# Francis and Francis X1 need advice on stripping boiler etc



## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi all, I'm new to this forum (it's not easy to navigate! Is that just me?) I need some advice please, I have recently tried to re-activate our old Francis and Francis X1. There is something not working correctly! I am pretty sure the pump is getting water to the boiler, which seems to be heating up ok, steam is available at the steam wand but nothing is coming out of the main port (into the portafilter) I have removed the front and top cover for a look but I haven't dismantled anything yet. My question is, is it possible that there is a blockage somewhere inside the boiler, ie scale build up? It looks like an aluminium boiler, it it worth taking the thing to bits? How easy is this? Any advice would be gratefully received. One other thing, after removing the top cover, I noticed a couple of foreign bodies stuck in the overflow pipe from the pump, they turned out to be 3 parts of some sort of non-return valve, (a tiny spring, and two tiny plastic pieces with holes) I can't work out where they are from, but I don't think they are anything to do with the original problem, it's a mystery! By the way, we live in a soft water area so scale build up has never been a problem before, maybe the boiler fault is caused by corrosion! Anyway, I look forward to hearing your chat. Hopefully I will be brewing up again shortly, thanks, Alan.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Welcome to Coffee Forums UK

This is a vBulletin template and pretty standard forum functionality. It will become second nature to browse in a day or so

The Francis Francis X1 is a challenging machine to get consistent results from

It might be worth selling on eBay for parts and buying a newer machine such as a Gaggia Classic - which is much more user serviceable and easier to get consistent shots from


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## HizerKite (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi, if it's an aluminium boiler then it's probably turned to dust inside as they tend to suffer very badly if unused or used with softened water. I agree with the other reply, may be best to consider an alternative. The mk 2 X1 has a brass boiler - I fix them and they are ok but can be challenging to use to get decent results.


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## GrimboNick (Apr 29, 2014)

Hi Alan,

We've just upgraded from a Francis Francis X1 so our just under a year old light blue X1 is probably going up for sale soon. Let me know if you're interested.

Nick.


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi Nick, yes we may be interested in your X1, can you tell me any more? Does it have a brass boiler? why are you up-grading? I am still hopeful that ours can be repaired but it's good to have a back up plan.

Cheers, Alan


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## GrimboNick (Apr 29, 2014)

Hi Alan,

Not sure which boiler it has, but it's the latest model in light blue, which I think is brass. We upgraded it to an Expobar Dual Boiler... I blame upgraditis! We're in Birmingham... whereabouts are you?

Nick.


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi nick, I will keep your surplus X1 in mind if things don't work out well with my boiler problem, we live in Glasgow so the cost of postage is a factor to consider! The latest with my old boiler? I have removed it from the machine and I'm trying to split it, two out of the four bolts were easy to remove and the other two were seized, after applying more torque, both remaining bolt heads sheared off, bummer! I was able to get a good grip on the protruding tail of the bolts with vice grips and gradually they started to move, in my eagerness to get the job done I tried too hard and sheared one of the tails off, flush! aaaargh! the other one is coming undone a wee bit at a time. Tomorrow I'm going to the workshop to attempt drilling the sheared stud out. I reckon I have nothing to lose at this point as I am fully expecting the inside to be full of aluminium oxide dust!!! Maybe a good clean out will sort it!! But maybe it's completely shot, who knows? I'll post again after the drilling.

Cheers, Alan.


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Hi Alan glad to have another weegie on the forum, hope the restoration of the x1 goes well, I had one before but sold it though was getting some nice coffee from it.


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## HizerKite (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi Alan

if you get stuck, I have a few of the old aluminium boilers in fairly good condition that you may be able to use with some of your parts to make a good machine. I too had a few bolts shear once, wd40 usually helps. Let me know how you get on and if necessary, I'm sure we can get you a working boiler somehow.

Richard


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Thanks Richard, I'll keep it in mind, I tried WD40 too, but I don't think it works particularly well in an aluminium/steel combination, it works wonders on steel/rust/steel !!! The thing tried my patience, believe me, I tried the old 'heat spanner' method (holding it with thick leather gloves over the gas ring) working the sheared stud back and forth for what seemed like ages, anyway, tomorrow is another day, a sharp drill may do the trick.

Cheers. A.


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## HizerKite (Feb 25, 2011)

I just took a pic of the boilers I have, there are 4 mk 1 aluminum boilers and they look to be in reasonable condition so let me know how you get on as am confident one of these will be ok, combined with your element and seals etc.


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## beberex (Jan 13, 2014)

To Tastehunter. In my opinion I would take up Richards offer of a replacement unit. He won`t ask the earth believe me.

I have an X1 which was in a pretty sorry state and as I travel to the Hadleigh area now and then Richard offered to repair it for the cost of parts only if I could drop it off to him.

He did an excellent job and is a really nice guy. What he doesn`t know about X1s isn`t worth knowing!

If you see this Richard, I hope you don`t mind my input and the X1 is still working like new. Thanks again.


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## beberex (Jan 13, 2014)

By the way I almost forgot to ask if you had managed to identify the foreign objects in the overflow pipe.

The pump has a non return valve type affair and they could have come from there.


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## HizerKite (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi Dave and many thanks for the kind comments







) Good to hear the x1 is still alive and well.. I seem to be amassing them currently....

