Hey guys,

I have a first generation Isomac Tea that until recently has performed flawlessly. What's the problem? After idling for a while, the brew group seems to dry out. After activating the pump, the machine takes 10-15 seconds for water to appear, and once it does it's barely a trickle. It's also superheated, and at a much lower flow rate than it should be. With a blind filter in place, the Tea takes over 30 seconds to ramp up fully.

What's the problem here? What can I do to troubleshoot the problem and perhaps fix it myself?

Replace your brew valve using the instructions found here:

http://www.espressomyespresso.com/HowToE61overhaul.html . The top half of the Isomac group can be disassembled using the guide here: Checking an E61 Espresso Machine for Scale .

The other two valves in the E-61 grouphead will benefit from replacement also in addition to other wear items in the group assembly.

Thanks for the reply!

Are the symptoms those of scale buildup or of wear to the valves? I suppose that I'll disassemble the group and try to see for myself.

Don't forget the camera so that others might benefit.

I'll have to wait until I get the proper wrenches to perform the disassembly.