That does look like what I need!

It's been an interesting evening! I did more cleaning out of the valves, and decided to put them back in the machine and try it out. If the expansion valve needs more work, I'll get to that later. I just want to see progress! I had to see if anything would happen. First thing that happened -- another leak! Yay! But a new one meant that the check valve was opening properly! For some reason, I had this connection quite loose. So I tightened that up. Then I noticed another at the flow meter. Snugged that up and it stopped leaking too.

Then I pushed the brew start/stop button to turn it on again, and water starting coming out of the group head!!! I was sooooo happy! Then I noticed a very small leak on the right side of the group head. It's where the water line comes in from the flow meter, after it has passed through the jet. It's just a drip every couple of minutes. Snugging it hasn't helped so far. I'm not sure what the problem is yet. Water comes out of the back of the flare fitting.

I let it heat up and watched the economizer closely, and it looks like that leak has stopped!

It got up to about .9 bar and then it shut off the heating. I had reseated and snugged the vacuum breaker, and now that is sealing just fine. I am getting a small amount of steam from my cap though, and I think it isn't quite right for sealing this. I have something coming in the mail... I really hope it gets here tomorrow... that will properly cap this off. I'm speaking of the boiler port for the frother, which I left off.

But since the leak wasn't big at all, the machine got up to pressure and then the light came on that indicates it has reached operating temp. So I got out a tall coffee mug and switched on the steam wand. I initially got a lot of water out, but then it started making a power stream of steam. I stuck the wand down in the water and WOW!!! POWER!!! This machine sure has powerful steaming! I don't think I could ever use a dinky machine after having used this. It's quite impressive!!

Also, I tried the hot water tap, which only works after the machine is at temperature, and that works fine as well.

I would have tried to grind coffee and pull a shot, but I haven't brought the tamper home from work (where UPS delivered it) yet, and it's probably just as well; staying up all night wouldn't be good.

Thanks to all of you for making it possible for me to get this far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris,

It looks like your espresso machine repair journey is coming to an end. Congratulations! It's kinda funny that you have been burning the midnight oil to get this "beast" to come to life but haven't had the requisite tools (lots and lots of well prepared espresso) to help you along the way.

I look forward to hearing about your "first shot" impressions.

Best of luck!

Mike

I am glad you are getting up to the point you can start really start exploring. But the true thing you have learned here is that you have the fortitude to make espresso. You have made the machine, now the next step is enjoying it.

BTW didn't we tell you to tear all the valves down?

I am happy that you are in business.

-Cecil

I was messing around with the machine tonight and I am getting these tiny black specks out in the water from the group head and hot water tap. Any idea what that might be?

Only possibility I can think of is that it's coming from the inside of the hose... the one that is metal on the outside and looks like what you'd hook up a dishwasher with. I didn't replace that, though I probably should have.

CRCasey wrote:I am glad you are getting up to the point you can start really start exploring. But the true thing you have learned here is that you have the fortitude to make espresso. You have made the machine, now the next step is enjoying it.

BTW didn't we tell you to tear all the valves down?
l

yes Cecil, you guys did tell me to tear all the valves down. I tried but no luck with the check valve. I didn't think it would happen. After the machine didn't work, I had no choice but to
try again. Your hot water trick made it possible.

Also, I don't think you were wrong about the computer. It makes the same sounds now as it did before. There are TWO voltage regulators on the board and only ONE was bad. So I think the computer was in fact booting up.

I am just glad you could get it apart. There was one check valve on the Rancilio that I could never get open, I even did the oven trick on it trying to get the sucker opened up. I guess it had been worked on before and someone had galled the threads. I just had to go and buy a new check valve from the factory.

-C

I am working on getting a new hose and also, I found a replacement o-ring for the vacuum breaker, which was leaking and got that installed. Hopefully that makes it seal 100%. I think the tiny black specks may in fact be old coffee, even though I worked really hard to get it all out of the group head. My plan is to get the new hose, disconnect the heating and turn it on and run a bunch of water through it and hopefully after a couple of gallons water will be coming out clean. Once that happens, I'm going to try the thing out. Hopefully it won't need any tuning, but we'll see.

I'll take video of my first attempt at a shot and post it up for you guys. If the hose is available it should be this week.

Finally there! I got the new hose on today, cleaned out the jet screen, and filled the grinder with espresso beans. I knew I was going to have to play around with the grind. It started out with a really coarse grind. I made little samples and dumped them on a plate. I finally got to what I thought was a decent grind, filled the portafilter, tamped, and hit the button. Too fast. So then I went to a much finer grind. This time, nothing came out at all after 10 seconds. Too fine. Backed off a bit on the grind and the third try came out pretty good. Maybe a little on the thick side. The fifth actually turned out quite well I think. I have pictures of them but no way to get them off the camera card at this moment.

I'll post tomorrow for the connoisseurs to evaluate.

I'm really glad to be at this point. I still have more eventual work to do on the machine since my intention is to restore it to like-new condition, or as close as possible. I need a cart for it since it doesn't fit well on the kitchen counters. Trying to figure out where I can get a suitable one.

Also trying to get the water softener figured out. I think I have it recharged properly but I'm not sure.