Richard


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hello again, here's a wee update on progress so far, after a certain amount of hassle, several broken drill bits and a whole lot of patience, the two remaining siezed/sheared off studs have been successfully removed. When the boiler was opened, as expected, it was completely bunged up with sludge, it looked like the inside of a carburettor. The next thing I did was look for any obvious blockage, I'm not absolutely sure how these things work, but, examining the 'bottom half' of the boiler, part of the casting has a tube pressed into it (copper or brass) that leads from inside the boiler, just above the heating element, down to the main output port (where the portafilter gets attached)

At the very bottom of the boiler (exterior) I have removed the circular chrome, filter/spreader thing (held in place with a cross head screw) there is a spring and a red rubber 'valve' behind it which seats into a small, cup shaped recess in the bottom of the tube. My question is, should this tube be clear? It was blocked with crud !! If anything (seal or whatever) was originally fitted in there, it had disintegrated, I used a long thin screwdriver and removed all the bits, I'm going to clean the whole thing out, rebuild it as it is and give it a run (standing well clear) I'll let you know how it goes. PS if anyone knows about these boilers and whether this is a good idea or not, please let me know.

Chat soon, Alan.


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi Dave, yes thanks, I was pretty sure they were just that, parts from a non return valve up at the pump end. As there were only three parts and there was no way they could fit to the pump as they were, I assume that any other bits that might have been part of an assembly have long since been inadvertently flushed away down the sink. I am hoping they wont make too much of a difference by their absence.

Cheers, Alan.


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## HizerKite (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi Alan, the small rubber valve should be reasonably soft as they tend to harden after years of sitting in hot & cold water so ideally should be replaced to ensure a good seal while the water is heating. The valve is held in place by a spring and when the pump runs and builds up pressure in the boiler, the valve opens allowing water to flow into the coffee grounds. It's basically there to stop the boiler dripping during warm up as the water and air in the boiler expands. The brass pipe should definitely be clear and a good soak in citric acid usually does the job of cleaning it.

Am interested to know how you get on..

Richard


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## beberex (Jan 13, 2014)

I am as well Richard. Hopefully they`ll get the message eventually.


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi all, exciting times! Today is 'boiler build day'... both halves of the boiler have been scraped out with a lollipop stick, soaked in the juice of two lemons overnight, and finally scoured out with washing up liquid and steel wool. Both parts have been dried out on the radiator overnight, I have sourced, and cut to fit, two new bolts, all the seals and gaskets look to be in very good shape and I can't think of any reason why the assembly of all the parts should not be a complete success. Thanks for all your support and enthusiasm, I'll be back here later on to let you know how things went.

Cheers, Alan


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## Tastehunter (Mar 7, 2015)

Well, what a weekend! The boiler rebuild was a complete success, everything worked exactly as I hoped it would and, after running two or three reservoirs of water thro' the machine to rinse it out, I tried pulling a couple of shots. So this is where I am in a completely new world, the portafilter that was with the machine is very shallow and I think it is designed to be used with paper 'pods' (seemed to work ok but tasted quite weak) the actual extracting was working fine, ie a good seal on the group head, the boiler reached optimum temp quickly and tne machine delivered a shot glass full in about twenty seconds, with no drips or leaks. Sometime in the past we have acquired another group handle thing, a different design which has a couple of baskets with it, one for single shot and the other for a double, I assume!! It also has two holes instead of the originals' one. After buying a pack of pre-ground coffee suitable for espresso machines, I tried varying amounts in the basket, tamping down as best as I know how, using the plastic scoop we had, the girlfriend was well impressed and we have enjoyed several 'cafe con Baileys' over the weekend. I have found myself waking up in the morning, craving coffee and desperate to experiment with varying amounts and blends. I want to get a grinder and a proper tamper next and eventually some sort of electronic scales, there seems to be loads of choice and plenty of opinions on line and I am enjoying browsing while nipping back n forward to the kitchen for a brew.

Cheers for now, Alan.


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## JonasS (Jun 8, 2019)

HizerKite said:


> View attachment 7400
> 
> 
> I just took a pic of the boilers I have, there are 4 mk 1 aluminum boilers and they look to be in reasonable condition so let me know how you get on as am confident one of these will be ok, combined with your element and seals etc.


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## JonasS (Jun 8, 2019)

HizerKite said:


> View attachment 7400
> 
> 
> Do you still have a boiler for X1 mark 1


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## Suzan (Apr 18, 2020)

Recognizing this discussion spans many years... I have an original X1 bought in 2001 with the aluminum boiler. After many hours spent trying to extract 3 of the 4 screws that broke when we tried to remove them so that I could lean the boiler, I have tried every tool and YouTube video, and, it's not looking good. I was finally able to drill through one, I inserted the drill bit for threading to try and expand the hole size to the original, and the bit instantly broke, wedged into the hole I created. Now I can't drill through that bit because of what its made out of... I love my X1. I don't want a new coffee machine. I now have the other replacement parts it needs, but am stuck on the boiler. Also, I live in CA. If anyone has an aluminum boiler they are willing to ship to CA, you will be my hero. Thanks! Suzan


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Can you wind it out with needle nosed pliers in the lands (grooves)


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## emy (Oct 22, 2020)

The thread a bit old, but the same coffee machine. I am trying to source a boiler element, not easy to find one, for aluminum boiler, I am looking at one for Delonghi which looks the same, there is on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=RESISTENZA+MACCHINA+DA+CAFFÈ+1000W+DE+LONGHI+ORIGINALE+5513270609+EC190+ECO310&_sacat=0


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