# GAGGIA CLASSIC - flow far too strong/fast



## susaevan (May 13, 2016)

Hello friendly coffee experts,

I am fairly new to this forum and have already found it so useful. I was wondering, whether any of you had some advice for me, as I am getting slightly desperate. I bought a Gaggia Classic about 6 years ago. Using the pressurised filter and pre-ground Illy coffee (I know, I know), I used to get a decent shot (sweet and strong). Then the machine stopped working after about 2 years. Probably my fault, as we live in London and I hardly ever descaled it. We have now revived it by replacing the pump, but the shots are now coming far too fast. With my pressurised basket I will get a double shot in about 8 seconds. The coffee shoots out all foamy and then calms down, but tastes watery and bitter. I use espresso that I buy at Drury's and they ground it for me (I ask them to ground it for the Gaggia). I have now tried to do some research on this site and others. I totally get that the coffee (especially grind and freshness) counts etc, but I did use to be able to get a decent espresso with pre-ground coffee.

I have descaled several times and replaced shower disc, gasket and headgroup plate. The new pump is an ULKA and we have also taken the solenoid valve out and cleaned it. I now worry that there is something wrong with the machine or that we have somehow damaged it by cleaning it. Before I send it to an expensive service, is there anything else I can try. Change the coffee? Might a new filter help? I am worried that the flow will be even stronger with a standard filter.

Any help at all would be hugely appreciated.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

It does seem odd that it flows so fast even with the pressurised basket. My first thought would be that the coffee needs to be ground even finer. Also that you're using enough coffee for the basket. The problem is that most on here use their own burr grinder and standard basket to set flow rate/shot time, and use a cheap set of jewellery scales to weigh grounds in vs shot out. But a burr grinder is going to cost a couple of hundred quid probably.

If that doesn't help, I wonder if the pump is of a higher rating than the standard one? Or the overpressure valve ('OPV') is set too high. As standard, the OPV is set way above the recommended 9-10 bar so that the machine can be used with ESE pods and pressurised baskets. Many here have borrowed one of the forum's manometers and adjusted the OPV to about 10 bar. That may also help.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Ok how much coffee are you using in the basket ..( in grams )


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## GlennV (Mar 29, 2013)

Obvious question, but have you tried again with the Illy pre-ground? It's one thing that won't have changed in the intervening few years.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

seeing as how you're using a presurised basket Im wondering if you have the rubber widget in place ?


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## timmyjj21 (May 10, 2015)

Where in London are you? I have a pressure gauge portafilter for the Classic and all the tools needed to do any repair, so could drop around. But honestly, I don't think it is broken, it probably just needs some tweaking. Sending it off for 'repair' may not fix the issue.


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## MattyUK (Jul 9, 2019)

Hi all

I'm having a similar problem to the OP and was wondering if anyone can provide any advice?

I have inherited a Gaggia Tebe which seems to be working fine, but the water comes through the portafilter way too fast - I'm talking 4-5 seconds of dark coffee extracted before it starts looking pale and thin. No crema at all.

I'm using pre-ground illy style espresso coffee and am using appropriate tamping technique and dosage. I also have the pooling issue where the grounds are left very wet after extraction.

Is it possible that the basket could be worn? Or does that not affect extraction speeed?

Very puzzled as I don't think this has anything to do with the coffee - I use the same coffee in another delonghi machine I have and have good crema and appropriate extraction.

Any help gratefully received!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

MattyUK said:


> Hi all
> 
> I'm having a similar problem to the OP and was wondering if anyone can provide any advice?
> 
> ...


 The coffee isn't helping.

Pre Ground coffee goes stale quick, as it stales it provides less resistance to the water

Then there is the matter of grind size to ensure a decent flow too.

One machine may have a pressurised basket the other not

The pressurised basket is kidding you into thinking your coffee is fresh and has crema, it isnt and doesnt if it's pre ground .

The Tebe is using a normal basket will need a grinder to get the best from it and a decent tamper , resistance is also provided by how much coffee is in the basket so there may be different amount of coffee being used.

You need a grinder, , whole coffee beans, and some scales to get great espresso IMHO

A pressurised basket will have a black widget in it from memory .


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Mrboots2u said:


> The coffee isn't helping.
> Pre Ground coffee goes stale quick, as it stales it provides less resistance to the water
> Then there is the matter of grind size to ensure a decent flow too.
> One machine may have a pressurised basket the other not
> ...


The tebe used the old style of cast spouted portafilter & rubber disc to go under a normal basket to give pressure. The modern pressurised basket won't work as there's nowhere for the widget to fit.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> Mrboots2u said:
> 
> 
> > The coffee isn't helping.
> ...


 Perhaps the rubber disc isnt there, perhaps the coffee just went stale, threads like this with so little info , can be like throwing mud at the local yokel and seeing what sticks


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## MattyUK (Jul 9, 2019)

Thanks all for your help - I think you've hit the nail on the head.

All I have is a portafilta with an unpressurised basket in it. There's no rubber disc (referred to in this video 



) and there's no black flow restrictor widget sitting in the final exit hole at the bottom of the portafilta.

As far as I can understand from the video, there used to be a rubber disc and a widget, but this has now been replaced by a pressurised basket and the original widget, as seen at https://www.mrbean2cup.co.uk/gaggia-chromedblack-filterholder-with-2-cup-pressurized-basket

Does that sound right to you folks? I which case I'll go buy the rubber disc/pressurised basket. Any thoughts on which would be the better option? There's also this weird clip https://www.mrbean2cup.co.uk/gaggia-portafilter-retaining-clip-filter-spring which I can't quite work out the use for - it's visible in the video above, but not entirely clear if it's used with the pressurised basket or something else.

Thanks again ashcroc/mrboots for the help. Also does this effectively mean that the Tebe won't work with an unpressurised basket? Or does it just mean that to use an unpressurised basket I'll have to use freshly ground coffee?

m


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

MattyUK said:


> Thanks all for your help - I think you've hit the nail on the head.
> All I have is a portafilta with an unpressurised basket in it. There's no rubber disc (referred to in this video
> 
> 
> ...


The modern pressurised baskets will kinda work in your portafilter. As there's no space for the widget which along with stopping the jet of coffee shooting out of the spouts (not so much a problem with the cast portafilter you have), also adds a bit of back pressure. My tebe came with them (previous owner had 'upgraded') & the coffee was ok. The rubber disc they used to supply has been discontinued years ago & is no longer available.
You're by far best off getting to get the best out of the machine though.


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## MattyUK (Jul 9, 2019)

Thanks ashroc - you've left me on tenterhooks there though - "You're by far best off getting ?? to get the best out of the machine though"

In the absence of other advice therefore I think I'll grab one of these: https://www.mrbean2cup.co.uk/gaggia-2-cup-pressurized-filter-basket-with-pin


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

MattyUK said:


> Thanks ashroc - you've left me on tenterhooks there though - "_You're by far best off getting ?? to get the best out of the machine though"_
> In the absence of other advice therefore I think I'll grab one of these: https://www.mrbean2cup.co.uk/gaggia-2-cup-pressurized-filter-basket-with-pin


Best of getting a grinder. Not sure how that disappeared from my post.
That pressurised basket should be ok.


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## MattyUK (Jul 9, 2019)

Excellent. Thanks again for the help. I was tearing my hair out there...


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