Hi there coffee experts and lovers. Please help. So my wife surprised me & on a recent trip to Italy, she brought back a La San Marco 85 Leva 2 Group. It's a 380V, Gas & Electric, 2000watt machine that was working fine until a year ago, then into storage...so my wife was told. I managed to clean up the machine, I purchased & installed a new 110v element, plugged it into a new fully-capable 30amp circuit and once plugged in, the machine heats up water fine, but then 2 issues emerged; 1-it started leaking hot water from the second group, as if I were making a coffee, but while the lever was in the top position, and 2-it started leaking hot water from the two big nuts connecting the counterflange to the boiler. As soon as I turned off the machine, the leaking stopped, but then I had to clean up all the hot water everywhere. I've been googling around, and am I correct to assume that issue #1 is due to the group seals being worn out? Concerning the huge nuts behind the counterflange, they have 2 different threads with a thread dead-end in the center; one thread to the boiler, normal, to tighten onto the boiler, and the second reverse thread is to tighten onto the counterflange. So was this dual thread design done intentionally so as to tighten the nut in one direction only and the nut would then connect the boiler to the counterflange, essentially making the counterflange (& hence machine frame) completely support the entire weight of the boiler? I put teflon tape on the threads, but should I tighten the nut even tighter, with say a small pipe wrench, or will this crack the nut or counteflange or the thread exiting from the boiler? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. thanks,gerry

As there is only one piston seal the static position leaking is likely from the infusion valve at the back of the group...you can see the little vertical lever at the rear and this finger should open the valve when the lever is pulled down allowing water to enter. This valve is both adjustable and has seals. Be careful if you take it apart as the shaft of the valve has a very tricky Teflon seal that may or may not be replaceable. Check a schematic and you will see the layout. As far as any leaky nuts...all espresso machine nuts and fittings are parallel thread and seal on the ends, not the threads so Teflon tape, while acting as a lubricant does not fully seal, only a properly fitting nut and flange will seal ...if you have a leak you also can have scale at the leak which needs to be cleaned up before checking that all the sealing surfaces are smooth.
Use proper fitting wrenches on the brass nuts..open end or in pinch a crescent wrench, never a pipe wrench. Pipe wrenches are for pipe not nuts. Vise grips are not for nuts. Pliers are not for nuts. You have a nice machine so use the right tools and keep it nice.
Good luck.

First and foremost, thank you Doug. I am honored to be counseled by the authority of espresso machines. I did as you said, and voila, no more leaking water. Had to buy a big wrench, but well worth it. Thank you! I am now calibrating the pre-infusion valve, pressostat, etc. When making coffee, is it normal for the levers to fling back upward so forcefully, shouldn't they slowly go upwards, is there an adjustment, or are my lever springs bad? Thanks again.