Gas Pressure Washers Suck regardless of brand
 

What does it take to get a Home Residential heavy duty pressure washer to last???


Simplest device in the world. A gas motor, a pump, and a wand/cart doo-hickey of some odd-ball combination.


RANT on my soap box.

I consider myself an above average small engine mechanic.

I own 5 acres so my projects tend to be bigger than a condo/apt owner using a $199 electric unit.


For the life of me I can't keep a pressure washer fully functional for more than a couple of home projects, deck / driveway / fencing.


I've had 2500-4000 psi units. $400-$1000+ Cheap ones and expensive. AR pumps made in Italy to CAT pumps. Honda Motors vs Mystery Engines.


I don't mind rebuilding carbs, installing new o-rings, and dig in deep repairs. But holy crap this sucks................

Items that ALWAYS fail :

soap injection suction pre-wash
pump o-rings to keep pressure
Pump by-pass pressure valve while at idle.
Wands falling apart.
Gas engine constant carb issues


off my soapbox, but low low hour units seem to die a early premature death of some sorts.



grrrrrrrrrr


!#$%#^^%$&*^()&*


I'm about to go to Harbor Freight to just get a cheap 4000 psi with cheap AR pump and cheap Predator generic motor...............$799. BUT FOR SURE get the extended warranty simply to return it 3 times a year so I always have a fresh one at the start of a major project............

are we really at that level of disposable society.???


:mad::mad::mad:

Yep, dealing with carb issues with mine for the second time in less than a year. Could be the ethenol in gas that I am using. Super sucky though.

Guess I got a good one before they went to crap. Bought mine at Costco in '05/'06 and have barely done any maintenance in all this time. Still starts up and runs all day if needed.

Just bought a Karcher yesterday (my electric Karcher has lasted more than 20 years) and then went on a hunt for non-ethanol gas.

I've had mine a long, long time. At least 15 years. About the only maintenance I ever do is make sure to run the gas tank dry at the end of every session. Bone dry.

I've had my Karcher a long time. Last year pump went bad, but motor was good, so i bought a replacement pump on amazon, $70.

Ethanol is evil :(. Hell, even non-ethanol 93 ain't what it used to be (even w/ Stabil added). I've had more issues the past year than ever before with my 2 cycles...some I've had forever.

That said....my new go to chainsaw doesn't have a carb....big :)

The Home Depot special with a Honda Engine has been doing fine. I need to get the carbs fixed on a couple of generators...

What is the secret? Viton instead of Butyl-N o-rings?

1 Don't run anything other than water through the pump !!!
2 Always get any air out of the hose/pump before starting !!
3 Don't let it run in bypass for more than a minute !!
4 Chemicals will eat the pump o'rings and the hose o'rings !!
5 Always use stabilizer with Ethanol gas or find Ethanol free gas !!

That's a start for now, :) Mine is 20 years old and still GREAT.

You might have a lot of sand in your water. Simpson makes a filter that you can use on the intake side. There is also a lubricant that you add during storage to help the pump seals last. I have a Simpson water blaster that has lasted over 10 years now.

This may be the unit..............good old HF.

$899

I found a $100 off coupon, for $799.

4000 psi with a vario pressure reg on the wand.



https://www.harborfreight.com/4400-psi-42-gpm-13-hp-420cc-commercial-duty-pressure-washer-epa-64931.html



Northern and Northstar are $$$. the next price point seems like Belt driven in the $1600 range.
Costco would have a return policy but may not stock the unit.
Lowes and HDepot about the same.

Those have always been my 5 golden rules too................good list!

Cold water only.

I ditched my gas pressure washer a couple years ago and went to a Karcher K-series electric and have not looked back. Very happy with it, much more reliable than my gas Honda/Karcher washer that it replaced.

I gave up fixing. When they act up, new fuel lines, filters, and carbs (cheap - Amazon).

I think it's the alcohol in the gas. Some fuel lines/rubber swell shut, others disintegrate.

I have a Simpson with Honda engine. I run the expensive gas from Menards 50:1 in it. Seems to work well. Starts right up sitting all winter in heated garage.

I've owned and used a Northern Tool pressure washer with a Honda engine for at least 15 years now.
Works perfectly ever time.
I learned quickly to shut the water off and release the pressure when starting. Fires right up every time.

I had a no name and the pump was always funky leaking the oil out all over the chassis. The carb? Buy a new one for less than $15 shipped.

