***Disclaimer: Ok. I'm stepping over the line. I used to roll my eyes and make fun of folks who posted pics on here of their machines taken apart on a workbench. I used to tell my friends about them and we'd laugh. I post the following with shame:***

I'm convinced that my machine is running a few bars above 9bars. I don't know exactly, since I don't have a gauge, but the consensus seems to be that Gaggias ship from the factory set to 11 bars in order to be ESE certified. Also, on the parts diagram for my machine, the OPV is actually called a "valve 11 bar assembly". I've read other posts talking about how you can choke a Gaggia at one setting, and then get a gusher when you go one notch coarser.

So I thought I'd look under the hood and see if I couldn't adjust this a bit. (Most folks say that Gaggias start around 11 bars and that one turn of the OPV will bring it up or down 1 bar.)

Trouble is, instead of the usual brass OPV, I found this:



A closer pic:



Inside, instead of the usual hex key screw, used for adjustment, I found a spring and this:



Any thoughts? Perhaps this can't be adjusted. If so, I may order an adjustable OPV and swap it in.

I promised myself I would never pull apart my machine and start modding. (Next thing you know, I'll be home-roasting )

I don't think that OPV can be adjusted. (There are some who say it can, and you might want to try.)

If you can't, then get a brass adjustable OPV and install it. However, it won't "replace" the one in your picture. That plastic one is mounted at the exit from the pump. You will want to mount the brass one at the boiler inlet.

Susan

Am I looking in the wrong spot then? Perhaps there's already an OPV at the boiler and I just missed it.

This is a Gaggia New Baby (i.e. Post 2006).

If you check out the Gaggia Users Group (link in my signature), there is a parts diagram of your New Baby.
AFAIK there is no other OPV.

That feature is in all Classics, in some Babys, in the original old white Coffee (steam knob on the front), and has to be added as a modification to the others. It will mount on the boiler inlet, right next to where the solenoid is.

Susan