Sanremo · 2 and 3 group
Sanremo Café Racer — PSSR examination & servicing
Café Racer machines are used in independent specialty shops, bakeries and design-led venues nationwide. The engineer carries out the statutory PSSR examination, the front-end service and the water treatment on this model — a standalone examination is £295 + VAT, or £500 + VAT with the service included.
Quick answer
Does a Sanremo Café Racer need a PSSR examination?
Yes, if it operates in a workplace. It carries a single steam boiler with its own protective devices, which is the pressure system in scope. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR 2000 and steam systems are covered at any pressure and any volume, so the boiler must have a Written Scheme of Examination and be examined periodically by a competent person.
- Examination only
- £295
- With service
- £500
The machine
Why the Café Racer matters to the Sanremo owner
A premium favourite for independent shops and bakeries.
In practice you will find it in independent specialty shops, bakeries and design-led venues — which shapes what the examination looks like on site: how the machine is accessed, how long it can be offline, and how much scale it has accumulated.
On the day
- The steam boiler is drained and inspected internally with an endoscope for scale, corrosion and weld condition.
- The safety valve, anti-vac valve and fittings are checked and tested.
- The pressure gauge is verified against our calibrated test gauge, not against itself.
- A 3 group boiler holds more water than a 2 group, so the drain, refill and heat-up all take longer — allow the full appointment window.
- The Written Scheme of Examination names the vessel and the protective devices it covers.
Typical rates for this model
- Standalone PSSR examination
- £295
- Service + PSSR bundle
- £500
- Certified safety valve, if it fails
- £85 + VAT
- Water filter, fitted on a visit
- from £107
- Grinder calibration & deep clean
- £89
- If it does not pass
- Explained in writing
All prices exclude VAT. The additional drain and heat-up time a 3 group boiler needs. We confirm the exact figure on the call.
Filters are fitted on site by an engineer and are not posted out. The filter price applies when ordered with a PSSR examination, service, call-out or water test; booked alone it is charged at the standard call-out.
What we see on this model
- The steam boiler and its protective devices are the pressure system in scope.
- Price follows group count and boiler volume, because those are what change the appointment.
- The Cafe Racer troubleshooting table is essentially the same as F18/Zoe/Verona, so these are family-typical faults rather than Cafe Racer-only ones. The gigleur is the best-evidenced Sanremo blockage. Part numbers are from the Cafe Racer spare parts catalogue (Ed. 01/2018).
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 2 group | 8.0 L |
| 3 group | 10.0 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. No calendar interval is published. Sanremo's manual makes daily automatic backflush with detergent the routine maintenance and delegates 'scheduled maintenance' to technical assistance under a maintenance agreement, without stating a period
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a Sanremo Café Racer
Owners usually call us with a symptom, not a diagnosis. This is what that symptom most often turns out to be on this machine, and what putting it right involves.
| Symptom | Usual cause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| No water or badly reduced flow from one group while the others are fine | the group-head injector (gigleur) restrictor is blocked with debris or scale - a known blockage point on pre-2023 Cafe Racers, Sanremo's table lists 'clogged gigleur' under no water from the group | remove and clean the group-head injector, clean the water-intake coupling filter, check filter regeneration. |
| A whole group hydraulically blocked, pressure will not build, backflushing does not clear it | 'blocked group head', which Sanremo treats as distinct from routine cleaning | official purge: blind baskets in, add hot water, purge (Sanremo states it also applies to F18 and F18-SB). |
| Steam wand drips with tap closed, or steam leaks from under the knob while opening | faulty gasket versus worn tap spindle seal - two different seals | replace the relevant gasket or spindle seal. |
| Steam valve stiff and/or weeping, or steam pressure drops even with the boiler up | valve needs routine re-greasing, and a kinked cool-touch tube, which Sanremo UK calls out as directly reducing steam pressure | release steam pressure and re-grease the valve, rebuild the wand and check/replace a kinked cool-touch tube. |
| Boiler fill-level display flashes and machine will not run, or boiler fills continuously | boiler fill malfunction (open taps, clogged intake filter) or a failed level sensor | open taps, clean intake filter, power-cycle at least 5 s, if continuous fill persists replace the level sensor. |
| No water from the group, or flow that falls away over weeks. | Clogged gigleur (group injector); Sanremo lists 'clogged gigleur' alongside a clogged water-intake coupling filter under 'no water is delivered from the group'. | Remove and clean the group gigleur and the water-intake coupling filter; check regeneration of the water purifying filter. |
| Boiler fill-level display flashes and the machine will not run. | Boiler fill malfunction — mains/filter tap closed, or a faulty level sensor; the same display flashes on continuous fill. | Open the taps, switch off for at least 5 seconds and restart; if the display persists or the boiler keeps filling, replace the level sensor. |
| Steam wand drips with the tap closed; steam leaks from under the knob only when opening. | Two different seals: a faulty sealing gasket or debris in the seal seat (closed drip) versus worn tap spindle seals (leak on opening). | Replace the relevant gasket or the tap spindle seals; clean any debris from the seat. |
| Coffee leaks between group and portafilter, or over the basket edge. | Worn group gasket, uneven or damaged basket rim, dirt in the portafilter seat, clogged shower screens. | Fit a new group gasket (10502110), clean the seat and screens, discard damaged baskets. |
| Steam valve stiff or weeping; the wand does not seal cleanly. | Steam valve not re-greased — Sanremo UK advises re-greasing Cafe Racer and Opera steam valves on a regular basis. | Release steam pressure, unscrew the valve front (24 mm spanner on the arm), re-grease the pin, articulating joint and internal O-ring with food-safe high-temperature silicone grease. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the Sanremo Café Racer
The components most often replaced on this machine, listed by reference number, as a reference for engineers and owners identifying a part.
