# Help getting shower screen to stay in place on Strega after gasket change, Please.



## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Hi, I'm replacing the group gasket and the shower on my Bezzera Strega and every time I remove the portafilter, after using it to push the basket and gasket in to place, the basket is coming out with the portafilter or just dropping out straight away leaving the gasket in place.

The shower screen is a standard E61 with the lip running around the top and it sits inside the gasket so I cannot understand why it's not staying in place, the gasket has the flat side facing downwards?

All helpful suggestions gratefully received (no, I cannot afford to buy a Londinium Snakehips, even one that looks almost like it's never been used!) so I need to sort this out









Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any help.


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

Don't know if this is the issue but the flat side of gasket sits against the pf, so yours is upside down.


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Jason1wood said:


> Don't know if this is the issue but the flat side of gasket sits against the pf, so yours is upside down.


Thanks for taking the time to reply, maybe I wasn't clear, that's how i've got the gasket in, the flat side facing down towards where the pf would be and the bevel facing up, is that the way up it should be? I tried the other way too just in case and the same thing happened.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Bevel side in first, with the shower cup pre-fitted inside the group seal. The lip of the shower cup fits over the "bevel" side of the seal, so seal+cup are offered up together.


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Thanks espressotechno, that's precisely what I've done and each time the cup drops out when i remove the portafilter. The Gasket and cup are both from BB and the gasket is specifically for the Strega so i'm a complete loss as to what the problem is. Any other suggestions please?


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

If the seal+cup are mated together correctly (cup on top of seal), it is not possible for the cup to fall out on its own - the 2 will fall out as one unit.

If the 2 fall out as one unit, then the seal is too loose a fit: Contact BB and they should send a better fitting seal.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Can you easily slide the shower screen thru the gasket. Can you post a side in view of the shower screen (other views might be handy).


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Thanks Dave, I will get some snaps on the phone now and upload them asap.


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Can you easily slide the shower screen thru the gasket. Can you post a side in view of the shower screen (other views might be handy).


 @DavecUK Thank you for taking the time to help with this, I hope the pics give enough information. The shower screen easily slides in to the gasket but it only goes all of the way through when i put it in to the grouphead. The gasket generally stays in place and the shower screen ends up coming out in the portafilter when i remove it after seating the gasket and shower screen, I don't get as far as puling the lever.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Gasket is wrong way up. I'll ask once more. With the gasket on screen correctly, can you push screen thru the gasket (and out the other side)?


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Yes, it happens whatever way up I put it unfortunately, It's usually the right way up but not for these pics unfortunately


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

@DavecUK

Long day Dave, The screen only pushes through when I seat it using the portafilter, it didn't happen until I fitted (attempted to fit) the new gasket, until then it could easily seat and remove the gasket and basket for cleaning. Unfortunately I binned the old gasket so cannot compare the two.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

When reading your OP, it implies you changed the shower screen as well? If so the shower screen either doesn't fit right, or crud in the group is preventing it going all the way in. When you use the portafilter to seat it, you are pushing gasket off the screen.

If you have changed screen, try the old one, if it still happens inspect/clean group.


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Hi Dave, Initially I only changed the gasket and then the old screen slipped out so i bought a new screen to see if that was the problem, the same thing happened so I completely stripped down the lever and piston and cleaned the group thoroughly (I thought), I will clean it again and see if i've missed something, hopefully that will do the trick.

Thanks for your help.


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

Problem solved thanks to @coffeechap's eagle eyes.

Coffeechap and I compared my existing Strega against the new Strega that I've just taken delivery of, Coffeechap spotted that the bottom of the piston on existing machine was a couple of mm lower than on the new machine, problem solved by removing the piston and turning it by hand to tighten the spring a little and viola the shower screen and gasket from BB fit like a glove.....

My view is that, when i removed the piston it was rather tight as there wasn't sufficient grease so i twisted it to ease it's passage from the grouphead, this twist probably twisted the piston and released a little pressure from the spring resulting in a few mm extension of the piston length overall meaning the basket couldn't remain in place when tightened with a portafilter.

Won't happen again as the piston has new seals and sufficient loxeal grease (courtesy of the very generous @Snakehips) that it now slips nicely in and out with minimal effort and no twist required and I will be checking and possibly regreasing it every few months now!


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