I had one for probably 10-15 years. I think it was a Rigid with a subaru motor, 3x00 psi, I want to say 3600 or 3800, but I can't remember for sure. It didn't get tons of use, probably 10-15 times, but it always started despite being neglected.

Yep...Honda Generator....

Plastic Honda bag with O-rings, gaskets, etc. - $15

Quality (Made in Japan, but not Honda) replacement carb, shipped - $15

As others have said, non ethanol fuel is a key. For the pump they make a pump cleaner/lubricant that you're supposed to use. Having said that, I have a 4000 psi unit with hot water that I've had for almost 12 years that never gives me any issues.

I do all that and my Troy-Bilt is still working great after 10 years.

Darn. I was going to buy one with a Honder engine. I always think if it's got a Honda engine it must be excellent.

I DON'T like electric ones. I always think I'm going to get electricuted. All that water and electricity....

The subaru that I got at Costco a couple years ago always works fine.

Yes sir! That's how it's done. That, and a Honda engine on a Karcher pump. Going on 16 years.SmileWavy

The Craftsman I had worked fantastic for YEARS. Then E10 killed it.

I have a gas (Honda) Karcher and an electric (Sun Joe) but was at a client's property today and he was up on a ladder washing his metal roof panels using one of these.....$99 at HD......

Ryobi 1,600 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer

https://images.homedepot-static.com/...12-64_1000.jpg

Have had a $500 HF pressure washer which has run flawlessly for the last 5 years. The great thing about HF is they have this crazy warranty you can buy for cheap, where if you bring the unit back, running or not within the year you bought it, they give you a replacement no questions asked. Get the replacement and pay another $15 for another warranty, and then repeat year after year.

THIS THING IS A BEAST, both in physical size and power strength. must be 3' x 3' x 24" wide. Great tube frame work design, good ergo rolling it. Wand is heavier duty. Makes my other 2500-3000 psi units look like hobby toys.

They list it as 4400 psi, 4.2 gpm, and a 420cc engine (started on 2nd pull, and was little pull strength needed)

nice, $799 and a 2 year $150 no questions asked return policy and they give you a new one. It's a hellll of a lot of machine. :eek:SmileWavy

https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...4/64931_W3.jpg

That is pretty much the one I have. Amazing how long it runs on a tank. The price has gone up in 5 years. You will like it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1586059499.jpg

Simpson Water Blaster - cold water pressure washer with Honda GX 390 motor. It's been totally reliable, and we use the hell out of it. Typically for 4-6 hours at a stretch. The pump uses 30-wt non detergent oil. You have to change it probably once per year or so. Typical wet sump engine lubrication using 10-30wt oil.

I have an electric Stihl that I bought used for $50 retails for several hundreds. Works great!

I got hold of a 'trashed' pw that would not start unless the handle was on.
But once it got started and warmed up, it was a beast.

I try to keep the water flowing while it's running. Cycling the on/off all the time probably does damage to the internals and pump.

I have a 200 cc 3,000 psi 'Mack', which appears to be just a Chinese high volume cheap washer.

Today I had to re-seal the case (major oil leak over the winter), acid wash the fuel tank (the gas cap is not rain tight so my 'fuel' was 90% water). From the water/rust the fuel shut-off valve was clogged, so that had to be drilled out.

By the end of the day I got it to fire on quick-start.

Tomorrow I can reassemble, and then hope the carb and pump work....

If I wasn't quarantined I would question my sanity, but I don't have much else to do right now. :rolleyes:

My used Still has this exact problem. If I release the handle in the model of a spray job it won't start up again. So I have to plan my cleaning jobs carefully ;)

Maybe your pump bypass is stuck closed.


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I just changed the oil on my Generac Pressure washer today, and did some cleaning. Works great. The main thing, I always disconnect the hoses when I'm done, and pull the starter a few times to clear the water out of the pump. They recommend putting antifreeze into the pump over winter, or if it's going to sit a long time.

Used my new Karcher yesterday. It was great. Almost blew me off my feet.

Dad bought a used one, not sure the brand but looks very similar to the Simpson above. The only issue with it is that it doesn't always start on the first pull. We never use anything but E0 in it and put Stabil in at the end of the season.

I've tried to kill my Troy built one for years and it still runs strong - Nothing but E0 - (it's probably 10 years old and I use it all the time on boats/dock/porch)