Lever and cam service
Why the lever gets stiff
Rocket's manual does not give this job, and says repairs are for an authorised technician using original parts. The method below is someone else's, named on each step.
The lever turns a cam inside the group. Detergent backflushing washes the grease off the cam, so the lever gets stiff or squeaks. Water weeping where the lever enters the group means its two seals are worn (Chris' Coffee).
How often: Clive Coffee greases it every third detergent backflush, on its six-weekly detergent schedule; 1st-line says every 3 to 6 months. Clive says that after a detergent backflush, pulling a few shots often smooths it out.
Grease the cam
Clive Coffee's E61 method.
- Switch off, unplug and let the group cool.
- Take the lever off by undoing the slotted nut at its end.
- Unscrew the inner part of the lever and the cam shaft with an adjustable wrench, padding the chrome with a cloth.
- Clean the cam and its housing.
- Grease the cam head with food-safe grease (Molykote 111).
- Start the thread by hand for at least 2 full turns before using the wrench (an owner's rule for soft brass threads), then refit the lever.
If the cam will not go back, Clive drops the bottom of the group to free a valve. That is group-valve work: see E61 group valves.