Hi

I have a Cimbali Jr and I seem to be going through group gaskets every 2-3 months. They harden to the point where they crumble.. I have ordered a new set from Chris Coffee thinking maybe the ones I have were cheap knockoffs..

What kind of life are you getting out of your gaskets ? I run my machine 24/7.

Oh ya, stupid question time, on the Cimabli, using the conical gaskets, I assume the conical part seals against the PF, correct ? That's how I have always been doing it..

Putting the collar back on a Cimbali Jr is such a PITA. The trick I have learned over the years is to remove the top plates and then pull the collar up from the top. The trick is pulling the collar on evenly. Do not try to pull one side up and then the other. It never works. It has to be put on evenly.

Oh, and last question, would food grease help with the seal ?

Thanks !

J

I got just over a year out of my last group seal. The seal was still fine, I just found that the group handle had to be turned anticlockwise 15* further. I average about four shots per day.

Justin,

Running 24/7 you will have a much shorter life. I ran my Cimbali Junior on a timer for about 4 hours of the day most of the time, though for a short time I ran it 24/7. That netted me a gasket life of over 6 months, though I swapped them out well before they became hard and stuck on. My local Cimbali dealer/service center was 30 minutes away, so when I was heading to Salt Lake I'd stop by and grab a couple. At ~$5 each, they were too cheap not to replace early.

Yes, the tapered side goes down.

Dow111 food grade lube is what I use.

Cheers!