Pressure Washers?

[Bird]

What in the world could you guys possibly have against Tecumseh?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif They could be the best motor in the world now, for all I know, but after the one I bought in '69, I haven't even considered ever owning another one./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif And while I've had good luck with Briggs & Stratton so far, my first choice would also be the Honda.

Bird

 

[JATO_RaT]

Bird, Tecumseh made many horizontal shaft motors with some of the worst carburators available. I have actually had oneTecumseh, a 5hp vertical shaft that was very good. My pick for the worst engine ever made was a 4HP Clinton I bought back in about 68. I think of Honda much like I do Kubota, well engineered. Kohler makes some good engines, especially if you have a rototiller as the old cast iron line was bullet proof. Rat...

 

[Bird]

Rat, you bring back old memories. My first power lawn mower was a Clinton that I bought new in '55 (a teenager intending to make money mowing yards). I think I lost money that year trying to keep it running and I only kept it for one year, but since I bent the crankshaft when I hit a big dog's bone in an overgrown backyard which contributed to the problem, I really didn't blame Clinton. My dad and grandad used a Clinton powered tiller for many years. Of course, I don't want any more Clintons. The Tecumseh (Toro lawnmower) did make 5 years, with lots of carb work along the way, and the last two years, I could mow my very small lawn twice and then have to change oil because the crankcase would be full of gasoline./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Dealer said no cure except a short block, which would cost as much as a new lawnmower. So that was the end of Tecumseh for me.

Bird

 

[Alan L.]

I have a Craftsman rear-tine tiller with a Tecumseh engine on it. I also have a pressure washer I bought at Sam's for $250 a few years ago. Those engines have terrible carburetors. I have never been able to use the tool without first taking the carb apart if it sits more than a week or two. The problem I am having with both is they won't run more than about 5 seconds. Neither one will work, pending more carb work. I have done everything I know to do to the washer carb but still can't get it to run. And I have a very muddy tractor.

Wouldn't do much good if I had it running though because I have a gravel drive, and its muddy as heck right now - not to mention frozen.

Did I mention the Tecumseh engine sucks?

 

[M. Sullivan]

Related general question on my electric power washer. Hoping someone can help. It had a ground fault plug on it, which became loose, shorted occassionally andd finally fried (beautiful orange flame!). Question: Can I just put on a standard plug end and make sure it is always plugged in my ground fault wall socket?? Unable to find the replacement plug end, and it operates when plugged into a standard wall socket. Want to be safe--not cheap. Thanks in advance!

 

[MReeter]

SimS,I have the same washer as Rat,13 h.p. Honda,"rebuildable" pump,3500 lbs. pressure.For cleaning off the tractor,car,truck,whatever,this thing will take off the paint if your not careful.I always reduce the pressure,this unit is a little big for the average Joe,like Rat,I would recommend a 5-8 h.p. Honda powered washer with a good pump.We bought ours at Sams Wholesale for a grand,The reason we went with the bigger model,the other washers with the smaller Briggs Engines were $600-700.

 

[cowboydoc]

I agree with you Bird. I bought a Devilbiss, I think that's the name, from Lowe's five year ago. It has a 4hp briggs and stratton, 1500 psi, 2 gal./minute, and 3000 cleaning units and I have no complaints at all with it. I use it probably 40 or so hours a year. In the summer I wash all the vehicles and horse trailers with it and use it to clean machinery and give my horses bathes. Use it to clean sidewalks, and decks, and I wash the house and barns every year too. I use it at my office building four or five times a year to clean the parking lots too. I would say it has to have over 200 hours on it and it still fires up everytime. All I've done is change the oil. I bought it new in 96. I paid half of what the honda ones are and I don't see any reason not to buy another one.

 

[Thomas]

M.Sullivan,
The answer to your question is yes but its a bad idea,for you will lose that added protection.
GFI trips in milli seconds compare to a regular circuit breaker,and thats why most states wiring codes its mandatory to install GFI breakers.
Water and gold are great conductors for and electric shock. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Be careful and enjoy the game this evening.


Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Joeinindy]

On the subject of cheap pressure washers, don't buy one! The first one I had was a Coleman electric and it only lasted 6mos and had to return it, the second one made it just past the year warranty (6 more months). being the tight wad that I am I replaced it with another piece of junk made by Campfield (I think that's how it's spelled) it lasted 1 year and 6 months and now it's shot. Looks like I'm going to finally use to same logic that I used when buying cars and my Kubota, you get what you pay for!

 

[JATO_RaT]

M Sullivan, absolutely you can. Either a GFI oulet, or a GFI protected circuit will do. A GFI circuit breaker is a simple breaker available in 120V or 240V, in a variety of current protection capacities with added GFI protection, some even have various levels of protection depending on the application. Personally, I would prefer a GFI at the outlet instead of a plug end GFI since it will be far less abused. A breaker is designed to trip at anywhere near its rated load for a duration of time. A GFI is designed to trip whenever a percentage of electrons is not accounted for, i.e. when some don't come back because they have found an alternative path like you. Rat...