Hello HB
Have been lurking this forum a lot while searching to get my first espresso machine. Now I have finally got the Faema Eurostar Ambassador, I am making my first post to share and document my journey to rebuild and most likely mod the machine (most likely PID, pressure gage, and may be dimmer mod?)

Some pictures of the machine:







Question to start:
1. I cannot find much information on this machine online. I feel like it is a rebranded machine from another maker. Looking at the internal, can anyone tell which machine it is similar to? It would make part sourcing a lot easier if we can identify its parent machine.
2. I measure the portafilter basket to have an inner diameter of 57.95mm. Would this be a standard 58mm portafilter or is this one of the lelit 57mm portafilter? Or should I measure somewhere else?
3. The pump in this machine doesnt look like one of those Ulka pump. Does anyone recognize what it is?
4. For this kind of steppless grinder, does anyone have experience pulling it apart? The burr is in a plastic housing so I wont want to force it out and break the plastic

1) It's an Imat Ambassador, re-branded as Faema (Toronto) or Faema (M.D.D.) so as to avoid trouble from Cimbali who own the Faema name. It is assembled from generic parts common to the Mokita type machines in Italy and imported by the Faema stores in Toronto. Parts wise, you could try Faema (the Dupont St. one) but they'll just refer you to Jura in Mississauga, which is probably best. I wouldn't trust anything the Faema people would suggest. Jura at least still has one person in the service dept. that was around when they were selling that Ambassador up until around 2012.

2) It is not a standard 58, I can't be sure which of the Lelit/Imat/Mokita baskets would work best. You'd have to try them on.

3) From the Factory they do have Ulka pumps. In your photo it looks like an Ulka EAX5 is in your machine.

4) The burr is removable from the plastic upper burr holder, it does just press out.

I really like your machine and am looking forward to seeing you bring it back to life. Thanks for the shot of the interior! I always enjoy seeing what makes the different machines work, especially one with a grinder. The info from JRising was interesting to read, because when I saw your grinder, I immediately thought that it looks like the IMAT Lux and DeLux grinder. I just found a Delux that matches how my Quick Mill "Andreja" Pro looks (rounded front corners).

Your machine looks like it's in really nice condition, so maybe it still works just fine? I'm very new to playing around with dead machines, but I've been successful bringing the Ulka water pumps back to life. There is a small o-ring inside them, and a plastic ball, both of which are commonly an issue, and then inside the outlet fitting, there is a check valve that gets stuck closed from them sitting. The o-ring gets brittle and stops sealing on the pump shaft, so as the piston travels back and forth, the o-ring is leaking, causing no water movement. The little plastic ball wears down and becomes smaller in diameter (although I haven't experienced that particular failure on the 2 that I've repaired) and so the ball stops working well as a check valve...and again, no water can be moved. The o-ring is just a standard size, and you can find them at auto parts stores, and in the plumbing department of hardware stores (but not in big box hardware type stores).

It's literally a 5min repair and you can find videos on YouTube that show how to pope the pump apart, and replace the o-ring and that little ball. As for the check valve in the outlet fitting, I've had success just poking into the fitting, from the pump body side of the fitting, with something thin like an allen key, and giving that little check valve (it's usually a little mushroom cap with a thin spring on the other side of it) a push. You can feel if it was stuck because you can blow through the fitting with your mouth, and you'll feel the allen key "stop" against it, and then *pop* you'll feel it break free...and then you can blow through it. With a new o-ring and a free check valve, my 2 have gone right back to working, and even prime themselves. So it's allowed me to spend just a few minutes, get a perfect result, and be able to immediately test out a dead machine. With your machine looking so nice inside, I'm guessing that it works, but currently just has a pump that rattles away, but doesn't actually move water. Here's a picture of the pump apart:




Regarding your grinder, it may need nothing. You could blow through it with compressed air and then just try running some beans through it. Even if you clean it spotlessly, it's going to look exactly like it currently looks, after the first time you use it.

@JRising - Thanks for those information! I have got in touch with the parts department at Mississauga and they are looking to see what they have.

@austinado16 - wow never knew we can actually service the pump that easily. That would save a lot of money lol, thanks! Regarding the grinder, I am thinking to pull it apart and wash the old coffee oil from it. In the end, it is over 10 year old and god knows what beans have gone through it lol

@baldheadracing - Thank you! I will order the Ascaso one and try on. How many grams of coffee do you normally put in that basket?

now this is why the shower screen turned into jet spray......

Question is.. I have never seen this group set up before... anyone knows what it is?
Shower screen looks normal, but what is that middle plastic piece that is all cracked up?

Even more surprise.......
basically the last owner never back wash.....
and then when the gasket turned hard, he is still brewing.... causing coffee to flow out of the group and get between the group and the cover...
After undoing the 4 nut, I had to chisel the group cover off

Yep. That dispersion disk is shot. I hope they still have some in stock.