Co-worker had a fully automatic espresso machine that was not functioning. He brought it in to get service, shop said the machine needs a new water pump. At a cost of $450 including labour. Same machine new is $750. Co-worker said screw it and decided not to fix it. We got to talking, he told me the story. I told him to bring it in, let me fuck around with it. If I can fix it, we'll keep it here at work, if not it's garbage.
Saw a few videos on youtube to familiarize myself with this high tech thing. Ran the machine in "test mode" which tests all the moving parts everything seemed to work including the so called dead pump. But still it wouldn't pump the water!?!? So it got me thinking a possible blockage in a line or the pump. So I got a syringe with a rubber tube attached at the end. Hooked it up to the inlet that the water tray attaches too. Filled it with water, pushed down on the syringe, felt resistance and then the water pushed through. Filled the syringe again with water did a second pass, water went easily through. Put the water tank back in, hit the "go" button and out came the espresso, it worked! Did a few runs, descaled it and the machine is up and running again.
Go figure!