# Constipated Gaggia Classic 2004 vintage



## PedC (Jun 3, 2014)

Hi All.

I'm hoping someone can diagnose why my Classic is dribbling (literally) out water.

It was working fine, then put it in storage for a month or two. Took it out of storage and replaced all the seals. Took the OPV apart and blew compressed air through it.

I've tried back flushing, and there doesn't seem to be hardly any pressure when the back flush gets emptied in the drip dray.

Am I missing something?


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## brokentechie (Jun 17, 2015)

I'm not a coffee machine engineer but depending on the pressure of the air you blew through your OPV (as a hydraulic and pneumatic trained aircraft engineer) I reckon you've borked the spring.

It's little more than a pressure relief valve. If you knacker the spring inside they literally allow a bypass.

Or you've put it back together wrong.


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## JojoS (Oct 1, 2014)

Try a boiler tear down. Soak the lower part in hot espresso cleaner and manually clean the upper part if needed.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Do you mean it's dribbling from the group head when the machine is on but not in use?

Or do you mean when the machine is on and you are trying trying to pull a shot? If that's the case, try turning the steam valve knob open ( but with out the steam switch on) and see if water then comes out the steam wand with the brew switch switch on. If it does then I reckon your solenoid valve is blocked with a flake of scale


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## PedC (Jun 3, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies.

When I changed all the seals I dismantled the boiler and I removed some scale then but it looked in pretty good shape.

It dribbles out water when trying to pull a shot.

It still steams, but admittedly I didn't open the steam wand while trying to brew a shot. I'll try that.


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## brokentechie (Jun 17, 2015)

Daft question. When you dismantled the OPV did you count the turns of unscrewing the internals and then reassemble by the same amount?


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## PedC (Jun 3, 2014)

When I took the opv apart, all I did was unbolt it from the boiler and remove the top nut. I didn't unwind the hex nut which sets the pressure. Should I have done?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

OPV. Yes you do need to remove the disc inside the opv along with the seal and spring to clean and make sure it is / can move freely.

As said above either count the turns you undo the disc or preferably use a gauge on the PF to set it accurately.

Your "dribbling" problem I would suspect is a tiny spec of scale partially blocking the solenoid valve. You cannot blow this clear !!!

Remove from the machine and completely dismantle it , clean thoroughly and check components. Do not try poking with wire or you may damage the seal. Take care not to lose the two small "O" rings as you remove it.


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## PedC (Jun 3, 2014)

El carajillo said:


> OPV. Yes you do need to remove the disc inside the opv along with the seal and spring to clean and make sure it is / can move freely.
> 
> As said above either count the turns you undo the disc or preferably use a gauge on the PF to set it accurately.
> 
> ...


Cheers, will do and report back.


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