So it's a lovely Saturday morning, I'm pulling two shots for my wife and I like I do everyday on our Pasquini Livia 90. I tamped slightly harder on the second shot than I did on the first. The shot didn't totally choke the machine, but it was definitely slow going. Probably right at 30 seconds. Still tasted great.

I go to backflush the machine with Joe Glo for the first time in at least a month. Turn on the pump for 15 seconds, then turn off. Water shoots into the tray as usual. Turn it on the second time, nothing comes out into the drip tray. The portafilter is still totally pressurized. I turned the machine off to let the pressure dissipate. Tried again, same thing.

My first assumption was three-way solenoid got all gunked up from the heavily tamped shot. It looked fine, the piston was still all together. Took it off and soaked in Joe Glo for about 10 hours. Fired up the machine and same thing. Pulled a few more shots just to see what would happen. Machine kind of wheezes when I turn it off like something is trying to happen, but can't quite do it. Each shot results in soupy pucks. Then steam started coming out of the backflush spout into the drip tray, which I thought was strange (I turned on the machine the next day and that didn't happen again...weird).

I'm second guessing my stab in the dark with the three-way solenoid. I assumed the solenoid was responsible for sucking up the water, but I read something that said the OPV does that when there is a blind filter in. Anyone with experience have any insight they could share? If so, please help!

Also need to locate the OPV on this Pasquini, but I'll look up some diagrams.

nblair wrote:nothing comes out into the drip tray. The portafilter is still totally pressurized.

That sounds like the three-way solenoid not working.

Have you checked its coil with a multimeter?

When you soaked it in Joe Glo, did you disassemble the valve? If it has a lot of gunk, it's exhaust path might have got clogged.

That was my thought as well. I did not check it with a multimeter, but I will when I get one.

I didn't disassemble all the way when I had it in Joe Glo, the elbows were still on. I tried to get them off but had some difficulty doing so. However, I figured that after soaking from 10 hours I would have some sort of dirty water oozing out. Nothing even after swishing it in there. Also took a q-tip and put it as far as I could down each elbow and down the center. Was pretty darn clean.

(Side Question: Each elbow of the three-way solenoid has a different connection, one is deeper, and one is shallower with a smaller hole. I have no idea which side came off the boiler side or the portafilter side. Is that the same for every machine? Which way is correct?)


Even though I initially thought it sounded like the three-way solenoid, it was this post by Dan Kehn that made me think it could be the OPV. I've located the OPV, but haven't been able to get it off yet. Need to invest in some smaller wrenches for espresso machine disassembling.

nblair wrote:it was this post by Dan Kehn that made me think it could be the OPV.

Sorry, I did not get this. Dan was not talking about the exhaust part of the group head at all.

nblair wrote:I've located the OPV, but haven't been able to get it off yet.

Do you mind posting some pictures of your machine's inside, the 3-way and OPV?

nblair wrote:(Side Question: Each elbow of the three-way solenoid has a different connection, one is deeper, and one is shallower with a smaller hole. I have no idea which side came off the boiler side or the portafilter side. Is that the same for every machine? Which way is correct?)

Sorry, have no idea either, you can check out this thread: Replacing a 3 way solenoid valve on Pasquini Livia 90

Sorry for the long delay between posts. Been a rough week without espresso.

tonythewonderful wrote: Do you mind posting some pictures of your machine's inside, the 3-way and OPV?

Side View of Three-Way Solenoid


Top of Three-Way Solenoid


OPV/Expansion Valve

tonythewonderful wrote: Sorry, have no idea either, you can check out this thread: Replacing a 3 way solenoid valve on Pasquini Livia 90

Thanks. That thread linked to a parts diagram that showed which way it went.

I was able to pull the spring out of the OPV to check it out. Everything looked fine. Loosened it and put in the blind disk. Plenty of water came out into the drip tray, but not from the portafilter, so I'd say you were definitely right it's the three-way solenoid.

I'll go pick up a multimeter to test. Didn't I see a step by step directions thread on how to test a three-way solenoid with a multimeter? I'll look again.

In the meantime, assuming it is the three-way. Is it bad to use the machine in the meantime, even though the puck will be soupy? Don't want to ruin the machine, but need my fix!

nblair wrote: Didn't I see a step by step directions thread on how to test a three-way solenoid with a multimeter? I'll look again.

I think I found it here, which seems pretty common-sense now that I read it.

nblair wrote:Is it bad to use the machine in the meantime, even though the puck will be soupy?

If it were my machine, I would not use it until it's fixed.

Also, I would just remove the 3-way out, disassemble it completely and clean. It might still be all cooked up with coffee residue inside, even after a bath with Joe Glow.

I literally just got done trying to take it completely apart for another deep cleaning. I cannot get the elbows off the damn thing for the life of me. I even bent a wrench. Need to invest in a vice.

Ok, so I had been wanting to get a bench vise anyway so I picked one up and used it to get the elbows off. No obstructions. Clean as a whistle. Took everything apart again and noticed where a little part of the center of the plunger/piston part had broken off in the solenoid.

After being without espresso for a couple weeks already, I just went ahead and ordered a new three-way solenoid from Pasquini rather than testing the coil. Installed it late last night when I got home and it was definitely the culprit. Pulled two shots this morning and everything worked as it should have - no more soupy pucks and when I went to backflush the pressure was released into the drip tray. Feels good to be back in business!

Thank you Tony for the insight and assistance!

Great! I am so glad you have fixed it! (and posted the results)