Faema Urania, leak at boiler lid seal - Page 2

#11: Post by **IamOiman** » February 20th, 2022, 3:03 pm

no, my pstat is attached the boiler lid just like yours using a bracket. I was specifically referring to the boiler studs your machine uses in terms of design. They are more difficult to remove I believe (and perhaps those are the original studs that were never removed), while mine uses bolts/12 hole lids (the second pic is prior to wiring and sealing the pstat). I had to remove my pstat during the lid fix. In fact I would investigate your lid to make sure it's just a gasket failure and not possibly a pinhole leak.

February 20th, 2022, 3:57 pm

I'll check, but I recall a day on which got distracted while manually filling the boiler and went too far...I thought it had zapped the vac valve or OPV but it may have gotten the seal...

Now it LOOKS from the outside that there is a PTFE AND a Klingerit seal, does that sound logical to you?

February 21st, 2022, 9:14 am

SO looking for new seals learns me that the 9 hole I need is hard to find...I cannot find it at TSE nor at Nuova Ricambi

Now I can buy custom CNC cut Klingerit, or buy a sheet of the stuff and cut and drill it, but that is the slow and boring route...anyone with a hint where to find the 9 hole approx 20cm diameter Klingerit boiler lid seal for a 5 Liter Urania boiler?

well, for future reference, Thijs, brooks-espressomachines.com has them

February 26th, 2022, 1:19 pm

Finally got the time to sort the leak...

Lid pulled, this was pretty easy with help of some WD40 and a larger socket wrench and a few gentle taps with a deadweight hammer.

Of course when working on such an old lady something breaks...luckily I found copper tube and the end pieces fast enough

Soaking in a hot tub with some citric acid

February 26th, 2022, 1:22 pm

the gasket has leaked a fair bit judging from the black crud between the boiler flange and seal and between the seal and the lid. Perhaps PTFE is not the greatest solution for a boiler that is not the flattest anymore...

The seal of the heater was completely solidified and crumbled away, so I guess it was about time for a change.

The amount of scale is fairly low, and I came across some fairly big chunks that looked to be older scale, which IMO means that the low mineral mineral water works.

#16: Post by **IamOiman** » February 26th, 2022, 7:09 pm

I would be careful with descaling parts that have both brass/non ferrous bits and ferrous bits. Those studs may react and begin corroding away over time (this is first indicated by the buildup of a black substance on the surface of the studs). If you don't leave it in very long it should be fine.

February 27th, 2022, 5:32 am

The boiler came out nice and clean....now I wonder if it makes sense to replace the studs with stainless? I somehow dread having to fight them out because invariably one or two will put up a guerilla warfare to stay in...

Just ordered 6mm pipe, and the fasteners...which appear to be non metric, so to avoid getting the wrong one I ordered all of them.

February 27th, 2022, 4:47 pm

the remaining part of the compression fitting on the 6 mm steam pipe seems to intend to stay put, anyone with suggestions to release it or should I just take a say 6mm Drill to it?

February 28th, 2022, 9:41 am

application of heating and cooling helped to loosen the part that was stuck, it's out now. The 6mm pipe was stuck in the hole, I think because a compression fitting ferrule was used where a soldered round end should go and the pipe came out too far and subsequently got stuck in the hole in the boiler. Tonight I'll solder two of the fittings to some 6mm pipe so I can get on with this.

February 28th, 2022, 5:35 pm

I need to get some longer bolts for the heater (the ones in place only go in like 3mm) and some PTFE tape.

Anyone with ideas on torque for the boiler lid bolts? I imagine they need only a little and too much is risky, I could not find anything on that topic..