Lelit Bianca: Cleaning/Replacing the Expansion Valve Seat (OPV)

If your machine is constantly leaking out of the exhaust port, and adjusting your expansion valve does not stop it, then you may want to examine the valve seat. Follow these instructions to inspect/replace your expansion valve seat on a Lelit Bianca.

Tools Needed:
- Philips head screw driver
- Flat-head screwdriver
- 12mm wrench
- Long tweezers or pliers
- Molykote lubricant
- Scouring pad

Before we get started please make sure there is no writing on the outside of the valve. If the expansion valve in your machine has 'OLAB' printed on the side, please refer to this article here. 

Parts Needed:
Lelit Bianca expansion valve seat (Replace if necessary)

1. Remove the panels.

2. The expansion valve is located on the interior left side of the machine. Remove the tube fitting attached to the valve. 



3. Using a 12mm wrench on the brass nut, turn counterclockwise to remove the top fitting.

4. Pull the top of the expansion valve free.

5. Use a pair of tweezers or pliers to remove the spring, gasket and seat.



**If the gasket in the expansion valve of your machine looks different than the photo above and looks like this instead - please stop here and continue this repair with this article here. **

6. Inspect your gasket for damage. Clean the spring and seat with hot water and a microfiber cloth. Replace the gasket if heavily used like in the photo above (you can remove this gasket using a small pick or flathead screwdriver).

7. Lubricate the new gasket with Molykote before inserting into the valve seat. Apply Molykote to the spring and exposed gaskets on the top portion of the expansion valve. 

8. Follow these steps in reverse to reassemble.

9. Make sure to test your machine with the top panel off to see if the leak below the group head has subsided. If your machine has reached its set temperature and the leak is still present, turn the expansion valve clockwise until the leak is no longer present.