# Very slow pump on a Classic



## solwisesteve (Jul 19, 2012)

Please.... can anyone out there help?

Classic. c. 3 years old.

Only used for Espresso.... about 4 shots a day.

It's started being really slow on pumping.

I've taken the shower head and group head off but the pumping is still really slow. It's always been run with softened water so it can't be a hard water problem.

If you look at the water outlet hole it's just a dribble; it gets there eventually but it's taking a couple of mins for a shot!

Any ideas?

Thanks

Steve


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## noelweston (Oct 7, 2012)

Hi Steve -

Probably a blockage in the solenoid valve on the back of the boiler. It only takes the tiniest piece of scale to cause problems.

There are write-ups on here for how to dismantle and clean it - takes about 5 minutes once you get used to it, but don't try when the machine is hot.


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## solwisesteve (Jul 19, 2012)

Cheers I'll do a search.


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

Have you backflushed? You can try backflushing with a product that may help unblock it. Make sure it has a three way solenoid before you backflush - I know the Classic used to have this. Also, make sure you run a lot of clean water after using the product.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Take the end of the OPV tube into a cup, press down the steam button, then the brew button and observe how much water comes out of the pipe.

The solenoid should be closed so ALL of the water from the pump should be going out of the OPV as the boiler should already be up to pressure.

If there is a good flow of water, then you can assume that the pump is ok.

Just be sure to take the end that goes into the drip tray, not the end attached to the boiler....

If the pump is ok, then the next thing to look at is the solenoid.


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## solwisesteve (Jul 19, 2012)

Well I took the solenoid out and soaked/cleaned it. That was relatively easy to do. No better; if anything things are worse. Nothing is coming out of the steam wand (steam and brew turned on) and only dribbles out of the main head (steam turned off).

Are we thinking pump then? :-(


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## noelweston (Oct 7, 2012)

When you took the solenoid valve out, did you separate the two halves and check/clear the holes?

I did post a link to my earlier write-up, but apparently it disappeared in a moderating bug. I'll try again...


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## solwisesteve (Jul 19, 2012)

No I didn't go that far but the fact that I also couldn't get water out of the steam wand seemed to point to a dodgy pump. I'll get it out again and split it apart.


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## noelweston (Oct 7, 2012)

Found the link again:

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?7628-gaggia-slow-coffee-flow&highlight=classic+solenoid


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## noelweston (Oct 7, 2012)

Nope, link still moderated.

Search for classic solenoid, and look for a thread where I've got the last post - end of october last year.

Another test - if you unbolt the solenoid valve from the boiler then switch on and run the pump (brew switch on) it should spew water straight out of the boiler. This will give an idea as to whether the pump is working.

My money's still on a tiny blockage in the solenoid valve.


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## solwisesteve (Jul 19, 2012)

Give the man a cigar!! Water out of the steamer and main head correctly now  Split the solenoid and poked all the holes clear and blown them through. Rinsed out. Works fine now. 

Cheers


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## noelweston (Oct 7, 2012)

No worries - glad you got it sorted. I have to do mine every few months, and have got to the point where I can even manage it before my first coffee of the morning!


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## spinningwoman (Sep 25, 2013)

Thanks - I had the same problem and followed the excellent pics referred to on the other thread and despite seeing no blockage in the solenoid, there must have been something because afterwards it worked fine.


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