Power Washer

[astroracer]

I broke down Sunday and bought myself a Power Washer...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/05/07175272000vi-1.jpg
Sears Craftsman. 2550 psi with a B&S 6.75 horse engine. I've been looking to get one for a year or so and the "stuck truck" fiasco pushed me over the top...
I fired it up Sunday afternoon and promptly burned a hole in the pressure hose with the hot cyl. head...:hand: Hardly had it running 5 mins... I was pissed! I will be picking up a new hose tonight and making a hose guard out of an old BBCue grille...
Mark

[astroracer]

Well, I got a new hose Tuesday night and plugged it in. Now the engine won't run... It'll start, but only for a few seconds then it dies like it's running out of gas. I figure there is dirt in the jet... This thing is BRAND NEW so I am NOT taking it apart to fix it. I dicked around with it for an hour and only got really hot and really pissed...
I had my wife return it to Sears Wednesday. They looked at it, couldn't get it to run either, so they gave me a "new" one...
The new one was waiting for me when I got home last night. I unboxed it. Prepped it and was ready to fire it up BUT, when I went too hook up the garden hose, I saw there was no inlet screen... Called Sears so now I have to go BACK in there tonight to pick up the screen out of my "old" washer....:jump:
Has anyone else had problems like this or is it just me...?
Bean

[MikeDVC]

I borrowed a neighbor's craftsman power washer a few weeks ago. He nicely suggested that I put a piece of cardboard under the motor while using it, because it leaks "a little" oil. Well, it leaked so bad that I had to stop about every 15 minutes to "fill it with oil, and check the gas". I stopped using it after about 45 minutes, I was afraid it would either catch on fire or burn up the motor.

[astroracer]

Yea, Mike, I don't like borrowing other peoples stuff either. You see how difficult a time I have with my own stuff!
Well, I got a screen at Sears. Connie was kind enough to give me a repair kit. It had the screen and a bunch of o-rings in it. I got the PW fired up (it started on the 1st pull!) and got my Monte washed down. Did the tires and inner wheel wells and used the foaming attachment and all of the different "ends". The washer worked great! I turned it off a number of times while scrubbing the car and tires and it would fire right back up on the next pull. I like it!
The real test will be after it has sat for a day or two. We'll see how it runs tonight. I plan on putting the truck up on blocks so I can clean the frame and suspension...
Mark

[CAMAROBOY69]

Its not just you Mark. Nothing ever goes right. I dont even want to get into the story of the carburetor for our 67 Mustang. :box2:
And you must have read my recent post about our wheels. :box2:
I could go on forever with whats been going on lately but I wont. :)
However it does feel better to vent on this site.
Glad to hear you got it working. I used to use Heathers dads power washer on my truck when it got dirty.

[BADVELLE]

I just finished using a buddies powerwasher he bought from Sam's Club, 2400 psi, Honda engine, wow, very cool. I washed the house before paint, cleaned the deck and fence and now am cleaning off my big block that is going into my Chevelle. Lets just say, "I am pitching wood" if you know what I mean! I have got to get one of these tools!

[astroracer]

I just finished using a buddies powerwasher he bought from Sam's Club, 2400 psi, Honda engine, wow, very cool. I washed the house before paint, cleaned the deck and fence and now am cleaning off my big block that is going into my Chevelle. Lets just say, "I am pitching wood" if you know what I mean! I have got to get one of these tools!

I have ALL of that stuff slated for mine also... It will get a work out this summer.
I fired it up again Friday after I got the truck up in the air. I spent an hour cleaning the junk out of the wheel wells! What a mess! The washer worked great though didn't skip a beat through numerous starts and stops. The high pressure does a great job on the underside. I swear it would have been clean enough to eat off of. I did a little detailing with some black paint Saturday after everything dried out but it really wasn't necessary.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/06/MVC008Fvi-1.jpg
You will notice I even had to pull the tailights to clean behind them...
I did find a possible cracked rim though... looks like the weld seam has cracked.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/06/MVC013Fvi-1.jpg
I'll know more after I get the tire dismounted...
Mark

[BB69]

Mark,
The only thing I can say about pressure washers, is definitly winterize them. I have a Karcher pressure washer I bought from Costco. It has a Honda engine. The engine has never given me a problem, starts immediately even after the winter. The pump on the other hand is worthless. The thing is only 2.5 years old, and for the last year has barely worked. Now, it will not even generate pressure. I have been looking all over for a pump, and a replacement pump costs almost what I paid for the washer. Anyway, make sure you thoroughly drain it and run something like vinegar through it.

Ken

[astroracer]

Thanks Ken, yea the instruction manual stressed winterizing also. I will run some anti-freeze through when it gets to that point. It will be stored in the heated garage anyway but you never know...
Mark

[vintageracer]

For all you guys wanting a pressure washer, look at one that has heat! Yes, it will double the price and do 4 times the work in 1/2 the time.

It is amazing the difference in cleaning ability between a heat equipped washer and a non heated washer. I can turn the heat off on my pressure washer and clean 1/2 of an item and then turn on the heat and clean the other half of the item in with heat in 1/2 the time and do a much better job.

It will definetely add cost to a pressure washer however it's worth it over the years. By the way, I bought my heated pressure washer in 1987 for $1800! Never had a problem with the unit and I use it all the time. Let's see, $1800 over 18 years. That's a $100/year!

Buy a good, expensive, heated pressure washer. Your time is worth something and a quality unit will be the LAST washer you ever purchase!