# Lever Maintenance



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Just given LI a sixth monthly service - remove the piston, clean, relube and refit and clean shower screen in some Cafiza - half an hour in total.

It is said levers give loads of feedback - none more so than when it's time to apply some TLC.

LI's bite point was beginning to move from the customary 45 degree angle. Sure enough, when I checked the seals, there was insufficient grease present.

What other espresso machine is so easy and simple to maintain in top working order?


----------



## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

There's no real maintainance involved with the lower end machines like the Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia apart from the usual cleaning and descaling which are very straightforward.

I now have to learn how to maintain an E61 assembly with the Izzo...


----------



## billcoxfam (Jan 8, 2013)

Well over 2 years since I bought my L1 and the lever still catches at 45 degrees and I haven't yet re-lubed or changed seals.

The only maintenance to date has been to clean the shower screen every 2 months and to wipe the machine down with a damp cloth.

Used daily for four or five shots and usually switched off mid day. If it ain't broke! It's probably time I ordered some spare seals and lube, in readiness though.


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

billcoxfam said:


> Well over 2 years since I bought my L1 and the lever still catches at 45 degrees and I haven't yet re-lubed or changed seals.
> 
> The only maintenance to date has been to clean the shower screen every 2 months and to wipe the machine down with a damp cloth.
> 
> Used daily for four or five shots and usually switched off mid day. If it ain't broke! It's probably time I ordered some spare seals and lube, in readiness though.


You have done really well with that bill, well done, is probably time you did a bit of a group service though


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

billcoxfam said:


> Well over 2 years since I bought my L1 and the lever still catches at 45 degrees and I haven't yet re-lubed or changed seals.
> 
> The only maintenance to date has been to clean the shower screen every 2 months and to wipe the machine down with a damp cloth.
> 
> Used daily for four or five shots and usually switched off mid day. If it ain't broke! It's probably time I ordered some spare seals and lube, in readiness though.


Now that is low maintenance


----------



## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

@The Systemic Kid And you found the condition of the seals were ok , what's the expected lifespan of these Patrick ?


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I have fitted a group seal supplied by BB for the Veloce and it seems to fit fine, so will also fit the L1. £2.99 and I believe they have some packets with 5 seals coming in this week.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Thecatlinux said:


> @The Systemic Kid And you found the condition of the seals were ok , what's the expected lifespan of these Patrick ?


Difficult to say, Richard. Depends on usage. Above, billcoxfam has not lubed or changed his seals in two years without any loss of efficiency.

I would recommend a clean and lube every six months to keep the seals at their best and change them every two years.

Understand Reiss is bringing out some new seal variants for LI according to Coffeechap. Will keep an eye out for those especially if they provide an even better seal.


----------



## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

It would be good if one of you long term lever boys would do a short video next time you do a six monthly service!


----------



## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

I'm prepared for the boo boys but the Sage Dual Boiler is easiest for general maintenance. One button to backflush water or detergent, walk away and its done in less than 5 minutes, ready to go in the morning. Put anti-scale solution in tank, press one button and its done when you wake up in the morning. No lubrication routines. Drop the shower plate once in a while and give it a wipe.

Considering I'm an idiot and I haven't broken it, it is therefore idiot proof. I fear neither lever or an E61 is idiot proof.


----------



## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

seems like the sage is just the right machine for you then. Don't buy a lever.


----------



## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

CamV6 said:


> seems like the sage is just the right machine for you then. Don't buy a lever.


Left myself open to that one. Still funny all the same.

I don't see a lever as ever being a home option for myself as I am happy with the results from pump machines and prefer the "hard data" approach you get from pump machines. Less art more science.

Having said that if the cafe I keep dreaming of as a second career were to ever come to fruition, it would definitely be a lever only shop. In this regard I'm with Calum. The drama and show of a lever machine just cannot be beaten. It looks to Joe Bloggs as "real espresso" and at least here in Manchester would be almost the only shop in town with levers. There is one; Moose Coffee, but the coffee is, my opinion only, mediocre and there is the only place where I go for chocolatey mochas with whipped cream. More dessert than coffee.


