Just rebuilt a classic Europiccola and can't stop the pressure relief valve from emitting steam. The pre millennium pressure valve assembly consists of only a tiny ball bearing and a spring to hold it in place, no adjustment mechanism. Someone else must have come up against this, but a "pre millennium leak" search came up empty handed.

Fullsack wrote:Just rebuilt a classic Europiccola and can't stop the pressure relief valve from emitting steam. The pre millennium pressure valve assembly consists of only a tiny ball bearing and a spring to hold it in place, no adjustment mechanism. Someone else must have come up against this, but a "pre millennium leak" search came up empty handed.

Hey Doug!
Haven't seen you around in a while...
Have you inspected the surface to see if there is any scale build up where the ball fits into the valve? (Emery cloth may help) Also the spring may be a bit weak.

TUS172 wrote:Hey Doug!
Haven't seen you around in a while...
Have you inspected the surface to see if there is any scale build up where the ball fits into the valve? (Emery cloth may help) Also the spring may be a bit weak.

Hey Bob!
Thanks for your reply. Yeah, it has been a while.
I tried filing the surface, stretching the spring, cleaning the ball and switching to position I the second the whistling started. I also removed the drain tube assembly, so I could tighten the pressure cap down a little more and still I get the hiss. I checked the Stefano's site, to see if there is supposed to be some part inside the pressure cap, at the other end of the spring. No pre millennium pressure assembly is shown. Do you know, if such a part exists? If not, I am thinking about stuffing something inside the cap, to tighten the spring. Stefano's doesn't have the springs listed in La Pavoni parts available.

I had the same issue with my La Pavoni Pro, actually. I put a little tiny, tiny bit of lubricant (food grade silicon grease, I think it was) on the little ball that the spring pushes. It worked like a charm. Good luck with that.

By the way, I just remembered that I also tried replacing the spring/ball fitting before I tried the lubricant on it, and I got my stuff from EPNW: I got them off of the La Pavoni page. The one you will want is Europiccola/Pro page 2, specifically items P39 and P40, the safety valve spring and seat, respectively. This didn't actually help me stop the leak, but the newer valve seat was a lot easier to put on than the stupid ball that kept unseating when I tried to compress the valve assembly back onto the boiler, because the new valve seat is more of a half-sphere with a segment that sits in the spring and holds it onto the spring MUCH better.

Of course, you ought to be able to get by with just the lubricant and stretching the spring out, unless you want the convenience of that one.

Stretching the spring is only going to make things worse as it will actually take away from it's rebound power, not add to it. Also, I wouldn't stuff something inside there because the spring pressure is basically the only way you have of knowing when the machine is at operating temp. In addition, it's a safety release and if it's too tight then the next weakest item in line is going to give.

I'd definitely cough up for P39 and p40. I too had the same experience with a post-Mil model and it worked like a charm and my shots are better again.

It'd be worth cleaning the area with a paper towel dipped in cleaner too. Despite what Pavoni Express says that entire assembly can be serviced w/o removing the boiler. A bicycle cone wrench and a box end wrench with a 15 degree angle is mainly what you need. (plus the socket to take the end bolt off)

the upgrade to that is the Teflon mushroom and a newer spring

Doug,
This may sound elementary to you but these machines (Pre-Millenium) are designed to sputter and spit once they reach temperature. The heating element stays on until you turn it off... I am just making sure though...

Parts ordered, thanks guys.

Doug,
Are you intending this on being a traveling companion?