Anyone ever overhaul a Bezzera Familia lever machine?
I have had one for six or seven years of faithful service but recently the seal on the boiler cap (mine is a manual fill) has suddenly deteriorated and i cannot get any pressure in the boiler. The thread on the cap itself is quite worn as well and i was wondering if anyone here has ever had to find a replacement part. The ponte vecchio lusso looks like a very similar machine and i was wondering if the cap for that would fit. Sadly the only place I knew of that used to stock then no longer carries them so i'm not sure exactly what to do.
I thought perhaps there might be someone on this board who had both or who knew someone that had one that could just test it for me to see if the caps were interchangeable. then i would just have to order a replacement.
Also if anyone here has a Familia, could they post a close up picture of the boiler cap so i can compare it to mine?
I would appreciate any help or advice anyone can give me.

Probably the same size as the Sama/Ponte Vecchio. in which case they should be readily available. PM Greg (mogogear) and ask if he can figure out the size - then you can get one from Vanelis, 1st-line, or Good Coffee CO.

Have you converted it to 220V?

PC

I'm still in new york so its still running on 110V
I am currently trying to decide whether or not to take it to Australia or sell it here as i recently bought a Faema E92 Compact that is waiting for me in sydney. It will be a very hard thing to leave behind though as it kills the faema on good looks, and i will really miss the lever action.

Here's a shot of the cap.
I am interested in what everyone else thinks about the bit the arrow is pointing at.
It is super hard like its bakelite. Do you think its an old seal that has just vitrified and i should try and break it all off
or is it some kind of plastic seat for the seal that has dissappeared? I never noticed a trace of any additional seal so i am startingto think its the seal and should be removed. i guess i just need a second opinion before i hack it off.
Let's know what you think.[/img]

In case you want to bring it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....&item=300171128387

Aaron,
I did most of an answer to this via PM to you in repsonse to your PM.The area pointed at does indeed look to be the remnants of an old seal. I would sure try a good thick beefy O-RIng and see if all is well. You lok to have most of your threads intact.

have you checked to make sure the internal threads of the filler neck are OK?

Definitely not the same as the Ponte Vecchio/Sama, which have a female cap on a male boiler fill hole.

Ok well I think that's enough encouragement to chip the old seal off the cap and go down to lowes and see what kind of o-ring i can find to fit. I will post my success or failure in a couple of days.
Thanks for the helpful advice.

Never overlook an old fashioned hardware store for these type of things... good luck my friend

for generations the official bezzera agent for the u.s. has been rino gnesi. i purchased a machine from them in 1980 when they were located in winthrop massachusetts. today they show two locations: a) 410 riverside avenue, medford, ma 02155, telephone (781) 395-8821 and b) 3670 woodland park avenue n, seattle, wa, 98103, telephone (206) 545-7000. they give a web address but it is not good.

another u.s. agent is miami espresso: http://www.miamiespresso.net/ however their site does not display the home models.

gensaco stocks bezzera private labelled as their own. in home models they show the hobby but not the famiglia.
http://www.gensaco.com/esprequip_comp.html

happy to read you got machine sorted. have owned two of them manufactured 1979. that group is pretty impressive isn't it! ttbomk it is made by gino rossi proprietary for bezzera.

happy extracting,

ideor