I am wondering if the brew thermostat is causing the machine to run too hot which is causing the steam to build up. The machine has no 3-way valve, so the moisture left over from the extraction turns to steam, and when you removes the portafilter it propelled it into the cup, breaking it.

Those with more experience than I have may pin-point this better, but if the sneeze gets worse, I'd reason that there are some leaking - likely dried out and possibly cracked - gaskets or seals in the pressure path.

Sometimes, these might restore themselves after a little exercise and use, and with an uncommon machine such as yours it's well worth a try since replacements may prove challenging to specify, match or locate. There's no point tempting fate or further flying china shards however. Filling the boiler and then simply evacuating it through the group into a bowl (with no filled PF to retain pressure build-up) a few times over a few days might pay dividends.

Still, prepare yourself for a likely project since most of the "rediscovered" machines one reads about on this site end have received a complete set of replacement gaskets before the proud photographs of their gloriously restored selves are posted for all to see.

Just a thought, but are you still keeping all 3 buttons "ON" at the same time? All you need for brewing is to turn the machine on, wait until an indicator light goes on or off (there's bound to be one somewhere) then press the button to activate the pump.

You should only use the steam button when you want to steam. Leaving it on all the time will lead to the symptoms you describe.

Alan

TURN OFF THE STEAM BUTTON WHEN BREWING.

ok my routine has been thus:

-press all three buttons. after 2 - 3 minutes steam is coming out of the group head like crazy.

-I bleed some steam off with the wand and pour a water shot (to pour a shot I just turn the steam button off, so there's only the power and the pour buttons on)

-press the steam button again to stop the shot (so all 3 buttons are on again), wait 30 seconds until steam starts pouring out of the group again and then pull my shot (by turning off the steam button)

-once the shot is poured, I press the steam button to stop the shot, bleed off pressure with the wand and the take the PF out (this is where the sneeze is happening)

there doesn't seem to be any pressure or temperature regulator, because if I wait longer than 2-3 minutes without bleeding off steam (after turning it on) it starts going crazy. It starts sounding like a tea kettle--the high pitch whistle. I'm afraid it's going to blow up!

mattaz wrote:ok my routine has been thus: Snip... it starts going crazy. It starts sounding like a tea kettle--the high pitch whistle. I'm afraid it's going to blow up!

Sounds like the safety has fired. Maybe it is going to blow.

Is there any way to check? Should I just load up the water tank, press all the buttons, take cover and see what happens?

steam on during the coffee brewing will cause "sneeze"

Alan Frew wrote: snip... All you need for brewing is to turn the machine on, wait until an indicator light goes on or off (there's bound to be one somewhere) then press the button to activate the pump...

Ok if I do this, the "sneezing" stops. Huzzah! Unfortunately, I'm only getting a temp of 160F when using this method (no matter how long I let it heat up--I can hear/see the regulator clicking on and off to stabilize at 160). If I let the group steam and go crazy, the temp is 190F right at the beginning of steam craziness, and around 197F after it starts getting a good head of steam (but then I get back to the sneeze...)

Does this mean that I have to try and go in and re-set the temp regulator to a higher setting? Anyone done anything like that before?



EDIT: I found this thread (How to adjust an espresso machine pressurestat (boiler temperature)), so I'll pop the hood tomorrow and see if I can find the pressurestat.

I'm not quite sure where my pressurestat is, but I think it's in here somewhere... the machine is 20+yrs old and most of the screws/bolts are very stiff so I don't want to go tightening everything only to have something snap.

Can someone lend a hand?