# Noisy Vario.



## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Picked up my ebay espresso machine and grinder and have fired up the grinder and it was extremely noisy. MC2 grinding levels of noise, while the Vario is empty. That's not right.

Spent some time cleaning the grinder out. Some really nasty oily beans had been used. Other than that, found nothing particularly nasty there. Still noisy.

Almost sounds like there's something up against one of the gears. Remember the old playing card in the bike spokes? That kind of effect. I ran it earlier with the back panel off, difficult to find the lots of sparks from the motor too. Nothing I'd consider excessive though for a DC motor. I'll be disconnecting the belt and pulling the motor out and running it on the bench to see if the motor is stuffed.

While the motor is out I'll pull the gears and belt and check them over. Turning the small pully gear by hand is an odd feeling. It's notchy in a couple of places, but easier to turn in others. More indication that the motor is banjaxed.

Anyone have any other ideas about what could be causing it? Or where I can get a Vario motor from?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Check out Baratza US for spares. They're good to deal with and it can be cheaper buying from them even with shipping costs added.


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Check out Baratza US for spares. They're good to deal with and it can be cheaper buying from them even with shipping costs added.


Cool. If I can go straight to them then thats great. I did think about replacing the burrs as I have no idea how old they are, and £90 for the set in the UK is barking. But $20 each is more than acceptable.

Thanks.


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Well, in the end it didn't need any spare parts!









Dismantled, almost to components. Motor out, burrs out *eww..so much nasty oily coffee under the lower burr carrier*, belt and pulley out, front panel off power board out.

Oh, and whoever had the idea to fit the motor with flat head screws.. Numpty! Went through my spare parts boxes, refitted with M5x12 hex head screws. Have some others on order as all I had was titanium ones. Bit overkill for this, steel will do instead.

One entire can of compressed air used. Coffee... everywhere... Not a great hopper and top burr carrier design . Allows coffee to get all over the insides. Have had some ideas of something to allow effective single dosing and keep the insides clean.

Reassembly time.







Took my time, ensured everything was aligned. Seems all ok. Lubed the lower burr carrier with a tiny amount of silicone grease on the bottom and the upper bushing. Belt looked ok, reasonably new actually. Which may well explain why the screws for the motor were buggered.

All connected up and checked over. Significantly smoother turning. Still sounds a bit noisy when empty, but when beans are in, sounds perfectly fine. Calibrated the burrs to 2Q... I have no idea why that random location was chosen. Oh well.

Still need a portafilter holder, really like the look of the new metal one, except for the price.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Well done, that's good news. I've just received a replacement board for mine as it was dead. I don't remember it being a particularly fun job to take it apart before.


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Yeah.. it's not a particularly easy grinder to work on. If the top casing came off easily as well as the back it'd be significantly easier. Easy access to the motor bolts would be top on my list of things that could be improved.

Mine is still noisy, but significantly less than before. Not entirely sure where the noise is coming from now. I do have a mechanics stethoscope that I could use to hunt it down, but it's in storage until after we move.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

How hard is it to get the bottom burr off? I haven't cleaned the lower burr carrier before, I usually just take off the top burr and clean them both that way as well as the chute.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

So I took the front panel off to shim my Vario and was amazed how much coarsely ground coffee was sitting behind it! Luckily nothing dark has ever been through it so no oils. I removed as much as I could without disassembling it further but it looks like a full strip down needs to happen soon.


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

aaronb said:


> How hard is it to get the bottom burr off? I haven't cleaned the lower burr carrier before, I usually just take off the top burr and clean them both that way as well as the chute.


In theory, if you take the motor out and turn the machine upside down and give it a sharp rap on the table, it should come out. Mine didn't.

In the end I used a couple of soft jaw pliers and grabbed a couple of the bits around the burr and lifted. That worked. I had removed the bottom burr before trying that.



aaronb said:


> So I took the front panel off to shim my Vario and was amazed how much coarsely ground coffee was sitting behind it! Luckily nothing dark has ever been through it so no oils. I removed as much as I could without disassembling it further but it looks like a full strip down needs to happen soon.


It's amazing where the coffee can get to for something that should be effectively sealed off. I think the biggest problem is the upper burr throat and the hopper don't have a seal around them so coffee can get around it. May try a piece of neoprene cut to size to see if it helps.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Did you follow a guide when dissembling it or is it straightforward?


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

I used the videos baratza made on YouTube for changing the belt and also the exploded diagrams on baratzas site.

I also have a habit of laying things out in the order I remove them. Makes it easier to locate the correct order.


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Update:

It got quieter after I spent some time fiddling with it.

Up until tonight that is... it got really quiet.. and then the smoke escaped.....

Bugger...


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Look on the bright side though.....unless that is you go and buy another one!


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