Simpson Pressure washer owners?

[FredWanaker]

Time I think to replace the pressure washer. The one I have is maybe 20 years old and the pump is starting to fail, engine is smoking a little and hard to start cold even after tuning, new head gasket etc., so it is pretty much the cost of a new pressure washer to completely overhaul the old Generac one again with a new carb and pump, wand, hose etc.. Sams Club has a Simpson 3400 psi 2.4 gph for $339, which is available locally same day. Kohler engine. I prefer Honda but the Honda models locally are $100 - $150 more. As long as I can get parts in 5 years I am generally pretty happy with any power product. In reading the comments of the model, one person asked where to put the detergent. The answer Simpson product support gave was "Simpson washers are designed to put the chemical in a container on the ground next to it." The Generac one (Craftsman) I have now has a hanger for car wash etc., which is what we use it mostly for. Can those of you with Simpson pressure washers confirm if there is, or is not a hanger etc., built into their units to hang something as simple as bottle of car or siding wash etc.,?

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[SS5150]

I have that same washer (it's put away for the winter) but I don't think it has an extra hanger. I haven't run detergent through mine yet to be honest.

 

[FredWanaker]

wow, only one person owns a simpson washer. maybe I am in the wrong forum. I would have least thought someone would say they did a work around like this or something out of a coat hanger or piece of rod ...

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[nastorino]

I have a Simpson ALH3425-S 3600psi at 2.5gpm. I bought last spring '21. Used it a dozen times to wash down the house, deck, walkways and my tractor. I only wanted down stream injection as well as a Honda GX engine. Came with a AAA pump and variable pressure kn the pump. I have lower gpm since I'm on a well hence why I didn't go for a 4gpm.

Only a couple complaints. Handle is too low and obnoxious to move. Wand storage is too loose.

I also bought a down stream injector long range wand to get cleaner to my second store.

I've been quite pleased as was the wife. I'm glad I didn't settle for a lesser model without downstream injection or the basic Honda gc engine or entry pump

 

[FredWanaker]

I have a Simpson ALH3425-S 3600psi at 2.5gpm. I bought last spring '21. Used it a dozen times to wash down the house, deck, walkways and my tractor. I only wanted down stream injection as well as a Honda GX engine. Came with a AAA pump and variable pressure kn the pump. I have lower gpm since I'm on a well hence why I didn't go for a 4gpm.

Only a couple complaints. Handle is too low and obnoxious to move. Wand storage is too loose.

I also bought a down stream injector long range wand to get cleaner to my second store.

I've been quite pleased as was the wife. I'm glad I didn't settle for a lesser model without downstream injection or the basic Honda gc engine or entry pump

Thanks. Simpson says set a bucket with cleaner next to it. Does yours have something to hang cleaner off or a container built in?

 

[Aspen RT]

I bought one last year just when it started to get cold, so I haven't got to use it yet !

 

[Smittybert]

We have a big hot water one, works better than cheap diy ones. Replaced all brass connectors with stainless as they kept leaking.

 

[MarlynOC]

Don't understand why you cannot put a bucket of cleaner and use the pickup hose inserted in it. We clean trucks and use a 5 gal container of soap with the downstream injector. The pickup hose goes right into the soap and as long as the soap nozzle is in place it picks up the soap.

Smitty With the brass fittings; you may be scratching the rubber o-rings when you connect them. Spit on them before you insert the ends. I know I have to replace the o-rings regularly.

 

[FredWanaker]

Thank you. When using it to wash the car a bucket isn't an issue. When dragging it around to spray the house siding etc., it is a pita to drag the hose, then move the washer, then go get the bucket etc. It also gets old asking who took the bucket that the wash goes in, or having to wash it out first because someone pulled weeds while using it.

 

[Smittybert]

Don't understand why you cannot put a bucket of cleaner and use the pickup hose inserted in it. We clean trucks and use a 5 gal container of soap with the downstream injector. The pickup hose goes right into the soap and as long as the soap nozzle is in place it picks up the soap.

Smitty With the brass fittings; you may be scratching the rubber o-rings when you connect them. Spit on them before you insert the ends. I know I have to replace the o-rings regularly.

we use them so much the brass ends wear from vibrations. Lubing them would probably help.

 

[FredWanaker]

decided to try to get the old pressure washer going. The one I want is about $600 so I will wait. I ordered the engine parts from Jacks last night. Worst is I fix it up and sell it then buy a new one. I don't like the idea of carrying around a bucket for the soap. It is already a pain to drag around the hose, the washer, the wand and washer hose, let alone add in a bucket to get kicked or tipped over.

 

[MarlynOC]

Fred, sorry did not realize your length of hose. We use 150 ft of pressure hose and leave the machine on our trailer all the time so the 5gal bucket is stationary all the time. How long is your cleaning hose?

 

[FredWanaker]

25' is the standard hose with consumer grade pressure washers.

 

[Sumboodie]

If I use soap, it goes in a tank that connects to the end of the hose.
Foam gun? I think it's called.

Usually we just use a weed sprayer though.

 

[MarlynOC]

Fred, invest in some extra hose. 50' is about $75 make your day a whole lot easier than moving a machine 20 times.

 

[billspit]

I cannot tell you the number of times I have knocked over the jug “sitting on the ground” and spilled a large quantity of soap. Many of the washers now have a built in soap container, which I would want if I replaced my Excel.

