Lelit Victoria leak (boiler feed)

Iamslw

Hi all, appreciate I’ve jumped straight into to a ‘can you help me post’, but I’m hoping a wiser head can advise..

The last couple of days noticed condensation buildup within the pressure gauge on the front that built up quickly during normal operation to the extent that I would hear a sizzling noise and it would trip the power.

Today I have taken the cover off for the first time and tried my best to eyeball as much as I could. Having never seen inside before, nothing stood out initially, but when I powered it on with the cover off I could see that when it starts to heat up water is fizzing/leaking from what looks to be the water feed to the ?boiler. I’ve identified the part no. in question (MC141) however I’m wondering if I can simply remediate it by removing, cleaning and applying some ptfe tape before tightening the existing one.

I am by no means experienced in this area but it seems straightforward enough, unless there are any FYIs to be aware of?

Typically this has all come to a head just after I placed my latest order of beans!

I presume it’ll help - here is a pic of the bit in question being pointed to with my WDT tool/corn on the cob spike.

Thanks for reading!

DavecUK

Iamslw Welcome to the forum, is the liquid coming from the area indicated by the top arrow or the bottom one?

Iamslw

Hi Dave, it’s the bottom one. It slow fizzes out and spreads around the top of the boiler then the heat boils it away. I imagine based on the condensation that was evident this continues until it goes to sleep. In retrospect I imagine the dark areas on the top are where it has been sizzling away over time.

DavecUK

Iamslw Hi Dave, it’s the bottom one.

OK well the fix is easy…simply remove the PTFE pipe from the john guest style fitting. Get a VERY well fitting panner on the flats of the fitting, it looks like the arrow is pointing to them.

mark the boiler for the position..thenundo it. Be careful, the fittings are not steel, but nickel coated brass, so don’t break or deform it.

Then clean up the threads best you can and use PTFE tape. Use enough to you can just turn it a few turns using fingers, then use the spanner to take it the rest of the way, stop just before (1 turn) it’s completely tightened down and reaches the marked position on the boiler (never turn it backwards).

P.S. Be careful to support the boiler from twisting.

Iamslw

Many thanks for the detailed response! I’ve also now learnt what a John guest fitting is! This may be really daft but do I need to somehow drain the boiler before proceeding? Anyway, I’ll see if I’ve got a suitable spanner first!

Iamslw

Hi Dave, even though it was in bold - I turned it backwards as in my excitement of being able to unscrew it I lost track of the position it came out of. I assume now this was so the tape didn’t sheer off into the boiler? 😅

DavecUK

Iamslw No it was just so it was in exactly the same position for attaching the PTFE pipe.

Iamslw

Ah that’s some relief at least. I’m a bit paranoid that as I unscrewed it some of the tape fell in. As best as I can I can’t see any, but I know I will never be certain.

DavecUK

Iamslw Ah that’s some relief at least. I’m a bit paranoid that as I unscrewed it some of the tape fell in. As best as I can I can’t see any, but I know I will never be certain.

Well you find out if it’s a problem or not, if the bits ever migrate into groupand block the little jet (Gicleur there). If it ever does and the flow rate drops significantly, you may have to open the solenoid/dispersion plate screws etc.. to remove it…No biggie.

Iamslw

Thanks - I do think it was largely paranoia (above) and that is all connected and not leaking.

Instead the top arrow is now leaking, it took longer to occur but looks like I’ll be redoing that connection in a bit. What’s the deal if it continues to leak there - Is it a new part or some tube-work?

DavecUK

Iamslw Instead the top arrow is now leaking, it took longer to occur but looks like I’ll be redoing that connection in a bit. What’s the deal if it continues to leak there - Is it a new part or some tube-work?

It shouldn’t really leak, did you remove and reinsert it correctly? try again and check to see if you let the teeth make a longitudinal scratch in the tube.

Iamslw

So I think I’m at the point where I need to bite the bullet and get it looked at properly.

So I reinserted the John guest fitting and this was fine and was able to get up to temperature without any fizzing/leak from that part.

However when I ran some water through it then started to slow drip from that fitting AND on observation I saw the pid and display had steamed up.

I can only assume there something wrong beyond what I initially thought, so I’ve gone to check/remove the screen after allowing the night for it to cool and the thing is literally fused to the machine. It did not turn at all instead I’ve probably damaged the screw head more than anything.

From what I can see through the screen - the holes there look clear.

hector38

Hi, I have same problem, my leakage is at the top, at the plastic tubing, i tried pfte tape there…I am going to try maybe cutting 4mm off the tubing to get a “cleaner” place for the valve to bite…

but i think i will very likely replace the MC141 and I wonder if I might have to replace the tubing as well?

more importantly, to the person that changed the MC141, did you end up draining the machine? did you had to unmount the boiler? I am afraid mine will be harder to unscrew as there has been leaking fir a while and seems to have more build up…