find filters/plugs etc when it wouldn't run
I service my machine every two years. I undo the 4 bolts and remove the handle/springs/piston complex from the top and change the teflon ring and 2 rubber gaskets
Mine still runs as well as the day I bought it
Cheers
Dave

Are you releasing the spring doing this ? Do you have any special tools for removing the piston ?
When I took mine in to a shop here in Perth, they said they would need to send the group head off to TalkCoffee in Melbourne to get it serviced.

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Update on this…. I have now installed the few Teflon ring and gasket. The ticking problem has gone . - i was still very light handed with the molykote 111, just applying a thin smear over the gasket, and some more between the brass components.

So my assumption is that the ticking was related to the either the gasket or the teflon ring being old…. Anyway all good now. I will set myself an appointment to do it again in two years.

[Sink_cut]

Thanks Dave - agree with your plan.. I just have to get passed the fist one then it will be easy.

I had some time today so i pulled it apart - thankfully i could take the piston off quite easily.
On inspection i can clearly see the rubber gasket above the piston old and cracked.. (i have a new one coming). The teflon ring looked ok- but i will replace it next week anyway.

After cleaning and Putting it back together i tried to use minimal grease (molykote 111). This is because i have previously tasted what too much of this can do to the espresso (on another machine).

What i notice is that now when pouring a shot the lever does not return smoothly while under pressure. It goes tick tick tick for the last part of the stroke. I am suspecting this is because i was too light handed with the grease…. I will open up and add a bit more and see if that fixes it.

[Sink_cut]

Did some looking. The gasket i just installed was 5.5mm. There also seems to be a standard 6.5mm which must be what i had previously.
In all honesty the 5.5 feels easier to use, i.e you don’t need as much force to make it feel “safe”. And because the PF is wound further in i think it would result in a leak before an explosion if you did not do it up hard enough.
And most importantly the coffee is tasting really good.

I have just ordered a 6 .3 mm Silicone gasket, which potentially could be the best of both worlds….

[amberale]

Yeah, there are a couple of different thicknesses available apparently so you might have to try a couple to match your groove.
Also you can snip or bend those ends so they don't affect your puck so much.
Also, make sure they are real SS.
The shower screen really doesn't have much pressure on it, definitely not enough to warrant that huge C-clip.

[Dr_Dave]

Hi David,
I have had my machine for about the same time. As to servicing it - interesting question. Im in the regular servicing before it goes wrong camp. I have a friend who never services any of his equipment until it doesn't work! He laughs at me spending money on preventative maintenance. Didn't work out for him last time he bought his chainsaw round to cut some trees and spent half the day trying to find filters/plugs etc when it wouldn't run
I service my machine every two years. I undo the 4 bolts and remove the handle/springs/piston complex from the top and change the teflon ring and 2 rubber gaskets
Mine still runs as well as the day I bought it
Cheers
Dave

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So one of these things - that’s a bit different:

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cool, so i have a 0.5mm spacer in my drawer…was not sure that is what is was for , i will give it a go

[Casa Espresso]

Alex Leva is La San Marco group head, quite a different seal to an E61.

In any event the cure is, as EspressoAdventurer suggested, to add a paper spacer. A common thing as the group head/ handle wears

We have them available if needed.

Cheers

Antony