| Part no. | Description |
|---|---|
| #2102 | Parker 3 Way Grp Solenoid Valve 24v (Plus 3 housings in) |
| #2841 | Element Protection Thermostat - Original |
| #0398 | Lucifer 3 Way Grp Solenoid Valve 230v (Ruby) |
| #18281 | Parker 3 Way Solenoid Valve 24v |
| #0450 | PARKER 3 WAY GRP SOLENOID VALVE 230V (RUBY) |
| #23371 | PARKER 2 WAY INLET SOLENOID VALVE 230V |
| #29950 | PARKER 3 WAY SOLENOID VALVE 24V |
| #0020 | Pump Head Rotoflow |
| #0093 | Sirai Pressure Switch |
| #1497 | Parker Pressure Switch |
| #1578 | Solenoid O Rings Bag Of 100 |
| #1586 | Shower Plate 52 X 5mm |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Group/portafilter gasket ('under-cup seal' H8,2) | 10502110 | First wear item when coffee leaks round the portafilter or the handle creeps past centre. |
| Mesh shower screen | 10053054 | Clogs with coffee oil and scale; replaced with the gasket. |
| Gigleur / injector D8 | 10042048A | The documented blockage point behind 'no water from the group'. |
| Pre-infusion gigleur kit | KCRGIGPRE | Sanremo sells the pre-infusion gigleur as a kit for the Cafe Racer. |
| Steam tap kit | KIT RUBVAPOPE | Rebuilds the leaking/dripping steam tap in one part number. |
| Level probe, 105 mm | 10112059C | Scale on the probe is the usual cause of a persistent fill-level fault. |
Questions
Café Racer questions, answered
How a boiler of this size is examined, how often, and who carries the duty — see the complete PSSR guide.
0208 037 9340
How much does a PSSR examination cost on a Sanremo Café Racer?
A standalone examination is £295 + VAT, because the additional drain and heat-up time a 3 group boiler needs. Combined with a front-end service it is £500 + VAT, which is what most independent specialty shops, bakeries and design-led venues choose, since the boiler has to be drained for the examination either way. We confirm the exact figure on the call.
How often does a Sanremo Café Racer need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in independent specialty shops, bakeries and design-led venues it is typically 12 to 14 months. A 3 group boiler holds a larger volume of water, so scale accumulates faster than in a smaller machine on the same duty and the scheme usually sets the shorter interval.
How long does a Sanremo Café Racer examination take, and what happens on the day?
A 3 group boiler holds more water than a 2 group, so the drain, refill and heat-up all take longer — allow the full appointment window. The visit runs: the steam boiler is drained and inspected internally with an endoscope for scale, corrosion and weld condition. the safety valve, anti-vac valve and fittings are checked and tested. The gauge is then verified against our calibrated test gauge, the system is pressure tested and held, and the machine is re-assembled, refilled, heated and function tested. The Written Scheme of Examination, signed report and asset record follow within 48 hours.
Other Sanremo machines covered
Call and we'll price your Café Racer on the spot.
Same-week appointments nationwide, the Written Scheme of Examination issued within 48 hours of the visit, and a fixed price agreed before we travel.