La Pavoni problem with leakage between the group head and portafilter

[badgrinder]

Hello All! I am new to the world of the Chrome Peacock, and have a new Professional with which I am having a recurring problem: leakage between the group head and the portafilter. This is a new machine and since I purchased it from a seller in Italy (I'm in the U.S.), I am pretty much on my own in terms of support. Here's what I've done so far:
1. Yes, the portafilter is inserted properly.
2. Even went down to 7g of coffee in the double-dose basket.
3. Filter holder edge scrupulously clean--Always!
4. Shouldn't have been a problem, but even changed out to a new oring around the group screen. (Both the old and new orings fit well, and the basket held up tight against the oring.)
I consulted with the good folks at Thomas Cara, and they feel "the grind is too fine."
Well, of course I upped the coarseness of the grind and got all the problems THAT entails! (I even went out and purchased some pre-ground Illy and Lavazza to compare my home ground stuff--mine is slightly coarser, AND the Illy and Lavazza result in the leakage as well.)

I use very little pressure on the lever, but as I get to the end of the stroke (NEVER the start or the middle), INVARIABLY there is leakage around the portafilter and some bubbles out the spouts--resulting in contamination of the espresso.

I am at the point that I believe that something mechanical is wrong--either incorrect machining of the group head or the portafilter, but can't put my finger on the problem. If I have to, I'll send this thing in for diagnosis, but always wanting to cross all the t's, etc., would like to know if anyone out there has any ideas before I call in the money professionals.

Thanks,

BB

[srobinson]

I don't quite understand the problem. Are you saying the portafilter will not fully lock on? Your comments on grind are throwing me off. If you are leaking water around the grouphead then it is a seal problem. Help me understand exactly what you are seeing.

[HB]

In addition to Steve's questions, let me ask another one: How tight are you torquing the portafilter? Once a local Silvia owner insisted there was a leak around the grouphead. I stopped by and torqued it down ten degrees tighter than he normally does and voila, problem solved.

[badgrinder]

The portafilter is fully locking on. I mentioned the grind as the the folks at Cara's thought that the grind was too fine, and I had to push too hard on the lever and overpressurized the puck/filter basket with the result that the coffee/water mixture leaked past the seal between the oring and the filter basket--which is the only place that a leak of this type is going to manifest itself.

The leaking occurs whether I torque slightly, moderately, or over torque it--basically I'm a pretty strong guy: I can push it so that the portafilter handle is against the boiler. (No change in result.)

Thanks,

BB

[cannonfodder]

If you can lock the PF to the point that the handle touches the boiler, you have a bad head gasket. I get about 45 degrees from center at the most.

[badgrinder]

An update on the leakage problem. Chris Cara had to replace both the group head and the portafilter to get the thing to operate without leaking. I guess I just got one of those "made on Friday" specials . . .