Portafilter Misalignment: Causes and Solutions

This video covers why the portafilter on your espresso machine may not clock in exactly at 6 o'clock (straight out from the machine). Whole Latte Love's Service Manager Brian explains different causes and solutions, including the process of how to replace an old group gasket.
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[@fishingexchange3742]

The other guy voice is magnificent! Great for hosting radio shows

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey FE, Well thanks for that! My dream side hustles are doing movie trailers and planetarium star shows. Other Guy - Marc

[@fishingexchange3742]

@@Wholelattelovepage you should!! Good luck…. Do you have Instagram account!?

[@Capnblinski]

Thanks that info was very useful. You guys rock!!

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Our pleasure!

[@Capnblinski]

Got my new Gaggia Classic (bought from you through Amazon) primed with spring water and I'm ready to make my first espresso. Excited 😆

[@Todd.T]

I never tighten beyond the need to get the portafilter to seal. Whenever the machine is at rest, I have the portafilter barely snug. Rancilio Silvia never leaked in 9 years of use. I changed the gasket on year 9 while I was changing a boiler gasket. Never made it past 6 o'clock. Now with the Rocket, same thing, just enough to heat sink. Almost two years in and still at 7 o'clock. I have a silicone gasket, so I'm just seeing how long the stock one lasts. IMS screen and VST basket. Shout out the the mystery magnificent voice guy. I think you now have a new name Marc....

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey Todd, Magnificent voice guy tries to mention in videos from time to time one should keep the PF in the group to warm it and heat sink the group. Also, as you advise no need to crank it in hard for that. With a gentle touch group gaskets last much longer and you won't leave your filter basket stuck to the gasket when you remove PF. Marc

[@sabufinisher]

i have a rocket mozafiato and from the factory my PF locks on a 7 o'clock position. is this normal?

[@Todd.T]

@@sabufinisher Sure it is. As the gasket wears, the PF will slowly move towards 6, then 5. Usually you might start leaking by then. Mine has been at 7 o clock for 2 years.

[@mdcoomer67]

Good point made about any raised text on the new gasket facing up during install (walks downstairs to look at my recently installed silicon gasket).

[@mdcoomer67]

...and sheepishly flipped.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Now you know. Guessing even with the text down you had no leaks?

[@mdcoomer67]

@@Wholelattelovepage No leaks, thankfully.

[@DocHoliday596]

Wow thanks guys. My new delonghi dedica didn't turn all the way to 6 o clock when I used the two cup basket and panicked and thought I would have to send it back.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Glad it helped and thanks for your comment!

[@mattmartel7110]

great video!

[@petehelme7714]

recently changed the gasket on my (old) Fiorenzato Bric to a silicone one (8mm) and now a bottomless I have with a VST pulls to about 4 o'clock(!). with the stock double basket and portafilter it's at 6 o'clock. the "lugs" on the side of the bottomless I have are slimmer too. all depends. should have put in an 8.5mm I guess. can never get my gaskets out without using a hook and pick tool; the shower screen I have has very little ridging to use a screwdriver. :/

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey pete, thanks for sharing your experience!

[@PlaymobitTV]

On my Ascaso Steel Uno Prof I have leakage problem. I replaced the gasket, with all the right steps but the problem partialy remains. The main issue is that the gasket doesn't have letters or signs to guide you which side goes up, it only has one "polished" and one "rough" side. What do you suggest is the correct one?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey Play, My guess is the polished side goes down to make seal with portafilter.

[@desmondsoon1314]

Hi, I’m using Nuova Simonelli Appia II. Before this my portafilter was misaligned like it clock in around 530-500. Recently I changed the gasket as it leak whenever I pull shot, after changed the gasket my portafilter clock in around 430-400. Can I know how to solve this problem?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

]If clocking in too far it's likely your gasket is too small in height. There are shims available you can use to make it taller.

[@akquicksilver]

My Profitec Pro 600 portafilter clocks at Alaska Standard Time.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Love It!!!

[@soyluisrueda]

thanks for the class guys, my coffee machine is 2 months old, and is getting harder and harder to clock (it feels is blocked or something) What am I doing wrong?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi Luis, You're welcome! Have you been cleaning the group area? Coffee particles and oils can accumulate making it more difficult to clock in. Could also be your group gasket is drying out. Most stock gaskets get harder with use.

[@soyluisrueda]

@@Wholelattelovepage I will check up on that, thanks a lot for the quick response 🙌🏽

[@EmpowerYourMoney]

that is what happened to my machine.... no turn to it....

[@EmpowerYourMoney]

Once I position the portafilter into place on my Breville, I cannot turn it to the right into place? it is stuck? where and how to change it out? Also the espresso tastes funny burned. where are you located?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi JA, Have you tried cleaning the group head area? Coffee debris and oils can accumulate in the channels which the PF tabs lock into. As to funny burned taste... could be many reasons like coffee used, over-extraction, high brew temp, dirty equipment. Dark roasted coffee tends to feature the flavor of the roast. Over-extraction produces bitter flavor. Equipment coated with coffee gunk/oils like group head, portafilter, filter baskets, etc. can taint coffee flavor as accumulated oils go rancid. We are located in Rochester, NY.

[@EmpowerYourMoney]

@@Wholelattelovepage took my machine to a fix it place in berkeley.....fun actually- a garage store filled with latte machines needing some love....

