hi

thank you for approving my membership (please forgive my english mistakes i m french)

my name is marc i m from montreal canada i work for bombardier aerospace and i love black coffee (petit double expresso). my wife is the queen of lattes my brother is also an enthusiast and also a home roaster.

 i own a bialetti stainless, a baby gaggia, and a rancilio epoca s1. i ve had the epoca plumbed in my kitchen with water softening for more then 5 years pulling shots everyday with an unbeleivable consistency.

a few weeks ago she started showing signs of maybe need of maintenance. i really thought this day would come earlier then 5 years and i always wished to be the one to take care of it.  i m not a certified expresso machine technician but i m mechanically inclined and wondering if i could get advice from the members of this exchange.

right now i have water flowing out in the tray from the expansion/retention valve when i pull a shot and when the pump brings water in the boiler. i took the unit out,  put it apart,  clean all the brass parts in acid,  flipped the rubber gaskets and put everything back in place. result: less water flowing but problem not solved

  before i go back in,  i m ordering online :the replacement gaskets and springs and a portafilter pressure gauge

i understand that the problem could come from elsewhere but i thought i d start with that

thanks in advance for any tips