Pavoni Seal Replacement

[Droshi]

Hi everyone,

I've got an older Pavoni with the 2 switches (I and II) and I'm wondering if this website is the generally recognized authority on a seal replacement guide: http://www.pavoniexpress.com/sealrepl.html

I'm planning to replace the seals because the machine was bought quite well used. Although it seems to do okay, it does slightly leak when warming up. I'm not in too much of a rush, so I plan to order the seals (and a single basket as mine didn't come with one....thinking that will be nice to try out).

If anyone has any suggestions or knows of a better guide around here please let me know.

Also I wanted to mention...I've been having problems steaming milk, but this morning I toothpick-plugged up 2 of the 3 holes in my wand, and now it's nearly perfectly microfoam. Comes out shiny and stays mixed for quite some time. Anyway, hope it helps someone.

[samgiles]

That is certainly the best guide I found. I used those instructions and also another with pictures;
refeathering-peacock-pavoni-head-gasket-replacement-t70.html

Here is also a nice diagram;
http://pavoni.varnelis.net/repairs

Take your time with it and you'll be fine. It really is a good way of getting to know the machine better and you'll probably find your shots improve greatly after the seal replacement. That's what I found anyway.
Good luck.

[mayhew]

Yeah, Pavoni Express is an excellent resource. Just read it thru a couple of times before you work on your machine and it should go pretty well.

Don't bother with the single basket. They're pretty well worthless.

[da gino]

I replaced the gaskets on my machine last night and it was easy following the refeathering thread linked above.

I'm not sure if the coffee tastes any different, but I can't believe how different it feels now when you lift the lever.

Hugh

[mayhew]

It's funny isn't it? I think because it just gets a tad rougher each day, it's really hard to notice.

[Droshi]

I'm not so sure that the single basket is "worthless". Though if it's worth $40 is another story....but baskets for these machines aren't that easy to come by.

Though my espresso is quite good, I'm looking forward to having new seals. After a seal replacement my only limiting factor will be finding good coffee roasted the way I want.

[da gino]

By the way, I have a related question. When I replaced my gaskets I did it with a friend who has a 99 pavoni (1 year before millenium) and we had no trouble with the regular gaskets, but he also has to replace the gaskets where the boiler connects to the base. We took the bottom off and flipped it upside down. There we took down the wiring diagram and removed the three bolts holding on the heating element with no trouble. Then we needed to disconnect the tank from the base and there was a large plastic ring on his that was under the heating element (actually above it when the machine is right side up). I think this is called the flange. It looks like this ring just needs to be unscrewed, but it won't come off. I took the base off of mine and it does not have the plastic ring, but it looks like it has something smaller, but comparable. (I didn't want to take out the heating element on mine to check since it seemed like asking for trouble since mine is currently working well).

My question is does anyone know if his ring/flange should now unscrew (it looks like it is threaded) and it isn't working because of rust or if there is some subtle step that we're missing?

A second question is that it looks like the stainless heating element has an o-ring for a gasket that is fairly worn. I ordered all the other gaskets online and didn't order one of these (I didn't look carefully enough at the parts diagram and didn't realize it was different from the two gaskets where the tank attaches to the base until we took it apart). Does anyone know if this is just a standard o-ring and if so what size it is or does it have to be special ordered?

Thanks,

Hugh

[Droshi]

My question is why do you need to replace that flange?

Also, most flanges look sort of ribbed, but not actually threaded. It's probably just stuck from being on for so long.

Not sure about the heating element o-ring size or replacement, but I would guess most people wouldn't replace that until necessary as it's not a moving part like the other o-rings are. Doesn't mean it won't ever fail, but it should take much longer.

[da gino]

He doesn't need to replace the flange, it is the gasket that is between the boiler and the base, but to get at it, I think you have to take the flange off and then put the gasket on and then put the flange back on.

Hugh