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Whats wrong with my Splendor?

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  • Whats wrong with my Splendor?

    I have been spending way too much time surfing this board and have been alerted to many of the things that can go wrong with my machine.  Like any good hypochondriac, when presented with the end result of scale, I immediately assumed the worst and got to work on my baby.

    I started by pulling the mushroom, and thankfully there was almost no scale stuck to it.  I gave it a quick soak in vinegar to dislodge what little was there and gave all the parts a quick scrub. 

    I noticed at that time that the gasket on brew valve was not doing all that well and had started to break up a bit (part #519545 at http://www.coffeeparts.com/faema/fae...e-parts-2.html).  While not completely disintegrated, parts of it had stuck to group where it sits, leaving the remaining gasket broken and worn.  Once cleaned and rinsed, all parts when back together and everything seemed ok.

    First coffee next morning and I go to give it a quick flush before extraction, and the thing hisses and sputters like my wife when I come home drunk.  No water comes out for a good 5-10 seconds and it takes a good 30 secs. to flush it down to a reasonable temp.

    Normally this machine has been very steady and I rarely even require a cooling flush.  But for the last three days, if it has sat for any length of time, and especially after the morning warm-up, it hisses and spits and requires a lengthy cooling flush.  Once that is done it seems to brew fine, but the coffee at break 2 hours later requires another angry flush.

    So, is this all the result of that borked gasket?  If I replace that will it go back to being the tame little sweetheart I know and love?  Or is this an indication of something worse?

    I live on the Central Coast, NSW, so a trip to a service centre would be a bit of an ordeal.  Ill do it if I have to but Im wondering if a simple gasket replacement on my part would do the trick?

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks
    Demian

  • #2
    Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

    Hey Demain,

    could be the non return valve?

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    • #3
      Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

      Originally posted by 22323E252532510 link=1305251080/1#1 date=1305267309
      could be the non return valve?
      Pardon my ignorance but Im not sure what this is - is it part of the group head or somewhere else in the system?  I used the diagram and instructions on this page for disassembly and naming.

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      • #4
        Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

        After you fill the HX circuit (by lifting the lever until water comes out then dropping the lever) does water drip from the bottom of the group head for a long time (minutes)? If so, your HX circuit is emptying due to the worn valve you have already noted. Then you come along to make a shot, lift the lever, and there is no water in your HX circuit - just some steam ...

        charlie

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        • #5
          Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

          Ok, on second thought, could be the brew thermostat, but that would not explain why it doesnt overheat after 15 mins.

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          • #6
            Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

            Originally posted by 624D5C6A44494B436B494E4D280 link=1305251080/3#3 date=1305270069
            does water drip from the bottom of the group head for a long time (minutes)? If so, your HX circuit is emptying due to the worn valve you have already noted.
            From observing this morning, it does drip steadily (but slowly) out of the overflow valve on the bottom when sitting idle. Would this empty the circuit as you posit and cause the issue I am seeing?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

              Originally posted by 23222A2E26292A470 link=1305251080/5#5 date=1305326983
              From observing this morning, it does drip steadily (but slowly) out of the overflow valve on the bottom when sitting idle. Would this empty the circuit as you posit and cause the issue I am seeing?
              It sure will.

              charlie

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              • #8
                Re: Whats wrong with my Splendor?

                Thanks Charlie - Ill grab some new gaskets from coffeeparts and this will hopefully take care of the problem

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