# Portafilter keeps flying off



## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

HELP!!!

Something very odd is happening with my classic. I am new to making my own espresso and have been going along very nicely but a wierd problem has set in. All of a sudden when I try to make a brew the portafilter literally blows off the group head and today I have smashed 2 cups and wasted 250g of beans (more probably) fiddling around with variables in a bid to solve the issue.

I will attempt to give you all the facts.

Recently I bought a new grinder which has the capacity to get the grounds fine enough to choke the machine if I wish. Grinder is a Compak Elite and I am happy with it. Obviously I do not wish to choke the Classic. I have had 10 days of near perfect coffee since the grinder arrived until this happened.....

I bought some fairly light roast beans from Rave (Costa Rica) and considered the extract to be a bit quick (under 20 seconds), about 10 seconds quicker than I was getting used to. I decided to grind finer. This had the desired effect with these beans and flavours improved dramatically. I guess I dialled in to the bean quite well (beginner's luck). Problems began when I changed back to the previous coffee.

Having decided to buy another 500g of the darker more oily bean I discover the grind so fine (and visibly fluffier) on the same setting I am choking the machine. I soften the tamp, lower the dose and set the grind a few notches courser but the trouble begins...

The pressure appears to be forcing the portafilter from the group with ease wasting good coffee and smashing my 1920's thin china Japanese cup which I loved and leaving me thirsty. It also makes a real mess as soggy grouds ejaculate all over the kitchen.

I have to say I can never get the handle of the pf past about 5 o'clock, this may be important. I have not done a opv mod. I have only used good quality fresh beans.

In a nutshell I am at my wit's end.

I am concerned that I have damaged the group. I have loosened the grind and am tamping like a fairy but the PF keeps blowing off wrecking cups and devastating my worktops.

Has anybody else experienced this problem with the Classic? Last time it blew off the tamp was almost non existent and the grind was sandy not floury. It was almost as though somebody had crept into my house and lubricated the thread on the PF. I watched it unwind a blow off onto the cup below

Has anyone else experienced anything similar????

Advice very welcome

Thanks in anticipation


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Could be a very new or incorrect size, thickness, of brew head gasket.

Very easy to change


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Be assured it's not the fault of the beans or the grinder. Make sure YOU are not overdosing, try the PF without any coffee in and see where it finishes up in relation to the 6 oclock position.

Ian


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## majnu (Jan 31, 2014)

Have the 2 notches on the portafilter ever locked into place in their respective slots? But as you have said you've not got it past the 5 o'clock position then I guess not. Change the group head gasket which is a 5 minute job and replace it with a new one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004ZF1VVI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Group gasket is my first thought too.

What position is it locking into 6 o clock?

What basket is in there, standard non pressurised?

What happens when you put a blind basket in when you back flush?

Have you cleaned the basket recently?

Have you a pressure gauge to check what the actual group pressure is?

Sorry question questions questions


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

Portafilter with no basket easily gets to the 6 o'clock position. Much more difficult with basket in place but until now the 5 o'clock position has given me no aggro. The Classic was second hand and arrived with a spare gasket so I will change it tonight!!

I have been weighing the dose to 14grams precisely since my problem began.

Thank you for the advice. I will report the results of the gasket change


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

RESULT!!!!

Just changed the gasket and it's like a new machine!!! Just made a tester cup and couldn't help drinking it. A bit silly at 9pm but hey ho!!!

All of a sudden the PF goes just beyond 6pm with ease. In the short time I have had the machine I have had to really force the thing onto the head but not now!! As this is my first machine I presumed it was just the way with the Classic. I am really grateful for the advice, thanks.

How often do these gaskets need changing approx?

in answer to your questions the baskets have been cleaned in cathiza (sp) yesterday and are done about weekly in this way.

Backflushing has gone according to plan so far, again done weekly or sooner

As yet I haven't done a pressure check. I want to and can see how to adapt the PF. Problem is mine appears to be different to others and there appears to be no place to fix the gauge so I presume I need to invest in a whole new PF. I can adjust the screw a bit at a time and try and taste the difference. Maybe I will do that unless there is another way.

Thank you all for your help


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

> no place to fix the gauge


The twin spout will unscrew from the main body of the PF. Maybe a bit tight. You then expose a screw thread to which you can attach the pressure gauge


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Cool,Glad it sounds like it was the gasket.









I had my Classic for about 17 months and didn't need to change the gasket. Cleaning it with a group brush is meant to help (maybe I've Dreamt that!







)

If it's the old style PF without screw thread twin spout I'm sure I've seen a pressure gauge being fitted into a blind basket that clicks into a naked pf.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

ronsil said:


> The twin spout will unscrew from the main body of the PF. Maybe a bit tight. You then expose a screw thread to which you can attach the pressure gauge


@paul post a photo of your PF

Sorry does it look like this?


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

Try as I might I cannot get a photo to upload. But I promise my PF looks nothing like the more attractive one in the picture. Mine has 2 nipple like exits which are moulded into the PF body. I bought a new one on ebay which doesnt fit. It will if I reduce the larger flanges or I could resell it to try and get some of my £16 back!!


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## majnu (Jan 31, 2014)

You could join the queue for the pay it forward if you don't mind waiting:

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?15051-Gaggia-classic-gauge-and-adapter

As for changing the gasket. I guess when it starts leaking water would be a good indication but I honestly don't know when it would need changing being a wear and tear item.


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

I changed the gasket after 4-5 months of use and it was in very bad shape and water was dripping from pf. This way because of heavy use (5-8 espressos/d) and because I leave the machine on all the time i.e head is always hot and not the best for the rubber.


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## marcuswar (Aug 19, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Cool,Glad it sounds like it was the gasket.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's pretty easy to build your own that will fit in a naked portafilter ... here's one I prepared earlier









http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?17102-Making-a-pressure-test-gauge-using-a-single-basket&highlight=pressure


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

paul whu said:


> Try as I might I cannot get a photo to upload. But I promise my PF looks nothing like the more attractive one in the picture. Mine has 2 nipple like exits which are moulded into the PF body. I bought a new one on ebay which doesnt fit. It will if I reduce the larger flanges or I could resell it to try and get some of my £16 back!!


Your PF isn't the one that ships with the Classic by the sounds of it, as much as I'd like to tell you that it's 'x' amount of turns to get to 9 Bar it really isn't the same for every machine but at the very least if you loosen it off it will be a lower pressure so it's worth doing.

Seems as though the naked and normal PFs are around the same price its a bit of a toss up - go naked and use marcuswar's pressure gauge mod or get a normal twin spout and screw on said gauge and adapter.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Sound like the one my sister has on a Cubika. If this is the case would be unmodifiable with any sense of ease that is.

John


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Is this the problem?


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## peterj (Dec 23, 2014)

It might be obvious but I don't keep my PF on the machine when not in use as I figure this will keep the gasket in better shape long term...am I being over cautious ?


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