Hi everyone,

I recently bought what I assume is an older La Pavoni Commercial Pub 1v. It came with a matching Zip grinder. Grinder works perfectly, very sharp burrs. Also a flojet, a motor, and what looks like an additional water catch attachment. I'm brand new to the scene, so you'll just have to bear with me here.

Everything seems to work fine, except I can't get a shot of espresso. Not a single drop. The boiler turns on and heats up fairly quickly. The steam wands/hot water work exceptionally well. The individual buttons aren't programmed yet, but they are all responsive. The motor automatically kicks on when I press any of them. A nice wave of steam is emitted from the group head too. But when I try to draw a shot, the pressure gauge reads low. Only one bar on the top, maybe 5 on the bottom.

I'm new to espresso machines, but I'm mechanically inclined. I've built computers and worked on bicycles and stuff of that nature. I'd like to use this machine on a daily basis, mod it a little, and ensure it has the longest, healthiest life it can possibly have.

So veterans, what should I do from the very start? I'm thinking about spending a couple weekends totally breaking it down and doing a complete restoration, cleaning out the gunk, re greasing, buffing, etc.

And where should I start with trouble shooting the group-head, pump/pressure?

I'll add pictures, and a video soon. The boiler is still heating up.

Here's the video showcasing the functionality of the machine, (or lack thereof).

I don't know anything about this machine, but I assume it has a vibratory pump (as opposed to a rotary pump). When not used for a while, these can dry out and develop vapor lock or air lock (not sure what the right term is). When that happens they need to be primed with water, using a turkey baster (or on the small machines I restore, a syringe) to get them started. Here's a relevant link:

Vibe pump on new used Londinium airlocked

If I were you I'd just go ahead and restore the machine, then test/prime the pump as you're putting it back together.

If I were you I'd just go ahead and restore the machine, then test/prime the pump as you're putting it back together.

I was planning on doing this, if not for a fix, just to get an idea of how these things work. I've seen a lot of people doing citric acid baths. But I'm completely ignorant here. What other restorative techniques should I rely on? Should I be oiling joints, applying brasso, wd-40, etc? Stuff I should order or gather around the house like wire-brushes, steel wool, etc?

Someone told me to check the solenoids, and if not, then the brew pump could be shot. A guy in another thread had a similar problem. The correct diagnosis was:

"...you've got a blockage in the pipes somewhere in-between the split point where the refill line breaks off and the hx inlet."

So what would you recommend? Should I start with a complete rebuild right off the bat, or should I start trying to resolve the major issue, and then work my way down to tackling the whole machine?

Also noticed my steam wand stutters:
Does this mean anything?

Contributors to this thread may want to review Linus' crosspost to avoid needlessly repeating previous suggestions. Linus, before starting your next thread on HB, please review Why is cross-posting strongly discouraged? Thanks.