My Gaggia Pump Died

[roastingnerd]

Yesterday when I tried to make a cup of espresso, I noticed the pump was laboring so I turned it off and checked the water tank in case it was trying to suck air.  I filled the tank which was very low but should have been above the pickup tube.  The pump failed to pump any water.  Not sure of the cause.  Might be clogged head but I fear the pump itself may have given out.  A couple of years ago this machine was overhauled by Tex but now he seems to have stopped posting here and doesn't answer email.

[roastingnerd]

I tried to login at their site but the form keeps locking me out saying either my passwords do not match or my name has a ? beside it or that it doesn't exist.  I finally gave up.  Where is Tex?

[SJM]

Oh well....that was my best shot at being helpful.   Sorry it didn't work.  We launched the site in October and have almost 400 members, so ....I have to think you are doing something wrong.....but....this isn't the place to try to sort it.

Good luck.

Susan

[Ray T]

I tried to login at their site but the form keeps locking me out saying either my passwords do not match or my name has a ? beside it or that it doesn't exist.  I finally gave up. Where is Tex?

http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=15923.msg255973#msg255973

[roastingnerd]

 Thanks Ray.  Sorry that whatever caused Tex to go inactive seems to have been long-term.  Wonder  if any member is still communicating with him.  I, for one would like a more recent update.
About the Gaggia, another member pm'd me to say that I should do some testing and report results to clarify.  I did get water and steam to pump out of the side arm.  I also removed the multi-hole plate on the group head and water came through the center screw hole of the group head.  So the pump works with no back pressure.  I am removing tarnish from the multihole plate and will put it back and test with no portafilter next.

[jimbo]

I, for one would like a more recent update.

http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=17296.0

[grinderz]

Here's a pdf with flow rates for ULKA pumps. Hopefully your pump is listed in there.
http://www.ulka.it/admin/moduli/m003_web/file/pag_ULKA_web.pdf

Tex would probably tell me I'm full of it, but one test you can do is to disconnect the hose from your pump at the boiler and measure the free flow rate to see if your pump is up to spec.

[JojoS]

About the Gaggia, another member pm'd me to say that I should do some testing and report results to clarify.  I did get water and steam to pump out of the side arm.  I also removed the multi-hole plate on the group head and water came through the center screw hole of the group head.  So the pump works with no back pressure.  I am removing tarnish from the multihole plate and will put it back and test with no portafilter next.

Best to remove the plate holder as well and do a backflush with espresso cleaner if you have a blind filter or backflush rubber disc. A water debit test as suggested by grinderz is a good idea as well.

[SJM]

Here's Tex's write up of the Water Debit Test:

http://www.gaggiausersgroup.com/index.php?action=ezportal;sa=page;p=30

[roastingnerd]

Gentlemen,
My thanks for all your help.  I will get around to further investigation, but at 83 years old I am doing good just to be roasting and trying to make espresso.  Repairs and unfortunately maintenance are not my forte.  I haven't ever backflushed.  I did put a package of durgol cleaner through it a while back. Thought that was all that was needed.  If I can get it working, I may give it to my son-in -law who said he wished he had a machine a while back after tasting some of my brew.  I think the group head plate holder is plugged so that the only place water can penetrate is the screw hole.  I will look up my allen wrench set and remove it and try to clean it.  Hopefully that will do it.  I can't see myself opening it up and taking pressure fittings apart to test for pump flow.  If it is the pump, out it goes...I've had a fancy deep fryer for a year that I never used because my wife says there is no room in the kitchen as it is.  I'll try my hand at deep frying and stick to the Aeropress.

Pete

[SJM]

Pete, what Gaggia do you have, or did I miss that???
If you don't have a 3-way solenoid on your machine, you do NOT want to backflush !!!!

Backflushing is ONLY for machines with a 3-way.

Susan

[roastingnerd]

It's an old Gaggia Espresso.  I think it may have predated the classic because it has all the same controls only in different places.

[SJM]

So you do NOT want to backflush it.
The Espresso has a group valve, which is probably clogged up.  (A paperclip is helpfu).

[JojoS]

Why did I think it was a Classic? My bad! Good call Susan. 

[SJM]

All these years of running the Gaggia group, I'm kinda tuned to those sorts of little mis-communications....and it's usually the little things that get us tripped up....:-)))

Susan