If you mean that the lever is sometimes stiff and sometimes moves freely, this is normal. I had the same thing with two different brands of FC kit. If you mean that it becomes so tight that is simply can't be turned to the off position, and if you've not got binding where the FCD sleeve touches the top of the mushroom, then you've likely got a defect.

What do you mean by binding at the top?

In any case, I'll have to confirm with some more deliberate observation so I don't give bad information.

But, the handle continues to irk me a bit. Yes, sometimes it moves freely, and sometimes it moves so stiffly/roughly it feels like it needs to be lubed and I'm not sure if I'm tightening the mushroom cap/needle valve more or just getting the lever to spin. I expected it to rotate smooth and freely once installed.

In addition, this is not an objective test (yet), just a pondering. Is there any reason why my machine would drip more from either of the two valves near the drip tray after install? Maybe I'm crazy but it seems the drip tray has more water build up in between machine uses. Maybe 2 oz after 24 hours (I have the machine on 15 hours a day).

Hey Ben (dsc)
How is flow control working out? I'm about to enter the labyrinth as a novice (tomorrow hopefully) with the stiffer spring in situ, as installed by bellabarista. I'm expecting to be brewing for a few hours and am a little anxious about getting to grips with the FCD to be honest.

dsc106 wrote:In addition, this is not an objective test (yet), just a pondering. Is there any reason why my machine would drip more from either of the two valves near the drip tray after install? Maybe I'm crazy but it seems the drip tray has more water build up in between machine uses. Maybe 2 oz after 24 hours (I have the machine on 15 hours a day).

I suspect it will drip more from the boiler relief/vacuum breaker valve rather than the E61 discharge chamber...doesn't mean anything is wrong,and in fact would be normal with the machine going into ECO standby into heating cycles.

dsc106 wrote:the handle continues to irk me a bit...sometimes it moves freely, and sometimes it moves so stiffly/roughly it feels like it needs to be lubed...

This is normal. After pulling a shot water remains in the valve, which makes the flow control handle harder to turn. It becomes smooth again when the water eventually drains out. To demonstrate, try this:

Turn off the machine.
Raise the brew lever like you're making a shot.
With the lever still up, turn the flow control handle open 360 degrees and then close it again.
Lower the lever.

You'll see water drain out into the drip tray, and the flow control handle will move smoothly again.

I am still getting 3.8 ml/s with the valve in the "off" position. I would like to be able to close off the flow completely in order to obtain flow rates of less than 3.8ml/s and achieve long pre=infusion times should I wish to experiment.

I don't seem to be able to make the adjustment that has been suggested. Is it difficult to lift off the valve cover after removing the adjusting knob in order to reset the control so that the valve will close off the water flow completely? Does the the cover need to be prised off with a tool or should it lift off? I don't want to cause damage to the valve.

If anyone can post a video showing how it is done that would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Coffello wrote:I am still getting 3.8 ml/s with the valve in the "off" position. I would like to be able to close off the flow completely in order to obtain flow rates of less than 3.8ml/s and achieve long pre=infusion times should I wish to experiment. I don't seem to be able to make the adjustment that has been suggested. Is it difficult to lift off the valve cover after removing the adjusting knob in order to reset the control so that the valve will close off the water flow completely? Does the the cover need to be prised off with a tool or should it lift off? I don't want to cause damage to the valve. If anyone can post a video showing how it is done that would be appreciated. Thank you.

If you don't loosen the knob, which doubles as a grub screw, it won't come off. Also, no prising required! It should come off easily, as it is a male/female spline.
Assuming you've loosened the knob, then perhaps you have a different version. Look for a separate grub screw. My ECM used the knob as a grub screw, but its replacement, a Coffee Sensor brand, has a separate grub screw.

Thanks, I'll check it tomorrow.

The Bakelite knob unscrews counter-clockwise off it's lever, no problem.
This exposes a slot at the end of the lever which receives an allen key: I unscrewed the lever counter-clockwise using the relevant Allen key until I could remove it...quite stiff initially but it came off successfully.

However, the lever unscrewed off a small horizontal spike which prevents the sleeve from lifting off the valve. Even if the sleeve could be lifted off, I can't see how the valve could be turned beyond its current off position as it will not turn a mm further

I am stuck with 4ml/s as my minimum flow rate...not disastrous but annoying and it takes away some of the functionality.