Backflush= piece of cake

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

A grouphead gasket that has begun to leak has already lost its elasticity; in other words, through continued heat and compression the thing has gone just about rock hard. To spare yourself the inevitable unpleasant gouging out of a failed, glued-in grouphead gasket, change them once a year while they are still pliable and still easy to remove.

O-rings, associated with steam wand seals, are best changed before they begin to leak, too. I say, be a big shot and spring for the $0.65 early. Change the o-ring when you replace the grouphead gasket.

As usual, I'm screwing up my terminology on the gaskets and other parts.

Regarding the grouphead gasket,

I noticed on machines like the Expobar, there is a ridge above the shower screen where you are supposed to kinda pry off the gasket in a matter similar to opening a paint can.

I'd have to look at the diagram to figure out the steam wand o-ring gasket but imagine it shouldn't be hard to get to.

My grouphead gasket seems pretty well seated in there and now I have something to obsess over for a few days until a new gasket arrives. I'd imagine an angled awl should do the trick in this case.

Great tips, but feels like hot citric backflush to my eyeballs.

Thanks Dan. anything I need to do inside my grinder tommorow????

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by floydpink

As usual, I'm screwing up my terminology on the gaskets and other parts.

Regarding the grouphead gasket,

I noticed on machines like the Expobar, there is a ridge above the shower screen where you are supposed to kinda pry off the gasket in a matter similar to opening a paint can.

I'd have to look at the diagram to figure out the steam wand o-ring gasket but imagine it shouldn't be hard to get to.

My grouphead gasket seems pretty well seated in there and now I have something to obsess over for a few days until a new gasket arrives. I'd imagine an angled awl should do the trick in this case.

Great tips, but feels like hot citric backflush to my eyeballs.

Thanks Dan. anything I need to do inside my grinder tommorow????

I asked my dentist if he'd sell me a dental (pick) tool a few years back - a real heavy duty one. He had a drawer full of broken hand tools which included a very stout pick with a semi-curved hookie thing on it. It was perfect for getting around, and then under, a gasket without scoring the metal grouphead seat. No charge, he said.

You may find an awl works if the gasket is still quite pliable. If it's hard and brittle you may think about finding something else.

[floydpink]

I go in for a checkup next week and may follow your lead.

This article shows a very interesting way to replace the gasket using screws into the gasket.....

http://www.bluebox.com.au/jcrayon/gaggia/

Not sure if I am crazy about screwing in screws in an upward fashion into a grouphead though.