Hello, I have a PVL 2 group and I'm not sure if I'm having a problem with my gaskets in the grouphead. The other day I had the machine on (with portafilters locked in) for a few hours and then turned it off without having used it as I got tied up with other things. The next day, with the machine still off, I went to unlock the portafilters and when I popped them out both baskets where left attached to the grouphead. This never happened before and so I went to remove them and one came off without a problem and the other was a bit more difficult, I finally got it off but with it came a gasket and the screen which sits above the basket. I put it back together, first placing the gasket in and then popping the screen back on. I'm not sure if I did this right though and if perhaps the gasket isn't on properly - I've since pulled shots on this grouphead and it seems to be performing just as well as the other group, however with the pf removed if I pull some water through both groups the water on the normal group flows relatively through the middle of the screen, whereas on the group I had the issue with it flows unevenly, normally with more force on one side of the screen. I've had no other issues with the screen or gasket coming off, but the gasket just doesn't seem right to me, a little too loose I think, but it's hard to tell without really knowing what "normal" should be.

Any thoughts?

I would guess that coffee residue left behind on the gaskets from use "glued" the baskets onto the gaskets, is all.
Also, to extend the useful life of the gaskets I never leave my portafilter locked in when not in use. Even if I leave the machine to idle for a bit I leave the PF out. A quick flush or parking the PF on top of the hot machine gets it warmed up for duty.

Thanks for the advice Tom