I picked up an old 90s era La Pavoni commercial espresso machine called the "Compact" a few weeks ago. There's not much about the machine online, so I'm turning to the experts here to help me out.

Here's the problem. I had just gotten the machine working well enough to start making espressos. While doing some cleaning, I noticed a disgusting tube connecting the drain bowl to a mystery fitting. I soon discovered that the fitting was at the end of a line that went straight to the back of the group. I decided to take the whole line off, clean it, and fit it with a new clear tube. I discovered that the fitting at the bottom of the line was completely blocked with what looked like rust. I got all the rust out, cleared the line, and installed it back on the machine.

Today I connected the water line to the machine, turned the water on, and now I've got water endlessly spewing into the drain bowl from that line. I'm not sure what the original purpose of that line was, or if it was somehow supposed to remain blocked. I'm hoping someone much more knowledgeable than I (likely most of this forum) can help shed some light on this for me.

Thanks so much in advance!


Drain bowl and mystery line from front



Fitting that I cleared the rusty blockage from



Back of group head