 

[FredWanaker]

I might actually have a 40' or 50'. I haven't measured it in a long time. It was 25 when new and was replaced 10 years ago. The old washer is getting too hard to start so I posted a thread elsewhere and someone said to check one specific part on that engine to see if it has a hairline crack in it so I ordered one. If it runs for another couple years I am good with that. If not oh well. The rewind is hanging too so next week when the parts come in I'll pull it apart and fix it up. The pump is still working but not as well when new. It is about six or seven years since I replaced it. We may sell and leave here in the not too far future. California has outlawed internal combustion engines for landscape equipment, pressure washers etc., so in about 12 - 18 months from now new sales stop. Just tired of the Nanny state and didn't want to add a new pressure washer to something we might have to pay to drag to a new location. Sold my two tillers recently too. Both ran great but no need for them here anymore, garden is great. Can't imagine an electric tiller in this soil though. You'd need a 240V 5 - 8 HP motor which would require a cord. Can you see tilling while pulling a cord around? Or hey, how do you like my new tractor with batteries that take a forklift to load........

 

[bobg03]

I purchased a John Deere with a Honda on it in 1995, best machine I ever had. Got divorced in 2005, gave it to my brother to store and use. When I decided in 2012 to go south, he talked me into selling it to him. He said I would never miss it, two years later in SC I wished I had one and they john Deeres were really pricey and more of a commercial unit. So I purchased a Simpson with a Honda Motor at the local Tractor Supply and so far it's been as good as my Deere was.

 

[FredWanaker]

I'll look into that Tractor Supply one and maybe sell this old one once I get it going right.

 

[ed_v]

Myself and two coworkers have owned the Simpson. Mine was an older version with the Honda engine. No complaints

 

[dr bob]

For car (and house...) washing you'll be a lot happier with a "foam cannon" that goes on the discharge end of a short gun. They come with lots of brand names on them. I've been using one for years with the MATCC brand on it via Amazon, and it's been fine. Using the correct no-extension gun with it is important, but that same gun with a regular nozzle lets me get into wheels, wheel wells and under the car a lot easier. Take a look at this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C8KGVFQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20 for an idea of what I'm talking about. IMO, it's much easier and way more effective than a detergent bottle or bucket.

TL;DR --
More hints on the foam cannon: Put a tablespoon or two of your favorite car wash soap/detergent in the bottle -after- you fill it most of the way with water. Shake to mix. Then you can keep the dilution knob closed or close to it, and always have a good detergent feed to the gun. When handling it especially when filled with water, grab and hold the bottle rather than the nozzle. Once it's attached to the spray gun, no worries. Many complaints seem to point to the top of the bottle breaking off, won't happen if you are holding the bottle. Connected, you won't be waving stuff around real fast so no worries. Oh, and don't drop it.

I've cycled through a few different pressure washers over the decades. The unit I have now is a commercial Karcher unit, found at a local farm co-op as a lure for one of their annual sale days. Has a Honda engine that is super reliable with regular (semi-annual here) synthetic oil service. Keeping the pump and engine serviced are keys to long life. Fresh fuel with stabilizer, add a fuel shut-off, and close that to run the carburetor dry at the end of each use will work wonders with life-long starting ease. Change the oil in the pump regularly, and don't overfill. The one I have now says the pump oil lasts a lifetime but their definition of "lifetime" is a lot shorter than mine. Grab a few pump service kits (o-rings, relief valves) when you buy the unit and you'll have the correct parts handy when you need them a few years down the road.

For the one you have with "hard starting", virtually all of those situations seem to be caused by fuel and carburetor issues. You can buy whole new replacement carburetors on Amazon for ~~$25, making it really hard to justify overhauling the existing carburetor. Of course some spray carb cleaner and disassembling the jets makes some sense, but deeper than that just replace. I'm a big believer in making stuff last as long as possible, so care and service are a religion here.

 

[FredWanaker]

I notice they all the Simpsons seem to have pneumatic tires. I hate having to run around putting air in the wheel barrow, dolly, etc., already.

 

[Earp69]

I have the Simpson 3400 with the Honda motor. I love it and have had it for 4 years now. The absolute BEST thing you can do is get a 50 ft hydraulic hose made with quick connect swivels on each end. I got so sick and tired of wrapping up a hose that had stationary ends, it's fighting a losing battle everytime.

 

[gpiggaz]

Just got the Simpson 3400PSI with the Kolher engine it works well. The chemical hose has no hanger though. The only thing is that it walks pretty badly when running. I think it needs some sort of wheel block to prevent that. .

 

[FredWanaker]

I adjusted the exhaust valve on the old 4.5 hp BS engine and replaced the head gasket. Added a new carb and the old washer is humming away. Stripped the rust off and repainted it too. Decided to wait until I can find exactly what I want. I hate pneumatic tires because they are low every time I need to use the device. In fact last year we had the new fence stained, and I had to add pressure to the tires of the painters rig to roll it across some uneven landscape easily so it seems to happen to everyone. Also want one that has a tank or hanger for soap etc.. I like the hanger vs tank because I can flush the soap out before storing it. Many soaps have sodium in them, which attacks the metal in the pumps.

 

[Burl]

I've got a Simpson 3400PSI with a Honda engine, a couple years old. When working, its great. But try starting the Honda when its warm/hot, nearly impossible. Also, starts cold better with hardly any choke. Only Honda motor I've ever owned, won't happen again.