CAT pressure washer pump cloudy sight glass

[The motor guy]

i just bought a new pressure washer with a CAT pump. Looking at the sight glass the oil looked kind of cloudy. Maybe it's just me I don't know. According to the manual its supposed to be in the middle of the glass and it was 3/4 of the way up the glass. I drained a little bit out so it's at the middle now. Draining the oil out it looked like the usual golden color. I only drained out maybe an ounce or two to get it to the middle of the sight glass, so if I knew that's all it would take I probably would have left it alone. lol Now the small amount that went into the drain pan looked a little grey in color, but then again it might just be the black drain pan making it look like that.

What do you guys think? Should I be worried or not? It's a brand new pressure washer, so I don't see how water could be in it. The box didn't have water damage, so I don't think it was from flood water Is it maybe just from break in? I'm sure it's run at the factory. I haven't even started it yet.

 

[demarpaint]

Use it for a few hours and see if the level in the sight glass rises, if it does the seals in the pump are bad. Having said that the seals in my Cat pump are bad, and the level doesn't rise even after about 10 hours of use, but when I drain the oil from the pump there's water in it. If I run it 30 or so hours the level will rise a bit. If I were you, I would do an early break in oil change on the engine, and a 10 hour oil change on the pump and check for water if you're concerned. Yours could be fine, or like mine and a small amount of water is getting into the pump oil. No water should be getting into the pump oil. Replacing the seals on my pump is on my to do list.

 

[racin4ds]

Mine looks cloudy in the sight glass too, always has. Doesn't rise any and usually looks ok when drained annually.

Does yours not even appear in the sight glass when its running? I just happened to look the other day while my wife was using it and noticed the oil level drops out of the glass when running... returns to half way when off though.

 

[The motor guy]

So the water got in it when they ran it at the factory?

 

[The motor guy]

I don't get how it's cloudy straight out of the box

 

[The motor guy]

what if I just change it out before I start it? That way I can drain it into a clear glass drain cup and look at it then.

 

[lexus114]

i just got a new simpson pressure washer with the cat pump. and like yours the oil level in the pump is 3/4 of the way up the sight glass too? whats with this?

 

[The motor guy]

i just got a new simpson pressure washer with the cat pump. and like yours the oil level in the pump is 3/4 of the way up the sight glass too? whats with this? [/quote

I only drained out an ounce two at most to get it at the top of the red dot.is it possible its assembly lube giving it a cloudy look?

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman

i just got a new simpson pressure washer with the cat pump. and like yours the oil level in the pump is 3/4 of the way up the sight glass too? whats with this? [/quote

I only drained out an ounce two at most to get it at the top of the red dot.is it possible its assembly lube giving it a cloudy look?


mine isn't cloudy, just over full like yours was. so to answer your question...i still wonder if yours had some sort of water damage. then they slapped it in a new box? and prayers to you and your family...

 

[The motor guy]

I had them get it out of the back, because the one on the floor was opened. I didn't see any signs of water and they said they didn't get any. How can I check for water?

 

[The motor guy]

I spoke with CAT pumps and they said to bring it back to the place I bought it and get it swapped out.

 

[The motor guy]

I'll take a pic and show you guys tonight

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I had them get it out of the back, because the one on the floor was opened. I didn't see any signs of water and they said they didn't get any. How can I check for water?


it was just a thought i had. its probably fine.

 

[The motor guy]

Kind of a bummer I got to bring it back, but oh well. It's like a 50 mile round trip.

 

[The motor guy]

If it was just overfilled I would have assumed someone just didn't pay attention, but the fact that it's also cloudy has me concerned.