Posted by Sebastian Little on Dec 7th 2020
La Pavoni Lever Rebuild Pictorial Guide
The La Pavoni home lever espresso machine comes in a few models and all of the models are differentiated by manufacture date before or after year 2000. Machines made after 2000 are called Millennium and those made before 2000 are referred to as Pre-Millennium. This guide can be used for all models and manufacture dates. The main difference you will see is that Millennium models have a plastic liner in the group and the older models are simply brass. Take care not to score the brass or to break the plastic liner.
When you have the piston and shaft removed clean all pieces and clean cylinder before reassembling.
Millenium Europiccola
Step 1. Remove group bolts (10mm wrench) | Step 2. Remove group |
Step 3. Remove C-clip | Step 4. Remove shaft nuts (14mm wrench) |
Step 5. Use hammer to tap shaft down --> | Still Step 5. which will push group shower & gasket |
Step 6. Force shaft down and pull piston out | Step 7. Inspect group |
Step 8. Use Snap Ring Plier to remove --> | Step 8. Retain for re-use |
Step 9. Remove brass ring | Step 10. Remove silicon lip seal |
Step 11. Use pick to pry off old piston gaskets | Step 12. Clean Piston and install new gaskets... |
Rebuilding Piston:
Take care to gently install new gaskets. They will not want to settle in the correct position and will require a soft touch to rotate them so they sit with narrow sides in the center of the piston and flaring edges on bottom and top respectively. It's easy to damage the gasket.
Step 13. Insert new lip seal | Step 14. Insert brass ring |
Step 15. Use snap ring plier to re-install | Step 16. Ensure that snap ring is in the groove |
Step 17. Use food safe grease on piston | Step 18. Push shaft until gasket meets cylinder |
Step 19. Use tiny flat tool to fold gasket into cylinder | Step 20. Piston should easily slide |
Step 21. Insert pin, c-clip and shaft nuts | Step 22. Ensure you have the correct group gasket |
Group Gaskets:
There are 3 possible group gaskets. The pre-millennium is a rounded o-ring. Most millennium models have a gasket that is rounded one one side and flat on the other. Some are similar but have a ridge. You must have the right part to complete this repair.
Step 23. Gasket fits neatly over shower | Step 24. Press into group |
Step 25. Use flat dull tool to push into place | Step 26. Use portafilter to tighten into place |
Step 27. Replace group to boiler o-ring (grease) | Step 28. Optional - replace knob o-ring |
Step 29. Rebuilt Europiccola Lever Group | Step 30. Tighten group bolts |