----------



## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Difficult to say, Richard. Depends on usage. Above, billcoxfam has not lubed or changed his seals in two years without any loss of efficiency.
> 
> I would recommend a clean and lube every six months to keep the seals at their best and change them every two years.
> 
> Understand Reiss is bringing out some new seal variants for LI according to Coffeechap. Will keep an eye out for those especially if they provide an even better seal.


I am assuming that the current seals are a standard vulcanised rubber of some sort. Is there an option to buy silicone seals that would fit? Silicone has a much longer service life than standard vulcanised rubber (I only know this as my father is a published scientist who specialised in this area of physics/chemistry). They also tend to be more compliant, I don't know if that would be a good thing or a a bad thing in this situation.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Presume so - will be interesting to see what the new seals are made from.


----------



## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

Or butyl rubber (where my father was one of lead scientists in world; I learned not to ask questions as answers were long and unintelligible to me) would be a very suitable material. It is air and water tight (suprisingly many are not, impervious to most known chemicals, has a long service life and is food safe (many chewing gums use it as a base)). It is much more expensive by weight but I assume that actual costs of materials in this case is not what drives the end product cost.

Maybe Reiss could retain my dad as a consultant


----------



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks for the servicing prompt @The Systemic Kid - can you post the same message every six months?


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

I need to do mine badly, it's been just over a year.

I have 2 new group seals here somewhere but an extensive search has not revealed where I filed them. At £2.99 from BB Its not going to break the bank to buy new!

Debating replacing the IMS integrated screen for an IMS woven at the same time.


----------



## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

I replaced the seals on my machine after a year. It's now better than new, the lever catches much earlier and I'm getting bigger shots. Although I found nothing wrong with the original seals I think that they were made of harder rubber than the replacement seals from Reiss. Definitely worth doing.


----------



## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

Owning an L1 is bit like owning a small steam engine. It has a soul. Owning a Sage must be a bit like owning a micro wave oven. It has a CPU.

Coffee always tastes better after a bit of tinkering.


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

NickR said:


> I replaced the seals on my machine after a year. It's now better than new, the lever catches much earlier and I'm getting bigger shots. Although I found nothing wrong with the original seals I think that they were made of harder rubber than the replacement seals from Reiss. Definitely worth doing.


I think its just the year of heating cycles and wear that makes them go hard!


----------



## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

aaronb said:


> I think its just the year of heating cycles and wear that makes them go hard!


I disagree. Right from new I was always disappointed by the tiny shot volume from my L1. Now its not an issue, I've not measured it, but its ample.


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

In the majority of cases low shot volume is down to how the lever was installed !


----------



## oddknack (Apr 8, 2014)

Dave, what things affect shot volume when installing?


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

whether you have applied enough grease to the bore and piston, whether you inserted the group carefully. The shot volume that nick will speak of after changing the seals will not be a huge increase, as the L1 is still limited by the size of the chamber below the piston when the piston is raised. The L1P and l2 is slightly different as the preinfusion pressure is greater, allowing for a faster full saturation of the puck.


----------



## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

The difference between before and after replacing the seals was the lever catching at between 5-8 minutes to the hour and now 12-14.

My machine dates from the time when the bore was pre greased, perhaps before Reiss discovered loxeal

Anyway whatever the reason, the machine is far more satisfactory now. As I said before, coffee always tastes better after a tinker with the machine.


----------



## mathof (Mar 24, 2012)

aaronb said:


> Debating replacing the IMS integrated screen for an IMS woven at the same time.


What would be the considerations? I use the IMS integrated: it's easy to clean and the distribution of water seems fine. I don't understand why IMS offers this choice, they don't seem to explain the reasons for choosing one or the other on their website.


----------



## insatiableOne (Jul 29, 2015)

I didn't re-grease my group for a almost a year. Then just bought the whole group seal kit, cleaned & used Dow111 on everything except the lever & pins.


----------

