# Gaggia Classic Pump Issue



## macinato (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm after a bit of advice, before I put my hand in my pocket for a new pump, if possible. Just a quick bit of background on the situation:-

I bought the classic second hand with a known solenoid fault. Basically the machine worked correctly, but wouldn't release the pressure from the top of the puck when the extraction was finished. when the solenoid was stripped down I found that the spring loaded rubber seal on the top of the valve shuttle had broken off, which meant that even when the solenoid was de-energized, the top outlet of the valve would remain blocked. I seem to have successfully glued the seal back together, and all began to work correctly, i.e., I actually started to get water out of the exhaust for the first time!!! Recently though, I would be able to pull a shot ok, then flick the brew switch to flush out the shower screen, but if you left it running for a few seconds, the flow would stop. Even if you opened up the steam knob & flicked the brew & steam switch to get hot water, nothing would come out of the wand, but the pump would be running & sounding as if it was under normal working load.

At first I thought it was the solenoid again, but when checked it was found to be working fine. I then turned my attention to the pump & found that sometimes, when this happened, if I pulled the feed tube out of the water while the pump was running, you'd hear the pump run empty ( as expected) then if you put it back in the water & bled it through the steam wand, the pump would pick up & begin working again. Other times though, this would not work & the only way to get things going again, would be to take the pump out, strip it right down, where I would then find that the rubber one-way-valve at the top of the pump, just before the brass elbow would be stuck solid. No matter how hard I blew either way, I wouldn't be able to get any flow. What I have to do is gently poke the valve from the bottom to free it, then it will open & close correctly. Re-build the pump, put it back in, bleed the steam wand again and we're away again!!

when the pump is working, it's working well, i.e., before I set the OPV to 9 Bar it was producing over 12 Bar according to the gauge fitted to the pf, and its still achieving a solid 9 Bar even now!! It's just getting to the point where I can't make more than one drink without having to strip the pump & give the valve a poke!!! There is no limescale anywhere, because I've also recently given it a complete boiler strip down clean, so I can pretty much rule out any pipes or ports blocked anywhere.

So do I replace the pump, or are there any other tricks I can try, or anything Ive overlooked??

Ive just realised that at the beginning of this post I said this was going to be a "quick bit of background on the situation"........It looks more like a thousand word essay now!!!....Sorry if Ive bored anyone to death!!!

I appreciate any ideas please,

Cheers.


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## carbonkid85 (Jan 19, 2011)

I'm afraid I can't help with your problem, but if you do decide to get a new pump then check out eBay. If you search for ULKA pump, there is usually a guy on there who has them for about a tenner. I've bought a couple from him before and saved quite a bit!


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## macinato (Feb 20, 2012)

Thanks carbonkid85, at those prices I think I'll get one anyway!!! The only other thing that bothers me a little is that the brass elbow that fits into the plastic outlet on my pump appears to be bonded in with something. I didn't want to just try & unscrew it with force and end up breaking something. Would I have to get a new elbow as well if I go for a new pump??


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## macinato (Feb 20, 2012)

No need to worry about the brass elbow being bonded, I took the bull-by-the-horns and found out that it was a screw thread with thread sealer on it.......doesn't stop the check valve being stuffed though!!! I'd better not miss the auction for the new pump this time, like I have twice before!!!! Doh!!


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