buying used power washer

[steve1279]

Ok so i was scavenging craiglist for power washers. I found one that was kinda local. Price was pretty darn good. Contacted them to make sure it came with everything, which it does. Only draw is the pump leaks. For the price im willing take the gamble.

It is a troy bilt 2700psi 2.3gpm gas powered washer and has a briggs and stratton motor.

If the pump only drips is it ok to keep using it? Or if it sprays and needs to be resealed, are these things easily repairable by average do-it yourselfer?

 

[maverick302]

Very easy to repair/reseal but what you have to watch out for is neglectful owners who leave water in the pump through winter. It freezes, expands, and cracks the pump.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I just bought a pump head for a 3000 psi Troy built where the unloader valve tip broke causing it to not build pressure. If the pump leaks at the seal it should be an easy fix. Make sure it at least builds pressure. If it leaks from a crack in the head the head I bought was about $70. Mine is a $400 unit so it made sense. If it's a $200 unit maybe not so much. You can get after market pumps too but you need to make sure it makes financial sense.

 

[DenisG]

Some pressure washers have a thermal valve that opens up to let out water when the pump is running but the water is not being discharged thru the wand. It prevents overheated water causing damage to the internal plastic parts of the pump.
Just because it leaks doesn't necessarily mean that something is broken.

 

[steve1279]

Very easy to repair/reseal but what you have to watch out for is neglectful owners who leave water in the pump through winter. It freezes, expands, and cracks the pump.

He did say it wasn't winterized properly and it leaks a little bit. Its a troy bilt 2700psi that was 300 new. Im getting it for 75. If something is cracked on the pump, i'll gladly purchase a new one and do it myself. I pick it up on thursday at 10.

 

[jd_1138]

Can probably get an online manual to see how it fits together.

I bought a Craftsman power washer with a Honda engine for $30. Didn't come with a wand, and the guy said the pump was leaking. So I just removed the pump and scrapped it. Neighbor guy wanted the soap reservoir for his pressure washer. And I sold the great running Honda engine for $100. So I made $70 and now have a nice red dolly.

 

[ngonerogwu]

I bought a used pressure washer last Friday.

Ex-Cell (Devilbiss) Honda GX, CAT pump. 2500psi, 3gpm.

Kid selling it for his dad. Older, but in good shape, pretty clean.

Asking 350, talked him down to 300. Show up and he can't start it. He's not pulling the trigger on the gun. Mentioned he had started it for a second earlier.

Took a gamble and paid $240.

Changed the oil in the pump and motor, new plug and filter.

Pump oil got milky within less than a minute or running. Needed new seals because the idiot kid started it without the water connected.

$190 later and my pump has been rebuilt.

So $450 total. Good buy? I think so... About half what a gx/cat pump model would run new.

I don't think I'd buy a used pressure washer that wasn't a rebuildable one, unless you got a good enough deal that you're still ahead after replacing the pump.

There's so much that can go wrong quickly.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Most "home owner" models do NOT have rebuildable pumps or the cost of the parts is not worth the cost.

The good news is that replacement pumps are not that expensive. I got mine from pwoutlet.com

 

[exmaxima1]

Most "home owner" models do NOT have rebuildable pumps or the cost of the parts is not worth the cost.

The good news is that replacement pumps are not that expensive. I got mine from pwoutlet.com

I pulled a Mi-T-M 3000psi/3gpm washer out of a dumpster at work last week---this exact one:

https://www.pwoutlet.com/Mi-T-M-JP-3003-0MHB-PRESSURE-WASHER-p/jp-3003-0mhb.htm

Was missing the hose and gun, and the CARB WAS FILLED WITH RUST. I took a chance for $15 on a new carb from Amazon and the engine started on first pull. Ran it a less than a minute, and then hooked up the water hose to see if it pumps, which it seems to be doing. I now ordered a gun and hose, and a gauge to set the regulator, but now I'm worried that I may have damaged the Triplex pump running it dry momentarily. Since the pump has it's own oil sump does it need water to run even for a brief time? If that's the case, I can imagine them all getting ruined by the workers that don't always think that thru when they go out to a job....

