Coffee Appreciation

What is LFGSS-approved food-safe grease? Is using a coconut oil completely bonkers idea?

I use this https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/lubricating-silicone-grease-oks-1110-10-ml/ but only because I was buying other stuff from them. It’s been ok, not much more you can say about it really.
Oh and coconut oil melts at a very low temp so not ideal unless of course you like the taste of coconut coffee.

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!

Awaiting pick up but I’ll let you know if it falls through

Sorry to read it isn't steaming well. I got decent steam from it in use, but I'd also not used it for years. I ran descaler through when I cleaned it up ahead of collection. Hope you don't feel you've been sold a wreck.

Do you reckon that's the conical vs flat burrs difference?

Suggestions for good coffee in Margate?

Not at all. Just a learning curve. From what I understand, it’s likely the steam thermostat has degraded (which is an easy fix and standard service item in a £40 service kit, replacing both stats).

Installing a PID effectively replaces the stats too, so will see how it goes after that.
I’ve just added up all the Mr Shades mods on his site: pressure gauge, PID, OPV spring, timer, drip tray etc. and the total is £280, lol.
So will try and save some cash this next month and see if I can afford it. Then there’s the small task of installing it all. Hopefully I’ll have a pretty swish machine by the end of it.

In the meantime, it’s pulling great shots so I’m not too bothered about the steaming.

Forts

Forts or Curve

Thanks both 👍

Both above are great. Also Skinny Dip if you are in Cliftonville

Only one not mentioned yet is Big Shot as well

Oh yeah, Big Shot is great!

Nice :)

1 Attachment

Cool, good to hear the shots are good and there's a steam solution. Upgrade mods pathway will be interesting to follow too, will stay tuned for updates.

You can get the two thermostats for about £13 delivered on ebay - but you may want to do a full service anyway.

I've had my classic for over a decade. About 5 years ago I thought I'd do a full service and remove the boiler for a proper descale - but one of the bolts sheered - so it's stayed in and will do forever now.

This does not seem to have created any major issues. Semi regular descales and using an EWT water filter seems to have got me through fine.

Over the years I've replaced:

• The grouphead gasket (essential every few years - got a silicon one in now that seems to keep going longer).
  
  

-It once started leaking from where the steam valve body connects the boiler- required a washer that is regularly available - but also steam from the valve itself...this is more complicated and either requires buying a new valve - or as I've done - filing away the retaining metal on the valve and unscrewing it completely. You can buy tiny washers to go on the needle valve - but they are hard to track down. Instructions are available online with the washer size listed.

• Bought a brass water distributer thing - no discernible difference in performance. Also - new shower screen every so often. They need a good clean to keep at top performance and while regular back flushing helps - a proper clean is needed pretty regularly.

• Had to fit a new thermal fuse and thermostats as above.

I should really get a pid - but the sheered bolt means I assume as soon as I drop some cash it will finally die.

Helpful info - thanks! So has the bolt snapped off? Or have you stripped the thread in the hole. Definitely sounds fixable, just depending on how keen down the rabbit hole that you want to go.
As I say, I’m gonna hold off on the stats and hopefully sort it with the PID. Might have to hold on to my old machine as I can imagine the classic will end up in bits on my desk for some time.

You can build a PID for £30 using AliExpress parts (could be cheaper but I'd want a legit SSR) if you'd like more money for beans. Dual SSR PID for maybe a tenner more which would allow you to control steam pressure too. Also, I don't think you can fit the Shades OPV spring on your model, it should have the totally adjustable OPV (with a 5mm Allen key) instead.

Cheers for the offer! I did find some preground in the freezer though - Summer half term me obviously had some forethought, and had planned ahead. Summer holiday me, on the other hand, had completely forgotten.

I think I’m happy to pay over the odds for a neat package (and one I’m less likely to fuck up, lol.)

Head snapped off. Its a 5mm allen I think.

It's very tight to get down there - but realistically I suppose you could drill it out and then try and helicoil it. My experience of trying to extract would mean that's probably a no go. It was fused in there pretty good five years ago so it's likely pretty much one with the threads now.

Whatever you replace it with will need to be flush, as it's a sealing surface I think.

All in all, not a job I'd relish - and certainly not while it's still working!

Be aware that the OPV spring only applies to the 2015 and 2019 models onwards I think. For earlier models it's just an allen key adjustment, but you need a pressure gauge to know what pressure you're adjusting too.

And I'd avoid that service kit, it's too expensive and includes a stock shower screen. Get an IMS shower screen instead and a single steam thermostat to check if it fixes the steam issue., You can get gaskets separately for cheap.

Be aware that the OPV spring only applies to the 2015 and 2019 models onwards I think. For earlier models it's just an allen key adjustment, but you need a pressure gauge to know what pressure you're adjusting too.

Ah, @Nef check that, because it might mean the advice I gave you a few pages back might be wrong. I didn’t know the OPV was different on later machines.

I’ve sacked off the service kit; was more just noting that if the components are in a service kit, and their failure can cause similar symptoms to those I’m having (poor steam pressure), it wouldn’t surprise me that the stats are to blame.
And if I understand it correctly, the PID replaces the stats anyway.

As for the OPV, I need to have a look at it again anyway before I order any bits - as you say, it might have the adjustable one. Although I’m struggling to find a photo online of what the adjustable one looks like.