Feels like ground dog day... Trying to get la scala working help please

[s12raider]

Much like Caddishack I can't seem to fix this flaming machine!

Descaled so now water coming out brew head. Yay.

Pressure blowing out vac valve. Boo

Replace vac valve and pstat. No more pressure blow out. Yay

Pulled shot, no coffee through group head. Leaking round grouphead portafilter and waste valve. Boo

Discovered replacement grouphead gasket wrong type (rancilo 8mm not 8.5mm). Boo

Order and replace grouphead gasket. Yay

Pull shot. Nothing. Fu&k! Water now coming out near pull lever and dump valve. Boo and what now?!


La scala butterfly. Me thinks I need to replace pull lever related parts and dump valve (exhaust valve?).

Coffee parts loving me at present as freight costs are piling up.

Help with thoughts on approach? And yes I want to fix this myself as best way to learn.

[Robbks]

Call the guys in the workshop at Jetblack

But I'd be looking at a comprehensive strip and clean as opposed to replacing one bit at a time

[s12raider]

Yeah that's where I am heading. Just did a strip out and cleaned in 'clean espresso' solution. Bugger to put some parts back in around the lever. Now just doing a back flush though not really needed. As I said I want to learn how to fix and likely another $50-60 in parts if not fixed. Once this is done and if not working then off to service centre. At least most parts wont need replacing!

[flynnaus]

I recently had water coming out the drain valve of my Giotto and it required replacing the drain valve seal and the whole brew valve.
You can find instructions for replacing grouphead seals via a search. I preferred to have mine done professionally:
http://coffeesnobs.com.au/brewing-eq...aulty-opv.html

[s12raider]

Thank god. Dialed up the rocky to 13 and reduced off tamp pressure and voila! Still too soon to tell but at least no nepresso!

[s12raider]

Hi Flynnaus I think what you experienced is where I am up to. I mean this would now likely be root cause and whilst I've "fixed it" it is only temporary and will need a service with replacement of parts I was going to replace. I will see if they have moved to Frenchs Forrest (I'm Balgowlah Heghts based).

[noidle22]

If you're having la scala problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a lever operated E61 group aint one.

But serious though, you might as well replace all your group seals instead of just a few, they're cheap and relatively easy to replace. It would save you time in the long run.

If you've got water leaking out through the lever cam and drain valve the seals are probably gone. You should be able to choke the machine (also when backflushing) and have no leaks from around the group. The OPV should also take care of any excess pressure above 9-10 bar.
I'd replace all the seals first. If you still have problems, check the operation of your OPV when the machine is choked and make sure it is venting the excess water. If it seems to be working but the group still leaks then maybe the valve body or pistons have been damaged or the group springs are worn out or something. I doubt it, that would probably be worst case scenario, hopefully it doesn't get to that stage.

Also if you want to get rid of that Nespresso machine, let me know, I'd be happy to take it off your hands.

[s12raider]

Thanks for comments. My thoughts are similar. I actually have a spare nepresso that my wife had before wanting a newer.model....

[mmmcoffee]

Pay it forward lol might sit there for a while before some graves it