Pressure Washer Problems- any pointers??

[Ken_CT]

Flatheadyoungin,
I have the same problem with my old Karcher. I put a hose type ball valve (you can get them at Wal-Mart) between the end of the hose and the intake on the pump, right at the pump. When I pull the trigger and the pressure doesn't kick in I close the valve for just a second then open it again quickly while holding the trigger, and the pump kicks in. Hope this works for you.

Ken

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

I have, I believe, plenty of volume.........house filters all clean.....

I pulled the pump apart this morning...nasty, nasty, nasty inside.......after some carb cleaner, brass bristle brush and the air hose, I put it all back together.......

I put some new oil in it, the oil that ran out was like thick milk (water??). It's amazing how much buildup is inside these pumps. I put it back together and still no go.

While I was trying to get it to "kick" I reached down and reved the engine with my hand, then I pulled the wand trigger. It worked! And, it worked every time! I noticed the spring on the govenor/throttle control looked a little rusted and maybe even stretched. So, I rebent the spring to make it idle higher and now when I pull the wand lever it kicks every time and makes the engine rev harder......you can now tell it's under a load.......

I think I may have got it.

Thanks for all the tips......and hopefully mine findings will help some of you....

Now that I've seen the inside of one of these pumps, there isn't much too them and as I said, it's amazing how much calcium/etc. is in there. I will most certainly be buying some of that pump treatment in a can.

 

[jelc]

Glad you figured out the problem with your Karcher pressure cleaner... For anyone out there with a K2400 model with the same symptom, there is a well kown problem - the unloader valve came out of the factory with unsufficient grease, and the simple (and cheap) cure is to either grease the valve and be ready to repeat that if it does not work after a while, or get an upgraded valve from a supplier like West Michigan Power Cleaning Systems. See below for the K2400 unloader valve:

What to do when your K-2400 pressure washer loses pressure :: West Michigan Power Cleaning Systems

JLC

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

see, when you post something, you never know when it may help someone...

my father-in-law brought over his pressure washer for me to take a look at.......i unloaded it and put it in the garage........read this reply...........this morning i walk out there to take a look at his and sure enough, it's a k2400.....

thanks!

Glad you figured out the problem with your Karcher pressure cleaner... For anyone out there with a K2400 model with the same symptom, there is a well kown problem - the unloader valve came out of the factory with unsufficient grease, and the simple (and cheap) cure is to either grease the valve and be ready to repeat that if it does not work after a while, or get an upgraded valve from a supplier like West Michigan Power Cleaning Systems. See below for the K2400 unloader valve:

What to do when your K-2400 pressure washer loses pressure :: West Michigan Power Cleaning Systems

JLC

 

[John_Mc]

I have a Karcher (small home unit) that sorta has an opposite problem.. I cant get the high pressure water to cut off. The switch will not turn anything off, and it doesnt matter if you pull the trigger or not, the pump runs full blast..

I'm hoping someone comes up with a suggestion for your problem. I have the same trouble with my Karcher electric pressure washer. If I don't hit the "off" switch when I'm done washing, it dead-heads the pump and eventually trips the circuit breaker (a pressure washing session for me usually involves multiple trips to the basement to reset the breaker). I may try poking around with the directions on the link someone else posted for the lack of pressure problem... I suppose if that valve can stick closed, it can also stick open...

John Mc

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Sounds like sticking unloader valves. Good idea when you are done using one, either put some oil in them or get a can of the foaming pump saver at Sears or Lowes and squirt some in there.

David Kb7uns

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

Well, I thought I had the one my mom was going to throw away fixed. It still seems to not want to kick up on high pressure when you pull the trigger.....at least not every time. I didn't even know the unloader valve would come out when I worked on this one.......


Then, on the 2400 (like new) I thought I had it working good too. I had only used the tip that the jet head spins. When I stuck in the 0 degree, the next one and sometimes even on the 25 degree one, it'll spray great when you depress the trigger but will actually stop spraying. The unloader valve in this one was coroded up, but I did as the link said and sprayed white lithium grease on it and worked it in and out of the slot. However, I felt at the time it was still sticking. So, I'm guessing this had something to do with it. I may try ordering a new unloader valve........this one is worth putting some money in to....

 

[John_Mc]

Sounds like sticking unloader valves. Good idea when you are done using one, either put some oil in them or get a can of the foaming pump saver at Sears or Lowes and squirt some in there.

Where do you squirt the oil or foaming pump saver? You're not talking about opening up the valve each time and oiling it, are you?

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

I haven't used any pump saver, yet. Nevertheless, I will be using it before winter and periodically.........especially after I saw the insides to the aluminum housing one.....

I pulled the unloader valve out when I had the entire pump off of the engine. No, I don't pull it out each time.........too much hassle.

Where do you squirt the oil or foaming pump saver? You're not talking about opening up the valve each time and oiling it, are you?

 

[David_Kb7uns]

The pump saver cans have a small tube connected to a garden hose connector, so you just screw it on and squirt and cycle the pump.

David Kb7uns