 

[icthruu74]

I just replaced a pw pump earlier this year. It was around $120 for the complete pump, and took maybe 30 minutes to swap them out. And wash the car with it afterwards to test it.

 

[MEngineer]

I bought a used pressure washer and have had no problems with it. I paid $250 for a Honda gx/karcher set up that retails for $1800. I checked the oil and then ran it prior to payment. I have had it for about a year and am convinced that I saved $1550. Quite happy

 

[ngonerogwu]

From what I read... Yeah, you ruin the seals.

Mine still worked fine with the bad seals, but the oil got contaminated quick. If you keep running with bad seals you'll ruin the ceramic bits I think.

That's an awesome deal, and well worth replacing the seals.

I pulled a Mi-T-M 3000psi/3gpm washer out of a dumpster at work last week---this exact one:

https://www.pwoutlet.com/Mi-T-M-JP-3003-0MHB-PRESSURE-WASHER-p/jp-3003-0mhb.htm

Was missing the hose and gun, and the CARB WAS FILLED WITH RUST. I took a chance for $15 on a new carb from Amazon and the engine started on first pull. Ran it a less than a minute, and then hooked up the water hose to see if it pumps, which it seems to be doing. I now ordered a gun and hose, and a gauge to set the regulator, but now I'm worried that I may have damaged the Triplex pump running it dry momentarily. Since the pump has it's own oil sump does it need water to run even for a brief time? If that's the case, I can imagine them all getting ruined by the workers that don't always think that thru when they go out to a job....

 

[steve1279]

Well I never purchased the pressure washer. Instead of the pump just having a small "leak" from it not being winterized properly. The owner told me it leaks and there is very little pressure on the wand portion. I was screw it and was not going to spend over $100 on a new pump. The search continues.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Well I never purchased the pressure washer. Instead of the pump just having a small "leak" from it not being winterized properly. The owner told me it leaks and there is very little pressure on the wand portion. I was screw it and was not going to spend over $100 on a new pump. The search continues.

Very common. Just factor that into the price !

 

[steve1279]

Very common. Just factor that into the price !

Guy was real pushy too which bothered me. Coulda saved both of us a headache if just honest up front.

 

[steve1279]

Ok, so i emailed the guy and asked him if he would take $50 for it. He agreed, we met yesterday and i picked it up. He was pointing to what he believed was a crack on the output shaft near where the ****** is for soap to be injected. It was hard to really tell as he tried to use silicon to fill in the crack to stop it from leaking. Well he even admitted it didn't work. I want to remove the pump and try and remove the silicon from it to see where this crack is.

If it is indeed a small crack, could JB Weld be used to seal it?
Here is a pic of where he said the crack is

 

[Kevkx125]

For the price of the part it will be better to just replace it.

 

[steve1279]

That's what im researching now. Found a few places that it's just the lower half that i could buy instead of an entire pump for $80.

Here's a full shot showing the washer itself. Going to buy new nozzles as 2 were missing and the other 2 are messed up looking.

 

[steve1279]

New pump arrived today. Swapped out the old for the new. Checked oil, added gas and hooked up the hoses. Second pull started right up. Was having a blast using it till my mother hose burst. Looks like the landscaper hit it and put a good slice in it, causing the inner portion to bubble out and burst. I can't wait to get the rest of my nozzles in and the turbo nozzle in, which should be today. I think i have extra hose in my garage.

 

[MeanGreenZ71]

My old boss gave me a pressure washer 8-10 years ago. It had a honda engine and he said it wouldnt build good pressure. I bought a pump for $100-150 and it has been great since. I figured I have gotten my money's worth out of it so far...I wouldnt be too afraid of putting a new or rebuilt pump on one if you had to.

 

[steve1279]

The pump was bought on ebay for $63 shipped. My turbo nozzle showed up today. Ran to lowes and picked up a hose repair kit to fix the garden hose so i can use it again this weekend.

 

[steve1279]

It's amazing how powerful this pressure washer is. I was using a karcher 1600psi electric one.