[Mike Milam]

Got my pressure washer out last weekend to clean some retaining wall blocks I bought used and built a flower bed with. When I fired it up and started to wash, it felt like the pressure was low? What? So, I put a pressure gauge on it, and it was putting out about 800 PSI out. I put it in the garage and finally yesterday I pulled the unloader valve, and it was fine. I've watched tons of videos over the years regarding pressure washers. This is a Troybilt with a 7.5 Briggs engine and a 2800 PSI 2.5 GPM. I went on amazon and found a compatible pump that is 3400 PSI and 2.5 GPM. I ordered it at a cost of 99.00. Last night just for grins, I pulled the old one apart. The pistons in it have a black coating and two of the three had pieces of the coating missing and one had frozen to the seals and guide.
I looked up the pistons and seal kits (2) and those would have been about 250.00.

 

[Colbyt]

Welcome to the modern world. No one wants to sell parts. They want to sell new.

I'm happy for you that you at least found a pump.

 

[MIShopDude]

Pressure washer advice: No matter how hard you try, don't ever bother to winterize your pressure washer.. Just take the pump off and bring it into the house.

They say to pump in antifreeze for winter storage, but it never works. Just one drop of clean water inside the pump head can freeze, expand, and it will bust those ceramic pistons. Just take the pump off the motor and take it inside.

Hard water, like from a home's water well, can cause minerals to build up inside the pump. The super close tolerances needed to generate the high pressures do not play well with mineral buildup. If you must use well water, make sure to rinse the pump with some clean distilled water before long term storage.

 

[McGillicuddy]

Pressure washer advice: No matter how hard you try, don't ever bother to winterize your pressure washer.. Just take the pump off and bring it into the house.

They say to pump in antifreeze for winter storage, but it never works. Just one drop of clean water inside the pump head can freeze, expand, and it will bust those ceramic pistons. Just take the pump off the motor and take it inside.

Hard water, like from a home's water well, can cause minerals to build up inside the pump. The super close tolerances needed to generate the high pressures do not play well with mineral buildup. If you must use well water, make sure to rinse the pump with some clean distilled water before long term storage.

Would you recommend a product like this that also lubes? : Briggs & Stratton 6151 Pump Saver, 10 oz

 

[mark sr]

They say to pump in antifreeze for winter storage, but it never works. Just one drop of clean water inside the pump head can freeze, expand, and it will bust those ceramic pistons. Just take the pump off the motor and take it inside.

I've been using pressure washers for 50 yrs, never heard of winterizing one until I read about it on the internet. What I do and have always done is when I go to put it up for a while, I disconnect/drain the pressure hose/wand and pull on the rope 3-4 times expelling what water is left in the system. Been doing it that way for 50 yrs and never had any issues. While I don't live in the cold north we do occasionally see winter temps down around zero.

 

[Mike Milam]

Thanks for the replies. Mine never sits anywhere but in my attached garage which has never gotten below 40 plus degrees. I've had this one for about 12 years, so I guess I sort of used the pump up.

 

[MIShopDude]

Would you recommend a product like this that also lubes? : Briggs & Stratton 6151 Pump Saver, 10 oz

No.. My friends have tried that kind of anti-freeze stuff and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

It only takes a couple drops of water in the wrong place to freeze and expand, and then the delicate ceramic pistons crack...

After seeing 3 pumps be busted, we gave up and just bring them in the house. My pressure washer pump is only 4 bolts.. takes 5 minutes to take the pump off, 5 minutes to put it back on.

 

[MIShopDude]

I've been using pressure washers for 50 yrs, never heard of winterizing one until I read about it on the internet. What I do and have always done is when I go to put it up for a while, I disconnect/drain the pressure hose/wand and pull on the rope 3-4 times expelling what water is left in the system. Been doing it that way for 50 yrs and never had any issues. While I don't live in the cold north we do occasionally see winter temps down around zero.

Up here in Michigan, we see 20 below regularly in the winter.. and long weeks of single digit temps.

I don't doubt your method works for you, I just don't take chances anymore as those pumps are $400 a pop.

 

[660catman]

I’ve had my pressure washer for 12 years and have always winterized it with about a half a quart of RV antifreeze pumped through it. Never had an issue in our Canadian winters. I also blow out the hose with my air compressor. If it works to winterize an RV, it works on a pressure washer pump too.


Retired guy from Southern Manitoba, Canada.