# Gaggia Evolution - Blockage in Group Head?



## Ragazzo (Jun 20, 2010)

I recently bought a second-hand Gaggia Evolution from eBay, having previously owned a Gran Gaggia.

I didn't look after my Gran very well, but it worked well for a couple of years until it fell on the floor and broke during a move. Oops.

I have vowed to learn more about my new machine, and to take care of it properly. When it arrived last week, I flushed through both the group head and the wand, and it seemed ok, but very leaky around the group head, and I think the group head seal needs replacing.

However, when I switched it on today, having finally got some decent coffee to try, nothing but drips came through the shower head. Rather than a rumbling noise, as normal, the machine just made a low whirr.

I took the shower head off, and was shocked by how caked in crap it was (the seller obviously didn't - or didn't know to - bother cleaning the machine). I've cleaned the shower head, and managed to get one of the hex screws off the group head - with the intention of cleaning it and seeing what's going on behind. However, I don't have the right tool (I just used a flat head screw driver that fitted) and one of the bolts seems glued on with crap, and won't shift.

I'm not really sure what to try next. I'm not very practical, and this is my first attempt at any maintenance. I don't even know if a blocked group head is the problem.

Help!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Welcome

Allen keys from IKEA have worked well in my head bolts before. Do you have any of those?

Make sure the group head is cold before trying to remove them too


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## Ragazzo (Jun 20, 2010)

Thanks, I don't have any Ikea allen keys to hand, but I will ask around. After simply switching the pump on and off about 20 times, the blockage seemed to clear, at least a bit. That doesn't detract from the need to give the machine a damn good clean.

Once I get the group head off, what's the next step? I imagine it will be covered in shit, which will need to be scrubbed off. I want to order a new group head seal, because the current one seems perished. Should I then use a descaling product? I haven't been for a look in Tesco yet, but would a standard kettle descaling product work, or should I order the Gaggia sachets?

On a separate note, when I had my bottom-of-the-range Gran Gaggia, I always used pre-ground coffee - either Illy in a tin or if I was in the vicinity, a bag of Whittard's. Although the results were acceptable (compared to the muck on offer in my hometown) after living in Italy for three years, I realise what good coffee is all about. I therefore want to buy a grinder. My question is thus: is the Iberital MC2 the cheapest acceptable grinder for producing great coffee at home? I've seen it online for about £140. This is about as much as I could spend on one.

My next question is whether commercially roasted beans are ever acceptable? The reason I ask is that in Italy all the cafes used Segafreddo or Illy, etc. and I had some amazing coffee there. I look forward to hearing your views.

Thanks again!


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

Oooops - you're not looking hard enough on-line ;>)))

Try: http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/iberital-mc2-grinders.html

I can recommend these guys - as will others on the forum.

I used to have an MC2, and can vouch for it's capabilities. Personally, I'd always go for the non-doser, and just grind on demand.

If I remember rightly, someone on thuis forum (or it could be another) is trying to sell an unused MC2 at the moment - worth a search.

...and even as an total Italophile, I have reservations about the quality of coffee in Italy - but that's for another discussion - which I hope we can have sometime.


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## Ragazzo (Jun 20, 2010)

Grazie mille per il consiglio e l'aiuto! I wouldn't say that all the coffee I had in Italy was great, but a lot of it was. However, since being back in Wales, I've discovered a little cafe called Plan (it was in the Independent's top 50 cafes) which gets its coffee from a specialist roaster, and it was like heaven. Divine. The boss kindly obliged me with the roaster's name, which is why I need a grinder pronto. The happy donkey offers a great price on the MC2. I think he could have a sale here! I think I might have missed the boat on the second hand MC2 - it was advertised 3 weeks ago.

Would regular kettle-type descaler be OK for my Gaggia, or should I get the branded sachets?

Thanks again!


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

I'm no expert on espresso machines, but I think that the Evolution has an aluminium boiler, and something like a kettle de-scaler may be a bit strong. Personally, for what it costs, I';d play safe and get the gaggia stuff - although I am sure that others, more expert than me, will chip in here to advise.

...and my perception of Italian espresso is that it's always great - but that could be something to do with loving being on holiday there and drinking it through rose-coloured taste buds! Seriously though, what always amazes me is the quality (and cheapness) of espresso in most Italian railway stations - I suppose it must be something to do with the sheer throughput and the skill required to work in one. If only British Rail coffee could compete...


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## Ragazzo (Jun 20, 2010)

As far as I know, the cost of an espresso (like bread and pasta) is fixed in Italy, provided you drink it at the bar (table service costs more). When I was last there in March, it was still 90 cents a shot. I guess that, as you say, the sheer throughput must account for the quality to some extent - even with commercial beans they're used up so fast they probably don't have time to go stale. A busy station cafe must serve up 100 shots an hour. What also impresses me is what good care they take of the machines (and the cafes in general). How many times have you been in a British cafe where the steam wand on the £5000 machine is encrusted with milk crud, the baskets and group heads are filthy, and they probably ground up a whole load of coffee at the start of the week which is sitting there going stale. When I first got back to my hometown in Wales, I asked for a cappuccino in my local cafe, and got a bucket of scalding hot milk with a bit of bitter tasting coffee in it. I burnt my tongue, and left soon after.


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## gaggiamanualservice.com (Dec 22, 2009)

hi, it sounds like your outlet valve is blcked with scale, you will need to remove shower disc holding plate, two 5mm allen bolts then remove the outlet valve. 13mm socket. the valve may come apart, dont worry, just make sure the spring and rubber bung go back in the same way. mark


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Go for the Gaggia branded descaler. Lifts off scale well - you'll notice the difference if scale is an issue


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

gaggiamanualservice.com said:


> hi, it sounds like your outlet valve is blcked with scale, you will need to remove shower disc holding plate, two 5mm allen bolts then remove the outlet valve. 13mm socket. the valve may come apart, dont worry, just make sure the spring and rubber bung go back in the same way. mark





Glenn said:


> Go for the Gaggia branded descaler. Lifts off scale well - you'll notice the difference if scale is an issue


Agreed!


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

I've used the Puly Cleaner Baby on my Gaggia to descale with and does the job.


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## jgaggis (Oct 6, 2012)

hi there, i have had the same problem with my gaggia evolution.... did everything that was mentioned above and it worked a treat. thanks so much... good advice..







)))


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