# unscrewing portafilter spout



## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

What is best technique to remove a portafilter spout

I have a couple that I have never removed, they are regularly soaked in pulycaf, but I would like

to clean insides better. I have read about putting spout in a vice (with protective wood) and turning

handle but am concerned I could shear off spout or break plastic parts of handle.

The portafilters I have, have not yielded yet, using a (protected) wrench on spout and the other hand on handle.

Heating spout in boiling water so it expands versus body might be another way ?

Once off I will put some Teflon grease to avoid repeat.

Pulycaf does not, I think, remove the calcium carbonate that might be contributing to the problem,

I typically put the portafilter for a short time in de-scaler (but have to be carfeul not to dissolve the chrome)


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Something like Loctite is applied to the thread before spout is screwed on which makes removal very difficult. You will need to heat the area around the thread with something like a heat gun to breakdown the Loctite so you can unscrew the spout. Unless you can put the portafilter into a vice to secure it while you use a wrench to undo the spout, I would forget it. Remember, you have to do this whilst the portafilter is really hot - it's easy to get a burn off it unless you're wearing heat proof gloves.

Best solution is not to bother. If you soak the portafilter in a beaker of Puly Caff solution, this will remove any grunge and oils' build up inside the spout saving you the trouble outlined above.


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Vice + wood is your best bet for stubborn spouts, if you are worried about the handle, remove it. Normally there's a blanking cap on the end of the handle and a bolt deep inside which holds the handle on the metal section of the PF. The design is actually quite robust with the handle sliding onto around 1-2" of brass behind the basket section of the PF and then being held in place with a bolt so breaking plastic is rather unlikely. If you do take the handles off though you will need a pipe of some sort to extend the "arm" and have more leverage when trying to remove the spout.

One retarded bit I've seen though is the fact that most manufacturers use hex bolts to hold the handle in place. The fact that it's deep inside the handle means you need a hex socket ended screwdriver as even a standard socket won't fit inside the handle.

T.


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

If they are open double spouts, someone mentioned sliding a large screwdriver through that and then carefully rotating it in order to loosen the spouts.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Place spout in between 2 blocks of wood in a vice, or use a workmate type bench, then backwards and forward with the handle, first tighten then loosen, you don't even have to go too hard and after a while it will loosen and unscrew, They use a threadlocker and the constant backwards and forwards motion gradually shears the locker. I have even done them by hand with the spout gripped in a tea towel/small wrench.

If you try and use brute force in one direction you can oh so easily damage the portafilter...slowly back and forth is the way....for so many things.



DoubleShot said:


> If they are open double spouts, someone mentioned sliding a large screwdriver through that and then carefully rotating it in order to loosen the spouts.


Noooo!


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

DavecUK said:


> Noooo!


Depends how tight the spout is, I've done this before and it works, if you are careful and have a tight fitting screwdriver / rod the risk of damaging anything is rather low. As usual with these kind of things, think and observe what's going on rather than ploughing through regardless.

T.


----------



## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

IF you try removing the bolt to remove the handle take care, the bolt can become corroded and shear off requiring it to be drilled and the use of a screw extractor. Or drilling out and re -threading.


----------



## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

Thanks,

I was not aware of the possibility of Loctite.

The rancilio pf has a double spout so offers more purchase,

the bezzera pf is a single and actually does not wrap the bottom of the pf completely (a gap where spout exits so can see pf threads,

maybe that is common, my first single and much more convenient I found) so does not give much purchase and is probably a weaker structure;

this single spout is flattened a small bit on opposite sides where it screws on, so offers the tantalizing possibility of an adjustable wrench

(but it would probably scar it and need some tough nylon shims or hardwood/walnut to prevent it slipping) maybe it is designed for a

wrench since applying torque on a single spout looks as though it could bend it.

as you say dsc - Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey


----------



## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

I used a cloth and a pair of mole-grips to undo the one on the Gaggia, same with the La Pavoni (they are interchangeable to a degree)


----------



## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Rhys said:


> I used a cloth and a pair of mole-grips to undo the one on the Gaggia, same with the La Pavoni (they are interchangeable to a degree)


My old one just unscrews by hand... And I can't unscrew anything... It must be broken and I never knew!


----------



## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Missy said:


> My old one just unscrews by hand... And I can't unscrew anything... It must be broken and I never knew!


Once they had a clean and I got rid of the stale coffee oils, they don't take much unscrewing now.


----------



## timmy (May 20, 2019)

Hi, I tired several things. From soaking in Cafiza, Bosch Calc, even tried dismantling fluid. Heat worked in the end, I used a heat gun and it came off eventually. Finally got my OPV set correctly 😄


----------

