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Baby Gaggia Problem

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  • Baby Gaggia Problem

    A couple of years ago my fathers two-year-old Baby Gaggia developed a blockage somewhere within and wouldnt let any water go through the group.

    After being quoted a price to fix it, which he thought excessive, he put it out the back & let it gather dust, replacing it with a bloody awful Breville which cost less than what he was quoted for the Gaggias repairs. He reckons its ok, but I havent enjoyed a coffee there ever since...

    Anyhow, after following this forum for a couple of years and seeing just how many people here have no hesitation in getting under the bonnet, I developed the courage last weekend to seize the machine, take it home and open it up. I took apart the boiler and cleaned it (yuk!). I back-flushed it, ran some Caffetto through it and a couple of gunky bits came out.

    It now runs, but the pump, while making the usual sounds, seems insipid. The puck comes out fairly sloppy, and yet, the same quantity and grind in my old Gaggia Classic yields a solid puck.

    I also notice that the shower screen is always moist, even when the machine has been off for a while.

    There is a a very fine trickle of water that comes out when the machine is turned on where I have circled in the pic below.

    Can someone tell me:

    1) Does the gasket where the boiler meets the base wear out? It seems whole to me. Could this be the cause of weakish pressure?

    2) Is there anything else I should be looking at inside the machine?

    Image resized to make viewing in a browser a bit easier,
    Mal.



  • #2
    Re: Baby Gaggia Problem

    The o-ring doesnt wear but the boiler itself can corrode around the base to the point where it leaks. You can refinish the boiler base by rubbing it on a piece of fine glass paper sitting on a very flat surface (like a sheet of glass). Its the same principle as refinishing a cylinder head base.

    The moist showerscreen could be due to water seeping out from the head/group leak.

    What is the water flow like (vs the Classic) when pumping without a PF or out of the steam wand? If it is substantially less than the Classic, then there is a partial blockage either in the pump, the OPV or the water lines. Otherwise, the leak may be bleeding pressure off the shots.

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    • #3
      Re: Baby Gaggia Problem

      Thanks, Kanaage.

      The water flow was the same as the Classics without the portafilter...

      Anyhow, I smoothed the base, replaced the o ring anyway and the leak has stopped.

      It now seems to be working properly (if there was a blockage in the pump, maybe it has cleared itself.)

      It has done my self-esteem the world of good having repaired the machine...and now I can actually enjoy a coffee at my parents...

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      • #4
        Re: Baby Gaggia Problem

        Great to hear theres yet another Gaggia tech out there now!

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