Is that type of seal found anywhere in my Linea? A few months back I posted the story of my low steam performance and the bit of debris I found in the steam nozzle was a section out of something exactly like the seal you pictured. When I ordered the valve rebuild kit I expected to find that the piece I found was from the valve seal but that seal is a solid item without any groove at all.
KDM

I wouldn't think they would be the same, but you never know. Certainly the steam valve on the Linea is very different from Mondiale...one being a traditional screw valve and the other being a toggled piston. I'm not really familiar with the guts of the LM Linea.

One of the first diagnostics for poorly performing steam is to pull the steam wand end and see what kind of debris or gook is inside. So, good that you checked that first! Then you worked your way back from there and even disassemble the steam valve and check out all of the rubber bits. Since you already did the rebuild and presumably cleaned everything along the way and fixed it, you should be good to go. When the rubber bits start to harden-up, then they should be replaced. Once they start to fall apart, .....then performance goes-to-pot and leaks start to propagate bigger problems.

Beta14ok: I just removed the debris and all went back to good. I have the parts and will rebuild the steam valve if ever needed. In home use valve rebuilds on a Linea or other full commercial machine probably won't be needed for many a year (machine is 3 or so years from new). My question was could a piece of debris looking like a section of the seal shown for the Isomac have come from anywhere in my Linea or could it have been dropped in accidentally during assembly? I'm not going to pull the entire machine apart with out a firm reason. No other problems are apparent. The bit of debris I found would have certainly caused something to fail as it was a complete section, slice out of, some seal.
KDM

^ I agree if it's working well, then don't mess with it. It is possible that something could have been sealed inside in assembly, but I'm guessing that it came from upstream.

New Issue & Repair- May-2015

Issue: Mondiale heat's up and operates acceptably upon start-up, .....but after she has been on for a while (30-ish min), the heating element turns-off, pressure drops, and the machine is un-usable. After another period of time (30-ish min), the machine spontaneously re-engages the heating element and everything is good for "awhile".....then repeat. Basically as soon as the machine becomes stable, she cuts off....then the cycle begins anew.

I did a bunch of reading and I believe that the transformer in the Giemme control box is cycling thermally. It could be another component on the circuit boards of the controller....but I'm thinking it's the transformer......and there is evidence of over-temp. It could be sent for repair, but all of the other components on the boards are old also (relays, cap's, etc). This controller is 10+ years old and has lived a rich-full-life.

Repair: Swapped out the old for a new Isomac Giemme Control Box and while I was in there, also replaced the thermal fuse.

All good now!

I think that does it ...having systematically replaced, over the past 2-years, all of the likely electro / mechanical part of this delightful machine......except the lever actuated pump switch, which I guess I should order soon, along with some new seals and ...........so it goes.........until I have a stack of quarters available and tall enough to buy the LM Linea Mini.

beta14ok wrote:New Issue & Repair- May-2015

All good now!

I think that does it ...having systematically replaced, over the past 2-years, all of the likely electro / mechanical part of this delightful machine......

I'm impressed the ol' relay box soldiered on for ten years. Mine made it past 7 before keeling over, which appears to be more typical. I think your theory about the transformer is right on.

I have a spare SSR, and intend to have a backup pressurestat handy soon as well.

I've replaced my heating element, though it did not die a natural death. If there was a thread for "Dumb Stuff I've Done to Destroy My Espresso Machine" I'd have a choice entry or two to contribute. Otherwise the major parts are original. Probably should get a pump too...