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I have had my Delonghi ECP3420 for almost a year now but in the last month I have had reoccurring issues with my machine, which has now led to it not working no matter what.

The main issue I have been having was pressure building up in the space between the shower screen and the puck of espresso, which results in water spraying at the seem where the portafilter and machine meet, rather than spraying out of the basket bottom of the basket, which is an issue I used to have before I learnt to properly grind my espresso beans.

I doubt the issue is stemming from my grind fineness or tamping, as this has never been and before and I have had a full year of successful espresso making. I also don’t think my machine needs to be descaled as When the issue happened the first time, I figured it was time to finally descale my machine, which I did, and after going through that process the problem resolved itself initially.

I’m not sure what is wrong as I have tried 3 different baskets I’ve bought and trying to make espresso with and without my espresso screen disk.

If someone could help brainstorm some possible ideas that would be very helpful as that way I can determine what it is that’s going on with my machine and fix it, as until now, my machine worked perfectly fine.

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There is a gasket that fits around the group head. This gasket seals the connection between the portafilter and the group head. What you're describing is symptomatic of a failure of that gasket.

To fix it, you'll have to gain access to it. I believe you can do this by lying the machine down on its back and unscrewing the screw found in the center of the shower screen. Removing this screw will release the shower screen and will expose the gasket.

Access the gasket in this way, then remove the gasket. It's friction fit, so you should be able to remove it just by pulling, though there may be very little clearance around it. Use a fork or tweezers if necessary. Here, be careful, as there is a valve assembly just behind the shower screen that may fall out. In case it does, reassemble it in this order, top to bottom: valve, ring, spring, dowel.

With the gasket removed, check for holes in the material or creased bending. If present, this indicates a damaged gasket you will need to replace. The part SKU is 045902198943. Order a replacement and replace it.

If the gasket appears undamaged, I'd still suggest trying a replacement. Damage to gaskets can be difficult to assess visually. Very likely the cause of your issue is this gasket.

If the replacement gasket does not solve your problem, then there must be something more substantial wrong. Damage to the metal of the group head or the portafilter can cause a breach which allows water to escape. Check the portafilter while it is connected to the machine but while NOT pumping water. Look for irregularities in the seal.

Refer to Delonghi's exploded view of the machine for detailed assembly instructions. Specifically, the gasket in question is part number 52.

I hope this info helps.

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  • Thank you for the advice! My machine began behaving better since I got a new grinder so I have not yet checked the gasket… that being said this morning the issue came back, but when I remade my espresso with the default portafilter that comes with the ECP3420 I did not run into any issues. So I was wondering if simply buying a higher quality portafilter might fix my issues, as the portafilter that comes with the machine is noticeably larger by about a mm or 2, which seals the gap much better. This is significantly noticeable with how much tighter it seals when attaching to the machine. Commented Jan 30 at 14:34

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