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Is the boiler cracked on my Gaggia Classic?

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  • #16
    The hole where the bolt passes through the boiler isn't threaded from memory, but this is the part that actually gets seized. It's an unfortunate by-product of the two metals present. If you can cut the head off the bolt you'll be able to pull the boiler off. At this point the remainder of the bolt should come out of the group head easily as I don't think the thread itself will be seized. You'll just need some pliers to turn it, but it might even turn by hand.

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    • #17
      Ok so I finally got the boiler off the group head!! It was HARD work! I ended up getting a cobalt drill bit to drill through the remaining two bolts. They were clinging on VERY tightly! Unfortunately it did some slight damage around the holes of the boiler and of the group head as I had to have the drill at a slight angle... essentially making two of the holes a little wider at some points. Has this ruined it completely?

      I will be using some emery paper on the bottom of the the sander and top of group head. There's a layer of filth within the boiler - and some slight deposit build up which I will need to descale and scrub.

      Any other advice? (if it's not ruined already??)

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      • #18
        Do the replacement bolts need to be any particular material? I found some the right size as glavanised zinc, but worried this might react with aluminium boiler?

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        • #19
          Originally posted by scottlavender View Post
          Unfortunately it did some slight damage around the holes of the boiler and of the group head as I had to have the drill at a slight angle... essentially making two of the holes a little wider at some points. Has this ruined it completely? I will be using some emery paper on the bottom of the the sander and top of group head. Any other advice? (if it's not ruined already??)
          If it is only the holes through the boiler flange that have been enlarged, and the threads in the group are OK, then it should be fine.

          I would advise against sanding the top of the group unless it is badly warped. They are usually chrome plated brass and you don't want to remove the chrome and expose the brass. It would be much more prone to corrosion than chrome. Try cleaning it with a heavy duty scourer or even fine steel wool, but not emery.

          I used stainless steel bolts on mine, because they are less likely to corrode. You don't have to use Allen-head cap screws like the originals, I used hex-head SS bolts and they worked fine. Before I screwed them in, I greased them lightly with high temperature bearing grease.

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