First time post here. I am the original owner of a Europiccola v2.3 that I bought in Italy back in 1987. I love it!! It's starting to feel its age and could use a good overhaul with new O-rings etc. That's never been done. Am also starting to have trouble with the lever. For many years I used the machine only occasionally, but for the last year or so I now use it almost every morning.

I don't have the expertise or experience to do this work myself, but I can't find anyone here in the DC area to work on it. Would prefer not to ship it off somewhere, although I understand it may come to that.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks, Jon

Roll up your sleeves! It's not hard. I learned as I went, with other HB members offering generous advice. You can start with reading threads like this:

Refeathering the Peacock - Pavoni head gasket replacement

The Search feature is your friend for different aspects of the job, like descaling or replacing seals.

Since you are already accessing Francesco Ceccarelli's amazing website, (you described your machine as version 2.3), he has posted DIY topics here:

Take photos as you disassemble parts of the machine that need servicing so you know how to reassemble.

Hey thanks. Have been looking here and other places online which have been quite insightful. Whatever issue I was having with the lever seems to have gone away, appears to have been been a one time thing. But the fact remains all the original seals remain with no maintenance having been done on the machine apart from the usual descaling and screen cleaning with a brush. Have no leaks apart from the steam wand dripping occasionally, and my portafilter rotates into the 8:00 position like it should. Have read different opinions about the periodicity for group head gasket replacement, and was wondering whether to leave things alone until I have a real issue. Again, any insight appreciated.

"If it ain't broke don't fix it!"

For steam wand leaks, a nice, easy fix was recently posted here:

Dripping steam wand on La Pavoni Pro/Romantica

Gary's advice is well needed. If it isn't broken... Group gaskets are simple to replace if you go that route. As long as the drip screen and piston head doesn't look wretchedly caked with coffee you can pass this round.

Steam wand gasket is not as simple as it looks to replace if it has the pin instead of the set screw on the handle. There is a thread and maybe it's the one Gary references to tap the pin hole for a set screw upon reassembly. My travel one drips on occasion and I don't worry about it. It should not be left on all day anyways so it only drips for a bit.

Sometimes the steam wand gasket is fine but the metal-to-metal sealing at the end stops working well. The thread, actually the post that I referenced shows putting a silicone cap on the end of the steam valve shaft.

If you can't get the handle off of the steam shaft and need to replace the gasket, you can cut the gasket, slip it on and use superglue to refasten both ends. Alan Adler gave me this idea, which he uses to create o-rings using rubber thread. I tried it on my 1961 Europiccola and it works. The following link takes you right to my post on that.

1961 La Pavoni Europiccola History and Servicing

That is a great idea on the steam gasket! I have tapped and replaced that evil pin on the handles of all the ones I am working on. I did remember chipping the handle on one a while back.

Completely off topic Gary, wow you removed the grouphead! I have 3 73/74's and I followed your advice, isn't broke don't fix it.

My largest problem on overhauls has been old elements leaking, Gabor is taking care of those soon.

forbeskm wrote:Completely off topic Gary, wow you removed the grouphead! I have 3 73/74's and I followed your advice, isn't broke don't fix it.

Ah, yeah. Here's another cliche. You live and you learn! For anyone else thinking of removing the group on a 1st gen La Pavoni, don't. You service it by swiveling the boiler in the base.