Saturday update!
Thanks to LaMacchinaDelCaffe, I received a new gauge for a whooping 17€. So I installed it this Saturday. Took the opportunity to buy a couple of silicon head gaskets and an insulation sleeve for the main boiler.
Good news is the gauge needle moves!
Bad news is that it’s lying to me as 9 bars during extraction (blind basket) at the group reads as 12 on the gauge! 🤣
Oh well, I can live with this. At the end of day, it’s been a good learning experience. I learned a lot about this machine. It was also a perfect opportunity to add insulation to the boiler, whilst also cleaning some of the slightly oxidised connections. I know the pressure is ok at the group, so at least it looks good to have some needle action during pre infusion!
Thanks to everyone who chimed in with advice and help.