mjackson ♦ Susan,
I hope I did not say to use soap. You don't want to as it takes away the lubricant that is necessary. It could be a few things but you will get some sounds normally with your brew group and machine. I would call our technical support line and see how they can help. It may not be a problem at all. You should lubricate your machien about one a year and they can tell you if you haev a problem. We do haev email instructions on how to lubricate your brew group and also sell the grease to do it with. I will email you the instructions on somethings that may help.

04-10-2012 8:17am |

mjackson ♦ David,

You need to replace the brew group gasket. Here is the link. http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/gaggia_gasket.cfm It is an easy thing to do and here are the instructions.

Gaggia Brew Group Gasket Replacement
This will show you how to remove the brew group gasket and install a new one.
Please read the entire instructions before you start. If you need to order a new gasket, the part number is GA-NG01/001. Call us to order or visit the Parts & Care section of our website.
1. Make sure that the machine is powered down, unplugged, and completely cool before attempting any of these instructions.
2. Remove the reservoir, drip tray, drip pan and reservoir cover and lay the entire machine on its back.
3. Use a short Philips head screwdriver to remove the shower screen. (You can find these at an auto parts store if you do not have one.)
4. Under the shower screen you will see the “Shower Holding Plate” that is held in place with two Allen screws. Remove the two Allen screws with 5mm Allen wrench.
5. The Shower Holding Plate should just drop out after you remove the Allen screws. If it does not, use a large flat blade screwdriver to gently pry out the Shower Holding Plate. Be careful not to damage the ridge that the shower screen fits up into. If you do, a new holding plate is available. It is part number GA-DY0036/A and is available as a replacement part. Just call us to order.
a. Sometimes, the Shower Holding Plate is really stuck. To remove a plate that is stuck, you can use a pair of needle nose pliers. Open the pliers and stick the points into the holes where the Allen bolts were. Then turn hard. This should break the Shower Holding Plate free. Clean out any build up that you see using a stiff brush and some descaler – the same kind you would use to descale the machine.
6. You should now be able to pull out your old group gasket. If the gasket is very hard or stuck follow steps a and b.
a. Find a couple of screws that you might have lying around. They do not have to be any special size as long as they have a pointed end. Screw them into the old gasket. Make sure that they are across from each other. Do not go completely through the gasket just screw them in far enough to get a good grip. You can judge this by looking at the new gasket you are going to install. The gasket depth is about 5/16”.
b. Use pliers to pull on the screws and work the old gasket out. Pull one side and then the other until it comes out. ** Note: A gasket can be so old that it will need to be removed in bits and pieces using needle nose pliers***
7. This is a good opportunity to clean the shower screen and brew group. Use a stiff brush and some descaler (like Urnex CleanCaf) for really tough spots.
8. Clean and dry the slot in the machine that the gasket fits into.
9. Slide a new gasket into place.
10. Put the machine back together by screwing in the Shower Holding Plate and shower Screen. You can use your portafilter to help. Lock the portafilter on a couple of times hard to make sure everything is securely seated.
11. Tip the unit back up and install the drip pan, drip tray and water reservoir.
12. Fill the reservoir and plug the machine in and you are ready to go.


This will fix your problem and get you back to enjoying great espresso.

03-15-2012 8:45am |

mjackson ♦ Catlin,

We do sell the grease.You can call and order it. I will give you the information. • Periodically your brew unit should be lubricated. We recommend it be lubricated every 6 months.
• You will need a food grade/food safe lubricant such as Petrogel. This lubricant is available for purchase from us. The part number is PE-GREASE. Please call us if you would like to place an order.
• DO NOT use a lubricant such as Crisco, olive oil, vegetable oil, etc. These lubricants will turn rancid and cause a foul odor and taste to be transmitted to your coffee.
• Read all of the instructions before beginning.

1) Remove the brew unit from the machine.
2) Thoroughly clean the brew unit with dish soap and warm water by hand. Remove as much as the old lubricant as is possible. Do not place the brew unit in the dish washer. The super-hot water in the dishwasher can cause the brew unit to warp.
3) The center of the brew unit is the part that cycles when the machine is brewing coffee or performing a rinsing cycle. The brew unit pictured below has been taken apart and the small channels where lubricant needs to be applied are highlighted in red.

4) You do not need to disassemble the brew unit in order to properly lubricate it. You can use your finger or a small brush to generously apply the lubricant to these channels.
5) After applying lubricant to these channels, you can return the brew unit to your espresso machine.
Please give us a call if you have any questions.

01-23-2012 10:00am |

mjackson ♦ Mark,

You do have a nice machine and we do have parts. You will want to call technical support to see what is available to help you fix your machine. If you call them at option 3 they can get you a parts diagram and help determine what parts you need. They hopefully will be able to get you back up and running smoothly. Thanks for thinking of us.

01-16-2012 10:51am |

mjackson ♦ Robin,

It is hard to exactly diagnose exactly what the problem is with the machine. It cant hurt to get the kit. I would call our technical support unit to have them work with you when you are in front of the machine so they can help you solve your problem. They should be able to help. They are very good.

01-09-2012 8:59am |

mjackson ♦ Barbara,

We do not actually sell the Gaggia descaler. We do have many other products that will work. You can get the durgol descaler, or the Urnex cleancaf or Dezcal. All of these will work well.

07-18-2011 9:22am |