DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Sun Jan 13, 2013, 8:28am Subject: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
last week i got a great deal on a used Silvia (V2). the previous owner owned the machine for about 4 years, and for the past few years had modified it with the coffee pod kit. I asked about his maintenance schedule and he said he descaled every month, which i believe because i ran some descaler thru it and it had zero scale build up that came out. My biggest concern is that he said he never backflushed the machine. didn't even have the back flush disk (i have ordered one).
i got a really good deal on the machine, so figured it was worth doing some maintenance to get it back up to speed.
I need help identifying the items that i need to replace, and how to get the grouphead cleaned up due to the neglect of backflushing, or even if this is a big deal since he wasnt using loose espresso - he was using the coffee pods.
So far i know i need to replaced the portafilter/grouphead gasket.
i read the water/steam valve should be disassembled and cleaned, however i am planning on upgrading to the V3 steam wand that includes a brand new valve, correct?? so no need to do that?
i also plan to open up the machine and take a look inside the boiler, although i dont expect any issues due to his de-scaling regime.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,738 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Sun Jan 13, 2013, 8:38am Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
I never had to do all that much to my silvias, but I did upgrade the wand and yes, it comes with a different steam valve. You remove the old wand a valve and put in the new assembly. Watch the 10 min video on Seattle coffee gear as they show a washer you need to leave out to get it to fit right.
takeshi Senior Member Joined: 12 Oct 2002 Posts: 731 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Silvia Grinder: Super Jolly Roaster: Amaya Roasting
Posted Mon Jan 14, 2013, 2:04pm Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
DaninMaryland Said:
I need help identifying the items that i need to replace, and how to get the grouphead cleaned up due to the neglect of backflushing, or even if this is a big deal since he wasnt using loose espresso - he was using the coffee pods.
Even with pods oils can accumulate and go rancid. Cleaning the grouphead is relatively easy. Remove the screw and screen, soak them in detergent and hot water. Scrub the grouphead. Rinse everything and replace the screen & screw. Run a "seasoning" shot.
Other stuff depends on the condition of the machine and whether or not it requires additional attention.
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Tue Jan 15, 2013, 7:28am Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
takeshi Said:
Even with pods oils can accumulate and go rancid. Cleaning the grouphead is relatively easy. Remove the screw and screen, soak them in detergent and hot water. Scrub the grouphead. Rinse everything and replace the screen & screw. Run a "seasoning" shot.
Other stuff depends on the condition of the machine and whether or not it requires additional attention.
thanks. the screen/screw and part of the grouphead were taken out as part of the coffee pod kit, which i replaced.
I ended up ordering a new grouphead gasket, boiler gaskets (for when i take it apart to inspect/clean), gaskets/o-rings to rebuild the water/steam valve, and some other little things here and there.
Posted Tue Jan 15, 2013, 8:55am Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
Yup sounds like everything has been covered. You have descaled, screen has been replaced and once you install the new gaskets and steam wand you should be in ship shape. If you’re worried about backflushing simply run water through the boiler and make sure when you switch off that the solenoid spits out water into the drip tray. To clean simply do a regular backflush.
Side note. If you notice any rust under the tray or on the chassis just use sand paper or a dremel to sand off the rust and spray semi-gloss black tremclad rust paint to restore the finish. If you taking the entire machine apart then soaking the pipes in 50/50 vinegar, CLR or citric acid will remove any build up.
The portafilter should be in good shape but many places have new ones.
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 11:05am Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
ended up completly breaking down the Silvia last weekend. man, that machine is really built nicely, was very impressed with the quality of the components. Took out the boiler and the thing looked brand new, no buildup just shiny brass. Took a look at pretty much everything while i was in there and no need for any type of cleanup, etc. replaced the boiler gasket while it was open, and swapped out the boiler screws with stainless steel version while i was there. took apart the grouphead, etc and everythign was super clean.
Very very happy with the purchase. putting together a quick pressure gauge on the portafilter tonight to check the pressure on the OPV and after that i think i am good to go!
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Wed Jan 23, 2013, 6:07pm Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
yep. i even took apart a few things i didnt need to because i like to see how things work. bought a pressure gauge and made a portafilter gauge tonight and tested the pressure. it was just under 12 bar running on a blind gauge. adjusted to OPV to get around 9.5 bar, so brewing pressure should be right around 9 bar. everything is all set and time to focus on technique!
Posted Thu Jan 24, 2013, 6:43am Subject: Re: Need Help with recommended repair/maint on used Silvia
Sounds great DM!
You will enjoy this machine! I use mine every day. I have been using the steam handle for pressure profiling lately with Brazil Santos SO espresso. It really improves the shot even more. I also tested pressure with a gauge that came with my 2nd hand purchase. I was able to gain control over he shot no problem slowing the pull at first, speeding up and slowing down to avoid blonding. All I did was place a frothing pitcher under the wand to catch the water and once I was done I poured it back in the reservoir. Simple SB pressure profiling without any mods. :) Still gonna eventually put a PID on mine though for even better shots. Something to think about. :)
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