# La Pavoni Piston & Shower Screen Clean



## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

Hey everyone,

After 6 months of using the machine I decided to clean the shower head and piston because I had some indentations in my used pucks.

When i opened it up there was black oily gunk all over the piston. I wiped the gunk on the piston and washed and scrubbed the shower screen.

After putting back together, my shots had a greasy oily taste without the aroma that I'd been getting before.

After around 4 shots, the aroma was better and there was less of an oily taste.

I thought that I was getting this taste because I only wiped the gunk instead of cleaning properly. So last night, I soaked piston with the seals in puly caff and made sure it was clean, regreased with food safe grease and reassembled.

I ran water though the group head and eventually the water was clear. But after pulling a shot it still tasted oily.

Will the oily taste go after a couple more shots? Or is it worth me changing the seals?

Thanks!

TLDR; Oily/greasy tasting shots after cleaning piston and shower screen. Do seals need replacing or is it just a matter of waiting it out until the taste goes back to normal?

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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

Did the previous owner of you , use none food safety greases when doing previous work? Food grease is required in the head and also the shaft to help it move ,

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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

I'm sure the previous owner used food safe grease. The taste has been amazing for the last 6 months. It's only once I tried to clean it last week that I've messed it up.

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## Dave double bean (Mar 31, 2020)

It wouldn't taste oily I don't think although it does sound like some of the old stuff has got into the work bits

Probably will go but for piece of mind take the head off again and clean it

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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

Thanks, I will try it for a couple more shots and if there's no improvement, then I'll clean and replace seals.

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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)




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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)




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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

Sorry posted multiple times


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## Nopapercup (Nov 6, 2016)

It's the grease you can taste which will go away after a few shots. Try and minimise the amount you use and after servicing I bring the water up to temperature and then lift the handle over a mug and run a tank of boiling water through. You may still get one or two shots that don't taste quite right but it should go after that.


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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

To update on this, I've still been able to taste soapy/plasticy/metallic residue in my shots and it felt like the taste was improving over time, but after changing beans this week, the taste is a lot more overpowering now.

Any other suggestions?

The only thing left is to descale the boiler and removing the piston sleeve and cleaning thoroughly. I'm a bit hesitant to remove the piston sleeve as it's quite delicate.


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## Rincewind (Aug 25, 2020)

mit_hirani said:


> ...it felt like the taste was i*mproving over time*...The only thing left is to descale the boiler and removing the piston sleeve and cleaning thoroughly. I'm a bit hesitant to remove the piston sleeve as it's quite delicate...


 That's a strange one indeed as you say it "was" improving....FWIW if it was mine i'd be carefully fully stripping it down; getting rid of any scale and that grease you spoke of....good luck with whatever path/route you take.


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## mit_hirani (Jun 23, 2020)

Thanks@Rumpelstiltskin . I only say taste was improving because I had been using lightly roasted to medium roasted beans with fruity notes which probably helped mask the unpleasant flavour.

But tried using a darker roast with nutty chocolate notes and the unpleasant taste is coming through more.


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## Rincewind (Aug 25, 2020)

Each to their own as the saying goes and i can't tell you what to do...it would drive me mad lol....i'd have to pull it all apart 🔧


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