Failing Keurig Machine

My device comes from Mr. Coffee, reduced from $80 to a 20% off $64 at Target quite a number of years ago. If performs mostly flawlessly, inviting me to sample a variety of flavors over the years at a price well below a local coffee shop.  In the morning I can just pop a pod, fill the reservoir, and expect something hot, wet, and caffeinated while I wash some of the previous supper's dishes or put the laundry to wash.  Trouble free, nearly maintenance free, until it clogs.

That's where I find myself.  A short cup dispensed, which isn't all bad since the coffee in the smaller volume is generally more flavorful than in its full volume.  But the pods leak and even the pods with ooky low priced coffee that you'd never by in a can still cost a good deal more than making loose coffee in a Melita cone. 

Like everything else in the world, all problems are solvable by my web browser.  An algorithm exists for this.  I did the easy stuff first.  Made a cup without a pod, still short and dribbly as the plain water hit the cup.  The unit was descaled with vinegar not long ago so the tubing and pump were probably ok.  That left the needles.  I followed the instructions, disassembling the lower cup, gently inserting my thinnest paper clip into the larger orifice, wiggled it around and rinsed it.  Reassembled the lower pod container, not as easy as it looked, then reinserted it.  The upper needle proved harder.  What I did no know is that it has vents on either side, though a little large for my unfolded paper clip.  Still, I did the best I could, knowing that I might need to get some dental floss or an old toothbrush to really insert something into that needle space.  Then I took a measuring cup, put 8 oz water into the reservoir, let it run a cycle, and nearly 8 oz was returned.  Ready to try the next k-cup.  Not ready to shop for a new machine.