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Seems telling to me that a service kit includes two thermostats.
https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/Mobile/en/gb/Gaggia-Classic-Pre---2015-Service-Kit/m-m-3516.aspx
I guess that’s a good point to start, along with a descale (I’ve descaled already, but a proper disassembly descale would no doubt be better).This was a very detailed response- appreciate it!
Nef
rhb
On mine, If I switch the steam button on and wait till the light turns on I'll get a load of steam initially - but it will run out of oomph before optimum texture/temp. This is because as soon as the light turns on, the boiler turns off - as the thermostat tells it it's at the required temp. It doesn't kick back in quick enough to maintain steam pressure. If you get good steam initially, but it's then running out - the thermostat is probably "ok" (* see note). The gurgling suggests there is pressure building in there somewhere - so perhaps just a good descale is needed. If you turn the brew switch on and open the steam valve - do you get a good jet of water out of the wand? If so - it can't be too blocked.
The answer to good steaming on the classic is to try and surf just below the thermostat boiler temp by letting it heat up to a decent steam pressure (I leave the valve slightly open dribbling steam into a beaker) and then when you think you've got some steam pressure, but before the light turns on - get steaming...as long as you're steaming while the light is off, the boiler will still be trying to heat up - creating more steam. When you get this right, the steam pressure can be pretty good - but as others have said - it's noticeably better after a descale.
*I recently tripped my classic by leaving it on. The brew thermostat was already on the blink (heating up ever hotter and hotter)- and eventually it burnt through the thermal fuse on top. As part of the repair I replaced both thermostats and noticed that everything was better afterwards. It now takes longer for the machine to heat up - which suggests the old brew one was kicking in at too low a temp - when it did work.
So - old thermostats may be dodgy before they obviously die. Cheap and easy to replace though.