[@mikesemanski]

I have the Profitec Pro 600. When using the portafilter with two spouts and the 2 cup filter cup, my portafilter will only clock to about 8:00 o'clock. When I use the 1 cup filter cup, I can clock to 6:00 o'clock, making me think the problem is the filter cup - yet it worked fine for two weeks, and it is firmly seated in the portafilter and doesn't appear to be sticking out more than the 1 filter cup. Any idea why the 2 filter cup, if seated properly, would prevent me from clocking my portafilter to 7:00 or 6:00 o'clock? Do I need to get a new 2 cup filter cup? Thank you

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey Mike, thanks for the question. That's really strange. Are you using the same PF and switching the basket? If so, and the basket is not sticking out more I'm stumped. If using different portafilters then perhaps that's were the issue is?

[@PandaPandaPandaism]

I just changed the gasket on my Bezerra Crema (BZ13 remodel) with a silicon gasket. I wish I would have had this video ahead of time. I'm pretty sure I put my gasket in upside down. It clocks in at 7/8 o clock now when before it was more around 5 o clock. I'm not sure if removing the gasket and flipping it will help it get back to 6 though, but it makes milk steaming more of a challenge now with the portafilter in. How is the break in period for silicon gaskets? Do they break in the same as rubber gaskets or do they last longer?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi PPP, It's unlikely putting the gasket in upside down would change clocking much. More likely your gasket is a bit short in height. Silicone gaskets do last longer! Stock rubber gaskets get harder with use and develop the channel as seen in this video. If your most recent gasket was 8mm height you might try an 8.5. Marc

[@sneezyferret6482]

I took the basket out and sanded down the portatfilter. It barely locked on it was so tight and the portafilter would just blow off. The portafilter wouldn't get more over than the 8 o clock position. It's a Ascaso Dream. Nightmare, more like. Anyway sanding and filing it down seems to help.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi SF, Thanks for the report. Not sure, but perhaps your group gasket was a little too thick and preventing a better clock-in. Not sure about your machine, but other group heads have thicker and thinner group gaskets available. Also, if your machine was brand new know that with use group gaskets break-in a bit and will clock in more.

[@sneezyferret6482]

@@Wholelattelovepage Hi, yeah, after watching your video (thanks!) it dawned on me that the gasket may be the problem here. It was bought new and we've had it for several years, with regular usage. It's never, ever gone past the 8 o' clock position, and you can see the portafilter's ears aren't fully locked in, hence it popping/blowing off at times. It has never gotten easier. Once I even resorted to knocking it in with a rubber mallet, and had to use it again to get it off!! So I think I'll be taking it out measuring it and seeing if I can't get something a bit thinner. It's just frikkin ridiculous how tight it is!! So I am wondering now if they fitted the wrong one, or put it in the wrong way?

[@chefe2152]

Ok I bought from you Bezerra bz 13 pm ,today I used for the first time and ,the basked clicks in at 5 o'clock. Is there something wrong? Do I need to contact support team?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi Chef, You do not need to contact suppport. You're likely just cranking in harder than you need to. Marc

[@chefe2152]

@@Wholelattelovepage talked to them today! You were 100% right I do use too much force.

[@chefe2152]

Another point,how much force you should use to tighten it up?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi Chef, Only what's needed - don't have to keep pushing until you can't anymore. Marc

[@jpmartirez]

how do you remove the IMS shower screen since it does not have a ridge like the stock screen?

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi JPM, The IMS screen does have a ridge. It's smaller than the stock screens but can be levered out using the ridge.

[@SuperMatrix59]

Marc this is for a friend he has a mozzafiato that he must of screwed up the programming of the pid he wants to get it back to factory any help. Thank you much

[@angga8444]

my portafilter stuck in machine delonghi c820b, please help me

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey a, Really don't have any revelations other than trying harder to turn it back out.

[@vader11100]

I only use silicone gaskets.. I have mine almost 5 years and still functioning the same.. By the way I have the yellow one 8.5 mm..

[@johnsadler6441]

Wish I could get a silicone one for my Oscar2

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey John, here's the silicone gasket for NS machines: www.wholelattelove.com/collections/group-gaskets/products/caffewerks-silicone-group-gasket-71-x-56-x-9mm

[@johnsadler6441]

I had this issue and the damn thing kept leaking. I added a thin gasket to get it at 6 o'clock but it still leaked. Then I discovered food grade silicone grease. No more leaks.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hey JS, Do what works. Have you tried a thicker silicone gasket?

[@johnsadler6441]

@@Wholelattelovepage Couldn't get one, so I gave up. The best I could do was a 0.3mm gasket to sit above the rubber ring. Now thinking I'll take that out and just use the grease or I may just leave well enough alone as it's nice to have no leaks

[@jacobgreen6939]

my problem is it clocks in at 730

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi Jacob, Is it a new machine or gasket? When new they're a little stiff and will break in with use. Another option is to upgrade to a silicone group gasket. They're more supple, last longer and don't need to be cranked in hard to make a good seal. Also keep your group head and gasket area clean. Accumulation of coffee residue can cause short clock-in.

[@jacobgreen6939]

@@Wholelattelovepage thanks, old machine. It's for a friend. Prob could use a cleaning. Might try silicon gasket. Do you thing wrong basket?

[@KNGHTS]

I’m going to shave the text off with a box cutter because it’s not ideal even if it’s on the top side

[@johnsadler6441]

Not sure that's a good idea as you may make it worse. Would certainly be the case if i tried that :-)

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi K, No need to do that. As @John Sadler commented you could cause a problem. Marc

[@investertiger3777]

You people assume that everyone is using the same machine so all of this this utterly useless.

[@Wholelattelovepage]

Hi, what make/model machine are you using? Would love to offer assistance. The vast majority of prosumer level machines have similar portafilter attachment design, misalignment issues are similar at a base level.