Review on Saeco 996530007754 12000142 Ulka Pump by Paul Rose

I have a saeco xsmall super machine that was having trouble brewing. There is little documentation on what to do when these machines fail. Below is what I did to solve my problem: Problem: The machine brewed sometimes, most of the time it didn't. 4 times out of 5 the grind level dropped immediately without starting the brewing process. Troubleshooting: As far as I could find I replaced the HAL sensor. That was easy enough but didn't solve the problem as the amount of bean flour was enough to start with. I then completely disassembled the brewing unit, cleaned it thoroughly and lubricated it again. I checked the spring and crystal ball and they were fine. All the orings were good too. After looking through a large bag of (cheap) beans, I noticed that when it had a "successful" brew, the bases were VERY wet. This led me to think that insufficient water pressure was leading me to the pump. Hail Mary, replaced the pump. I felt the difference immediately, even when the car was turned on for the first time. It has worked flawlessly since the replacement. It saved the car and saved me tons of money on a new car or professional repair. If your device is brewing unevenly but the amount of grind is consistent every time, try replacing the pump :)