So I spent Christmas rebuilding my parents La Peppina that they purchased in Italy some 40 years ago. It took me two days and was a stressful but rewarding experience. I really want to thank everyone on this site as without the Peppina Redux thread and the other great information on this site I would not have been able to complete it.

Some things I learned from my build:

1. The three screws in the group head suck. I ended up being able to remove only one. I had to grind the heads off the other two, remove the filters and parts, and then use a locking wrench to remove the stubs.

2. I was never able to figure out how to remove the kettle from the group head, so I didn't do this. If anyone knows how this is done, I would be interested in hearing how.

3. I had to detach the lever arm and release the spring to separate the group head and kettle from the base.

4. When removing and reinstalling the group head and kettle to the base, I needed a big screwdriver and needed to hammer it in pretty far.

5. I stripped the set screw in the front when I was putting the machine back together. Currently it is operating fine without the set screw. Be careful putting the set screw back in as the threads in there seem pretty soft.

I have been operating the machine now for three days and have had what I consider amazing success as I have never made espresso before in my life and we have been producing consistenly good espresso with nice crema. We are not experts but everyone in my family has had espresso at good cafes in the U.S. and Europe and everyone considers the shots I am pulling to be anything from passable to quite good.

I do have one question, however, that is mystifying me.

When I put the machine back together I installed all new washers and o-rings. When I first tested the machine I tested it with cold water and it operated fine with the pump action producing a nice Peppina rain out of the group head. Now that I have used it to make espresso, it will not pump any water unless the water in the kettle is hot. If the kettle has cooled down and I pump the lever it just gasps air as I pump. When I heat the kettle back up, the water comes through. It works fine for making espresso but it is really puzzling.

The only possible reason I have come up with is that the washer that needs to flap up and down to allow water into the piston but not back up into the kettle is too stiff and only flexes when the water is hot. I got the washer off of Ebay from the people selling the rebuild kit. If someone could confirm a similar experience or even that this is a plausible explanation, I would appreciate knowing what the cause might be.

Thanks again for all the help.

I just found Timo's post on removing the kettle so please ignore my question on how to do that.

Thanks.

chidofu wrote: ... I do have one question, however, that is mystifying me.

When I put the machine back together I installed all new washers and o-rings. When I first tested the machine I tested it with cold water and it operated fine with the pump action producing a nice Peppina rain out of the group head. Now that I have used it to make espresso, it will not pump any water unless the water in the kettle is hot. If the kettle has cooled down and I pump the lever it just gasps air as I pump. When I heat the kettle back up, the water comes through. It works fine for making espresso but it is really puzzling.

The only possible reason I have come up with is that the washer that needs to flap up and down to allow water into the piston but not back up into the kettle is too stiff and only flexes when the water is hot. I got the washer off of Ebay from the people selling the rebuild kit. If someone could confirm a similar experience or even that this is a plausible explanation, I would appreciate knowing what the cause might be.

The explanation you suggest seems plausible. I have not seen the rebuild kit that is available now, but getting just the right washer flexibility and thickness presented the greatest challenge to me when I was putting a kit together last year (I'm all out of them). I ended up using custom-made thin nylon-reinforced EPDM washers that had the right thickness and flexibility only when two of them were placed together. EPDM has a relatively low melting point under dry heat conditions. If the ones in your kit are also made of EPDM, don't let the machine stay at full boil for more than a few seconds, if at all, or they could begin to perish and present the symptoms you're seeing.

Regards
Timo

Hello all - glad you rec'd the kit finally Chidofu!

Very good to get some feedback on the small washer in the set (this is not a commercial post!) The small washer is 80 duro (hardness) EPDM. We have experienced similar observations in our La Peppinas as well - the hot v cold aspect, and have experimented with different hardnesses, all high density EPDM. Last week we tried a soft durometer EPDM (40) and found it was too soft. Currently testing a 60 duro, and so far the machine is working perfectly both cold & hot. We've found that after installing the small washer if you set the machine upright, put some cold water in it, put the 3 screws in the holes to block water flow, you can adjust the screw which holds the small washer in the group to get the positioning of the washer. We just received dies which will allow us to experiment with Viton for both the washers. The Viton has a duro rating of 80 (seems a bit hard) but temperature wouldn't be a factor (it's rated to 400F).

Drop us a line - we'd be glad to send you a 60 Duro small washer if you want to try that one out. With the upgraded screws you can just turn the machine over & work on the group without taking the whole thing apart again! We're constantly trying to improve the set and any feedback is most appreciated!

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to know what the issue is.

I would be happy to try to different washer but any fix will have to wait until next year when I go visit my parents again. We are on different coasts.

The washer I am referring to is inside the piston so I don't think I can access it without taking the group head out of the base, which was a pretty arduous process for me. Do you think there is a way to access this washer without removing the group head from the base?

Thanks again.

As I reread your post it sounds like you might be referring to the small rubber washer in the group head as the problem. I couldn't figure out what that washer was for. I thought the trouble was coming from the rubber washer that sits at the top of the piston chamber.

The symptoms you describe (hot v cold behavior) and the ensuing questions about washer composition & temp factors etc, indicate some issue with the small washer in the group. Some questions:

When cold, on the 1st pull (portafilter off) does it make a sucking sound coming from the group?

On the 2nd pull, is there water mixed with air delivered from the screen?

When pulling a shot, using your standard method, does the pressure against the piston build on one pull, or does it take more than one pull to build pressure against the piston & puck?

After pulling the shot, what does the surface of the puck look like? Is it flat with a few small dimples, or is it all disturbed & uneven, eroded looking?

If you have sucking/hissing sounds, when moving the handle (cold or hot) the small washer in the group is not sealing properly. If the surface of the puck is all messed up, the small washer is not sealing properly. If you have the inability to build up pressure at all, except when pumping the handle multiple times, then the large washer is not sealing properly.

Since it seems the trouble is with the small washer in your machine, try adjusting it in situ:

Empty the kettle, turn the machine over. Remove the bell, spacers, and o-ring. Reinsert the 3 screws into the 3 holes (just enough to block water flow - don't screw them down hard). What you will have now is the small washer, and the 3 screws installed, nothing else. Turn the machine back over, and put a little water in the kettle. Now, work the handle slightly while watching the action of the washer - you want to have a towel ready! If the washer is not fitting properly you will be able to hear/see air being sucked back & forth, usually at one spot on the washer. Take a small, short screwdriver, tight/loosen as needed the washer set screw, until you get water squirting out from all the way around the washer - not just one point, but evenly disbursed - usually in 4 places. Once you get the proper adjustment, you should get no sucking of air, or squirting in only one spot. Once you've got it adjusted, reassemble the bell, etc., and test it.

To answer your questions:

1. When cold, there are sucking sounds when the lever is depressed but whether first, second, third, fourth, etc. pull, there is no water coming out.

2. When pulling a shot sometimes the pressure builds up with the first pull but normally I have to do 2, 3 or 4 partial motions to get the pressure to build up.

3. After pulling a shot it is impossible to see the surface of the puck as there is normally a quarter inch of water on top of it.

I will try your advice when I get back to the east coast. Unfortunately, that will be a while.

Thanks again.