Pressure Washer Pump Oil

[Tom_T]

I'm going to change out the pump oil for winter storage but before I "kill it with kindness" I thought I'd verify just what type of oil to use. The pump is an Annovi-Reverberi SJV3G27 and the manufacturer recommends only their secret formula. From what I've been able to find Cat and Comet have their own oils also and warn of dire consequences if anything else is used.

It seems that non-detergent straight weight 30 is most often advised for these things and I was just about to use some when I noticed on the pump manufacturer's plate "Use SAE 75w90". Sounds like gear oil to me and the old oil does have a faint gear oil smell. The viscosity of 30wt motor oil and 75w90 gear lube are in the same ballpark, the adds in gear lube seem like they would help.

Which one shall I use?

 

[Jim 5]

Given that a good AR triplex plunger pump is the most expensive part of your pressure washer, I would use whatever they recommend...it might cost you a few extra dollars.

 

[Michael_P]

I have a similar pump, same brand and used nothing but 30wtND for the past 6 years no problems.

 

[N Heat]

I am a pressure washing contractor, and I don't know of any pump that doesn't call for 30ND, or a fancy equivalent.

 

[N Heat]

I did go to the AR site and it gave this warning:

Special Note: Use only AR64545 for the XJ/SJ/BK Series pumps only: Do NOT change oil.
Use oil only to add if low. This oil is a specially formulated synthetic with special additives
for the demands of the XJ, SJ and BK pump series. No other oil is factory approved for these
pumps, and could result in pump failure.

I must say that I'm not familiar with a special oil such as this for a pump, so I would just suck it up and buy the factory stuff.

 

[Cujet]

Mobil 1 15-50 is the secret formula used by my pressure washer manufacturer. Somewhere in the documentation, I remember reading this, late at night. The pump is a General triplex.

 

[oilboy123]

I have the Annovi-Reverberi but a different model. I use Amsoil 15-40 or 10-40 for about ten years.

Pump seems very happy.

 

[Craig in Canada]

I've read (here and elsewhere) that detergent motor oil is inferior to non-detergent in water pump applications because of the reaction of the oil in the presence of a lot of moisture. ND handles water (that never burns off) better than detergent oil - supposedly.

Because of that I'm sticking with 30ND as I know my crankcase slowly takes on water. (Comet AXD3020)

 

[oilboy123]

I run synthetic and don't use the pressure washer real often. I also change the oil about once a year to a year and a half.

 

[Maritime Storm]

Try to find out(customer service line, asking a tech at the service shop, etc), if you can't by the "recommended" brand to err on the side of caution. I ran into this on a late model Mercedes E500 about a year ago, customer can in to our shop with the check oil light on(they level sensor). We took a quick look at it, drain plug was loose. Checked her owners manual to see they use, mentioned to use only Mercedes brand of oil, call the 1-800 customer service line, got the same load of [censored], recommended towing the vehicle to the nearest dealer(150kms away). Finally I got mad, called her local dealer(250 kms away), and told them that by the time they've interupted her business her, had her car towed to their dealership, to fix a mistake they frigged up in the first place, she ain't likely to be happy. The service manager then told me their brand is actually Castrol Syntec 5w30. I only had 200 litres in stock at the time. Just because it claims to exotic doesn't mean it actually is. Do some digging.

 

[Steve S]

I use 75w90 gear oil in my pressure washer .A guy that owns a pressure washing company recommended the gear oil as he said his pumps last the longest with gear oil.

 

[pb]

just to add what i've found. i have a porter cable 4000psi 15hp kohler with a AR pump. recommends 30w n/d. found this website that possibly is the manufacturer's replacement
http://www.drillspot.com/products/456344/AR_North_America_AR64516_Pump_Crankcase_Oil

when asked amsoil they recommend compressor oil ISO 100, p/n PCK.

fwiw.