# Probable stripped thread (Europiccola)- advice please



## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

I am hoping someone can advise on how to remove part of my europiccola when it looks like the thread has been stripped.

Background:

Since buying this machine about a year ago, while on holiday in Italy (Verona to be precise), there has been a steady stream of steam escaping from the pressure valve on the side (sorry, dont know the actual name for it) where it bolts into the boiler unit. Not a lot, but enough to be annoying.

So today i decide to take it apart to have a look - thinking there is probably a seal there which needs replacing.

Fair bit of force needed to loosen the bolt - but then the nightmare. Bolt rotates without coming off! And now it cannot be tightened sufficiently to stop the steam escaping (its much worse than before)!

Either there was a quality control issue in the manufacturing - or the shop did the old "bait and switch" on me and gave me a faulty one.

Bearing in mind I am limited in terms of tools available (plus i have two left hands) - any advice on what to do next would be appreciated.

Picture shows the offending bolt - top right side.

Thank you in advance


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Can you zoom in on the offender and highlight what exactly is rotating without coming off?

Sometimes on valve bodies / straight pieces there's a backing nut behind the sheet of metal and you need to hold that to undo the lot. No idea if this is the case, but might be worth looking under the bonnet to see how it's put together.

First thing for me would be to try and find an exploded parts diagram on google.

T.


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## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

Thanks for the advice. I have checked the parts diagram, and also shone a torch inside the boiler unit, and sure enough, there is a hex nut on the inside which the valve seating screws into. Now the problem becomes how to get to this nut to restrain it while tightening it up? As it is on an angle from below the filler cap I am not sure how to get to it. If I detach the entire boiler from the base, can I get to it from the bottom? (if the heating element is removable).

The nut (and washer) are parts 65 and 66 on the diagram in the link below

http://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/en/La-Pavoni-Lever-Spare-Parts/cc-33.aspx


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Lucky guess









Can you take the top off the boiler (part 1) ? If so you should be able to use a spanner (adjustable probably won't fit) to hold the nut for tightening.

T.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

You need to take the element of and get a flex head spanner to hold the nut on the inside, I also filed down another 17 mm spanner to make it super thin for the outer nut


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

agree -when I did mine it was a 17mm socket on an extension bar with a flex elbow - from the bottom of the boiler.

Technically it could be done from the top, but only with a cranked ring spanner of the right angle and length - best bet is to save time - remove the element

you will need a new boiler gasket as well,

Ps - any joy with the single hole steam tip before the loss of pressure?

Cheers Jim


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## RDC8 (Dec 6, 2016)

Thanks for the advice.

I will order a new gasket and look for an offset (or flex head) spanner over the weekend. This is more of an annoyance than a major existential crisis.

The new steam tip works like magic! Perfectly textured milk as opposed to a mess of bubbles and froth.

Thanks again


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