Gaggia Classic

djspecialist

I have a Gaggia Classic, which has given years of sterling service.  However recently it's starting to show signs of age:

• Steam wand hasn't worked for a while - but I only really drink espresso so haven't bothered fixing it.
• Recently, it has stopped producing coffee.  I can hear the pump running (sounds a bit louder / harsher than usual), but nothing comes out.  This is of course a more pressing problem ...

I live in a hard water area (Cambridge), but have been pretty good about regular descaling with Puly Caff.  In the past, I have noticed a significant increase in flow immediately after the descaling.  Trying it now hasn't fixed the total lack of flow

How hard are these things to take apart, diagnose and fix?  Can anyone recommend a decent online guide?

I'm thinking that one option might be to do a full rebuild / upgrade, along the lines of what @ThePrettyDamned has done on his Gaggia.  How difficult / expensive is that?

robinbowes

Can't figure out how to star/follow this on my phone so am replying

RaymondLin

First, run descaler through the system, this stuff.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Urnex-Cafiza-Espresso-Machine-Cleaning/dp/B001418KNS/ref=asc_df_B001418KNS/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=256338317162&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2041954373199155044&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006790&hvtargid=pla-304063310107&psc=1&language=en_GB&th=1&psc=1

Both back flush and in the water tank in your case.

If that doesn't work then you will need to strip and do a internal clean, replace gaskets etc, might even replace parts.

ThePrettyDamned

djspecialist said:

I have a Gaggia Classic, which has given years of sterling service.  However recently it's starting to show signs of age:

• Steam wand hasn't worked for a while - but I only really drink espresso so haven't bothered fixing it.
• Recently, it has stopped producing coffee.  I can hear the pump running (sounds a bit louder / harsher than usual), but nothing comes out.  This is of course a more pressing problem ...

I live in a hard water area (Cambridge), but have been pretty good about regular descaling with Puly Caff.  In the past, I have noticed a significant increase in flow immediately after the descaling.  Trying it now hasn't fixed the total lack of flow

How hard are these things to take apart, diagnose and fix?  Can anyone recommend a decent online guide?

I'm thinking that one option might be to do a full rebuild / upgrade, along the lines of what @ThePrettyDamned has done on his Gaggia.  How difficult / expensive is that?

Classic scale problem 

Dissolve the descaler in water, run into the boiler per usual. If the pump won't work at all, you will need to consult more advanced descaling whereby you take the boiler apart (which can be a permanent break if done incorrectly!). Let the descaler sit, then run out. While running out, flip the steam switch back and forth every few seconds - this will make the electromagnet engage and hopefully break limescale in the solenoid, which is almost certainly the problem. Keep the steam wand valve open the whole time. 

Repeat several times, even when it seems fine. 

Instead of puly caff, invest in a big jar or box and buy 1kg citric acid. Far cheaper. Then you can use the used descaler to descale kettle, kitchen taps, shower head etc. 

ThePrettyDamned

Also, try opening and closing the steam valve a little when doing this. But mostly open - you want to get water moving. 

If ever your machine stops steaming, it's indicative of a big scale problem - it's not merely a faulty steam wand (which, after all, is just a pipe and seal). 

Good luck and never use tap water again I'm also in Cambs and our water is very hard, leading to poor tasting coffee. I would use a britta filter at the very least, but a better bet is to use Tesco Ashbeck bottled water, which is softer and has a good mineral content and flavour. If you want to be more efficient, I found 2/3 Ashbeck to 1/3rd tap water was still pretty good! 

MooseAboot

I believe the solenoid holes can get blocked with little bits of scale which might account for both the steam wand and the coffee problem and commonly happends after a descale.  I am in Scotland with soft water so don't regularly have this problem.  But there was a time when I did and it was easy enough to find a guide to take everything apart and clean it out.  The solenoid has a wire loom (mark which way it goes) a clipped on hose and two hex keys.  After that it is just a spanner to take it apart, cotton bud the holes and put it all back together.

djspecialist

Thanks folks for the suggestions.  I have ordered a bag of citric acid, and plan to do a full strip-down and descale - then definitely stop using tap water!

Once I've got the machine up and running again, I'm also going to test the pressure, and possibly try the OPV mod.

I'll post back once I've got some more news ...

djspecialist

After a full strip down and clean ... IT LIVES!

I now get a good flow rate and gushes of steam. It's a bit late in the day for me to sample the goods, but I'm looking forward to doing so tomorrow.

This site was very helpful: http://protofusion.org/wordpress/2012/04/gaggia-classic-disassembly-and-cleaning/comment-page-1/

The process isn't very complex, but (to the delight of my family) took most of the afternoon.  In particular I had the devil's own job undoing the bolts which hold the group to the boiler. Eventually got it done thanks to a combo of WD40, heating up the assembly in the oven, and whacking the Allen key with a hammer to break the seal.

Having got the machine up and running again, I have been out to get some water filter cartridges. I hereby swear to stay off the tap water ... and I might even manage to backflush regularly too.

ThePrettyDamned

Nicely done, enjoy! 

djspecialist

One further question @ThePrettyDamned : per your suggestion, I got a bag of citric acid. I understand I can use this for descaling the machine by running it though from the water tank. Can I also use it for backflushing, or for that do I need something with detergent, such as Puly Caff?

robinbowes

What is "backflushing"?

ThePrettyDamned

djspecialist said:

One further question @ThePrettyDamned : per your suggestion, I got a bag of citric acid. I understand I can use this for descaling the machine by running it though from the water tank. Can I also use it for backflushing, or for that do I need something with detergent, such as Puly Caff?

You need puly Caff for backflushing. 

robinbowes said:

What is "backflushing"?

You use a blank portafilter to basket or a blanking disc (little rubber disc) with a few grams of puly caff. This is put on the group head in the normal way and the pump turned on once the machine is up to temperature. This pumps water into the portafilter, then when pressure reaches whatever the OPV is set to, it will stop filling. At this point, you turn off the pump and the solenoid engages, sucking the soapy water back up and flushing it out of the pressure release into the drip tray.

After doing this ten times or so, you do it with a clean blank portafilter with no soap to remove any traces of soap and you now have a lovely clean, coffee-oil-free shower screen, dispersion plate and pressure release. 

This should be done once every week or two, to avoid nasty stale oils building up, and is considered normal maintenance. Some people feel it doesn't work so prefer to remove the shower screen and dispersion plate, soak them in puly caff and give them a clean but I only did this once every few months.