help needed please! Rancilio Silvia not performing!

[domclem]

Hi there all,
I would love some quick advice/help if anyone can kindly....
I have an early model Silvia which is 10 years old. Due to different circumstances it has sat idle for 4 of those years, in 1 and 2 year stretches. I have stored it correctly during those times, filling it up with de-mineralised water and then emptying it. It has always served me well and performed well right up until last week.
My Rocky was always set to around 5 and I would give it a decent tamp. All of a sudden the coffee stopped flowing out. I then had to change the grind setting to 10 (looked way to coarse) and just sit the tamper on the grounds using only the weight of it just to get a normal flow. If I did that normally the coffee would run out way too fast. It looks ok and tastes not too bad but I know its just not right....
anyone have ideas??
thanks in advance,
Dom

[mulquemi]

Dear Domclem,
I'm sorry your having problems with your Silvia,have you preformed any maintenance or adjustment recently that may have altered settings?
You could do a quick pressure test (with blind filter),try back flushing....do you get the "sneeze" of exhausted pressure into your drip tray?
Have you checked behind the group head "shower screen",perhaps there's a buildup of coffee/oils/residue restricting flow.
Is the shower screen itself clear.....not blocked?
Is the water pump sounding "normal " or sounding different,possible blockage from dried residue?
Is the flow of water through the group head "normal"?
See how you go with these suggestions,get back to us if problems.
Cheers,
Mick.

[domclem]

hey Mick, thanks for the reply....I'm planning on doing these things when I get some time...Is there any way of testing the flow of water? Is it done by volume?

[mulquemi]

domclem,
Rather then check your water flow ,I'd do a three way valve clean/check to just confirm it's correct operation,seems to me your machine may have some residue partially blocking things,back there.
Just do a search for three way valves,(Silvia) you will find lots of "how to".
See how you go there.
Cheers,
Mick.