Got a Gaggia Coffee that's probably on it's last legs. The pump doesn't seem to be shifting water through anywhere near as much as it should. Water still comes through but a single shot now takes about 5 mins which obviously makes a shit shot. I've soaked it in Cafiza and run it through a couple of times and run a couple of cycles of fresh clean water. I can't backflush this model so it appears the pump is U/S. Can you still get parts for this or is it worth looking at replacing the machine with a Classic or Rancilio? It's had 8 years of use / new gaskets etc. The water still comes through hot and the pump still makes the right sound. The only thing I can think of is there's a blockage in a bit I can't get to (but then surely the Cafiza would have sorted that?)
Still in WA? Plenty of service centres for them. If your in the UK this lot do them
http://www.gaggia.uk.com/#!/Repair-and-Service/c/4378375/offset=0&sort=normal
Yeah still here. I'm probably looking at more than the machine cost for a service + parts and in all honesty, that would be good ammo to convince the missus I need a new one 😉
Currys were doing delonghi bean to cup machines for £220 reduced from £350. I got one, more than happy, assuming that your machine is borked.
Take the brew group head apart, there are 2 small holes and a 2mm gap that was full of scale when I cleaned mine, I had to scrape it out with a chisel, no amount of descalling would have shifted that.
If you take the lid off and unplug the pump to boiler hose you can easily tell if it's shifting water or not*
There's loads of info onthe net about how to strip/clean them.
*water and electricity don't mix! be careful.
any flexi (semi rigid)hoses feeding into the pump, I've had them become very pliable and partially colapse on a similar machine...
Cheers CHL but I'm in Oz.
I'll have a mess when I get some days off next.