I picked up a Faema C85 yesterday for $25 (A steal!) and it needs some serious restoring. I've never restored a machine before so I've got (and will have) a lot of questions.

The machine came with all the panels and drip tray. I plugged it in and the pump turned on, though it sounded like it was vibrating pretty badly. Currently I've got most of the insides out minus the electrics and the grouphead and the level indicator. The boiler tank was filled with water and the element is caked in at least 5mm of scales. Right now I'm soaking the pipes in vinegar.

Questions:
How should I go about cleaning the boiler/element? Should a soak it in acid for a couple days? I see that Bryce (see references) was able to get his nice and shiny, but I'm not sure how that was achieved.

Are these portafilters able to be saved? (See pictures)

Where can I get parts for this thing?

Suggestions? Opinions? What do I need to check for replacing?


References(Mostly for my own use):
Bryce's Faema Compact S Restoration
Frankmoss' Faema Compact S Restoration Log and Questions

Pictures
The info sticker


Some shots with the panels off




From above


The front, lots of nasty


Got most of the insides out, here's the tank


Grouphead


The portafilters

Nice score!
The C85 is not a beautiful chromed machine but produces excellent shots.

First I would be sure that the HX is intact.
If not, it will be hard to repair.
You'll need all the seals and probably a new pump. I'm happy with my Fluid-o-tech replacement pump.

Good luck! Restoring a machine in rough shape is quite rewarding.

The portafilters will probably be fine after a soak in backflush detergent.

allon wrote: First I would be sure that the HX is intact.
If not, it will be hard to repair.
You'll need all the seals and probably a new pump. I'm happy with my Fluid-o-tech replacement pump.

What do you mean by the HX being intact? The boiler is water tight and there's nothing wrong with it. I'm not sure about the heater, but I would think that wouldn't be horrible to deal with.

What model pump are you using? Even if my pump does work, it sounds horrible.

Also, is the water softener really necessary? Can I just bypass the thing?

I'm using the F-o-T 70W vibe pump - http://www.orphanespresso.com/Fluid-O-T ... _3617.html

You get them with a built-in bypass valve, but I wouldn't bother - transfer the bypass valve from your current pump. The fittings should all match.

The water softener is commonly bypassed or removed entirely. Mine is removed. It gives you lots of room to work inside the machine, too.

As for the HX, the construction of the boiler is of a large chamber with a tube through it. That tube is the HX. If there is a leak between the HX and the main boiler, then you will have a problem, as the 9 bar of pressure in the HX will force water into the main boiler and you will end up overpressurizing your boiler, causing the safety valve to release.

Hi Dan,
Deals like this always make me smile. You can't lose on this project for $25, you could turn it in for scrap and make a profit. So the freedom to experiment and learn is limited only by the value of your time. I suggest learning all you can from this project and applying that knowledge to your espresso decisions in the future. Please post often, with lots of pictures so we can share in the process. Good luck!