Second hand em6910 leaking and em0480 issues

[sugarplumapathy]

Hi all,

This is my first post, sorry if similar questions have already been answered and such I just want to know whether I'm on the right track my recently acquired units.
I got a second hand em6910 and em0480 (nearly two years old) today. I'm pretty much a coffee noob but wanted to get an entry level set up for not too much.
Normally I would have wanted to trial/inspect the machines before taking them home but because they were from out of town and only in my city for the day and because the price was really good I decided to take a gamble and purchase without being able to try it out.

The previous owner said the group seal is on the way out and needs to be replaced therefore the level of coffee needs to be a bit lower otherwise it will leak which I was fine with if it only needed a new seal.
Tried out the machine and found it to be leaking moderately from the underside with the double shot dual filter basket. I then tried it without the coffee with the same basket but empty and it still leaks.
It doesn't leak so much with the single floor baskets but the shots were gross, I'm aware the dual floor baskets are the way to go?
I read on another thread however that the seal rarely needs replacing implying the seal may not be the main cause of the leaking.
I've ordered the seal on ebay and will install the new one and clean the shower screen. If that doesn't work I might try the DIY cardboard spacer under the seal trick (I wonder how thick the spacer should be?).
If I still have no luck I might have to try changing the collar as it looks a bit worn but I'm not really sure. I don't know what'll be the plan after that as I would rather try to deal with it best I can myself.
As for the em0480 the grind is coming out super coarse for all the settings. Doesn't seem to change in coarseness at all.
I plan on taking out the burr and giving it a good clean and placing one or two extra shims under the burr as advised on another thread.
Not having much luck but hopefully it all comes together? I do enjoy a challenge but I'm just hoping I'm not wasting my time/money like an idiot :/

Thanks for any help/advice

[mulquemi]

Hello sugarplumapathy,
Please don't consider yourself an idiot,challenges such as yours are just the beginning on a wonderful journey into coffee appreciation,occasionally the road may be a bit bumpy,it gets better!
Your plans with your machine are sound,spacers may eliminate the leaking,I had nine and have three remaining em6910, all begun their troublesome times with me being their new owners,patience and proper logical restoration has returned all but two to fully operational and happy coffee espresso machines.
The two that didn't make it were sacrificed for spare parts,of which I have parts remaining,very little $$$$ outlay over-all,just gaskets etc.
Where in the world are you,perhaps you are handy and support may be at hand.
Keep up the chin and see how things go as there is always good support available here.
Cheers,
Mick.

[rawill]

Hello sugarplumapathy,
Please don't consider yourself an idiot,challenges such as yours are just the beginning on a wonderful journey into coffee appreciation,occasionally the road may be a bit bumpy,it gets better!

Mick is so right in all he says.

Once you get this sorted, and get your technique perfected you will be very disappointed with most coffees you buy at cafes.
They will not meassure up to your own, believe me, it is true, I know, and those I make coffee for agree.
I have the same gear as you have.

My EM6910 had done over 5000 shots before I bought it from my son with a blocked thermobloc (some incorrectly call them boilers).
You will soon graduate from double floor baskets to single floor baskets, then to VST baskets with a bottomless (naked) portafilter.

I usually only make coffee for me, as her indoors only wants one now and then.
So I have a single shot 7 gram VST basket, challenging to get to grips with, double shots are way easier.
But there you go, that is me and my way.

I usually only have one coffee a day, but 3 today as I was fine tuning a grinder for use in my campervan.
A Breville BG450, and it was too coarse, so I cut both stops off it, so the align mark comes further round and now it makes a very acceptable grind, and nice coffee.
I will post the above in the grinders section too.

Ask away, no questions are dumb, we all started as novices, and the good guys on here have been real helpful to me in my coffee snobs journey.

Go well, enjoy that cup
Rbn

Oh and re the paper, cardboard gasket. I made one from a plastic icecream lid, some say don't use plastic. It gets too hot, well I have never had an issue, and I am not taking it out till I have a problem.
I shouted my machine a new seal as well, after over 5000 shots I figured I should replace it whether it needed it or not!

[sugarplumapathy]

Thanks for your replies! Sorry for the late update looks like thread update notifications aren't default :/
Thanks Mick and rawill for your support and advice!
It was actually quite fun getting into the machines haha
Anyway I replaced the seal on the em6910 and there was no improvement.
I then fitted the makeshift cardboard gasket and it stopped the leak yay!
I tried some shots and they are coming out much nicer as well, more syrupy but tasting more sour.
Before when it was leaking I was doing everything the same and it was tasting okay despite the leak.
But I'll have a play around and see what works I guess.
I also tried the shims with the grinder and it hasn't improved the fineness. It seems the previous owner may have put the shims in too as there were four in there
once I opened it up. However when I was looking at the ebay guide there was a part described that was absent from my assembly - the larger washer with the small hole on the side that
seems to fit on top of the smaller shims. Will try to order and install one of those and see if it works.
I'm not sure what stops in a grinder are but I'll look into it if it doesn't work out.
Yeah I'm wanting to experiment with different filter baskets as well after I get the basics down
I am in Melbourne btw