I Finally Broke Down And Bought A Pressure Washer

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Originally Posted By: billt460
Anyone with a pressure washer use this stuff?

https://www.grainger.com/product/45TP60

When you're finished using your washer, you screw it into the low pressure hose inlet into the washer pump. Then with the ignition "OFF" you pull the engine around a few times while spraying this into the pump. It's suppose to help keep everything lubricated, and prevent any corrosion and mineral deposits. Seems worthwhile for $8 bucks, so I picked up a can.

I also bought a bottle of this, per the Kohler operating manual. It's supposed to offset the effects of Ethanol in fuel, and help prevent any rust and corrosion in the fuel system.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/ETHANOL-SHIEL...13=&veh=sem

I've also got Sta-Bil, and Sta-Bil 360. So I have enough additives to preserve my fuel until the Asteroid hits. I won't be using this thing very often, and I don't want the engine to get gunked up from sitting.


I use RV anti-freeze, Prestone green, or G05 works too, the RV stuff is cheaper. I have a small hose with a funnel on it, that screws into the water inlet. With the engine in the off position I pull the cord until the anti-freeze shoots out of the pump. I remove the funnel and fold the hose over itself and clamp it. The pump doesn't corrode and it won't freeze over, which is a concern here. I use 89 Octane gas, Marine formula Stabil, and a UCL in the gas. I estimate one of my power washers to be over 30 years old now. Stabil Marine hasn't been around as long as the machine, but the method I mentioned has maintained it. The pump is still the original and hasn't been rebuilt yet. It has seen commercial use and ran several hours a day during the exterior painting season.
 
Well I just finished the job and the washer worked FANTASTIC! It really did an unbelievable job. My driveway is the cleanest it's ever been since we moved in over 20 years ago. The rotary cleaning head worked really well. I made 2 passes over the worst parts, and it took 100% of the rubber marks right off. It left the finished surface a bright white after it dried. It made the old concrete look like the stuff I just had poured. It's amazing how it takes that yellowness right off.

My next door neighbor had his pool re plastered last month, and the guys who did it got some cement on the curbing. (My street has that shallow radius curbing that's designed to be driven over). The washer blasted that hard, dried, cemented pool plaster right off down to the bare concrete in seconds.

I switched to the wider, high volume, lower pressure nozzle, and it blew everything right into the middle of the street. It's unbelievable the power it has. The "Rotary Turbo Nozzle", (like the one in the video), worked OK, but you have to go slow or it will leave swirl marks. I found the 15" Rotating Cleaning Head to work the best. It was well worth the $70.00 bucks I spent on it. I would recommend it to anyone who has a pressure washer. You can get right up against garage doors, stucco, stone edging, and gravel without making a mess and blasting loose stones and gravel everywhere. It keeps all that stuff contained in the housing of the unit, instead of blowing it everywhere.

When I was all done I hosed off everything, and it turned out spotless. I stopped half way through to take a break, and let the unit cool down. The pump gets pretty warm. I was glad I bought the nice large 3/4" hose. It really moves a LOT of water. When I was finished I treated the gas that was left in the tank with Sta-Bil, and ran the unit until I could smell it in the exhaust. Then I shut off the gas and ran it until it quit. (About 2 minutes). All the hose connections didn't leak a drop. It all worked out really well.
 
All this talk of pressure washers and small gas engines raised my enthusiasm. So this morning I dragged out an old Honda generator I had that has been sitting over 10 years. I thought I had run the fuel out of it the last time I ran it. I found out I didn't. It had over half a tank of stinky, spoiled, 10 year old stale gas in it. That had been sitting in a hot Arizona garage.

I NEVER thought it would start, thinking the carburetor was a gummed up mess for sure. I dumped out all of the old, stale gas and filled the tank with the fresh fuel I got yesterday for my pressure washer. I added even more Sta-Bil Storage to it, and turned on the fuel valve while I took the side covers off and cleaned the whole thing up.

After I got it all nice and clean and put back together, I was amazed it started on the third pull! After sitting for over 10 years with half a tank of stale fuel. It's purring like a kitten out on the patio as we speak. I'll let it run until most of this tankful goes through it. It only has a 600 watt output, but it's a nice, good running little unit that's pretty quiet. Funny, before I pulled that rope, I would have taken any and all bets it never would have started. Especially after finding out I never dumped the gas out of it over 10 years ago.
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
...The cat pump I pulled G-05 through it; forget where I learned that from...

For fuel, I wonder if there's tru fuel type product that isn't for two strokes. If so, it might be sensible to run the last while on that, then run the carb dry before putting it away.


Can you elaborate on that a bit? G-05?


Antifreeze. G-05 is the yellow-orange type that MB has used for decades, and others used a lot in the last 10-15 years.

I stock,G-05 at home, but I think the reason for it over other types was silicate content. I used it neat since heat transfer is not a consideration. Really want the inhibitors in there...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Antifreeze. G-05 is the yellow-orange type that MB has used for decades, and others used a lot in the last 10-15 years.


Fortunately, living in the southwestern desert, I don't have to worry about winterizing any power equipment. It rarely gets down to freezing around here. And inside an attached garage it never does.
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Antifreeze. G-05 is the yellow-orange type that MB has used for decades, and others used a lot in the last 10-15 years.


Fortunately, living in the southwestern desert, I don't have to worry about winterizing any power equipment. It rarely gets down to freezing around here. And inside an attached garage it never does.


That's always a plus. I add the RV A-F even during the warm months to protect against corrosion, if I don't have work for the machine for a few weeks. It's cheap protection for me.
 
Originally Posted By: geekster
I know it well..it stinks. I gave that thing to my neighbor. I think they were made for each other.

The one I linked to is way way better. I'm a big fan of the No Spill cans.


I just ordered one yesterday. It arrives tomorrow. I'm tossing the POS I bought from Wal-Mart. It's all but impossible to get fuel out of without breaking your fingers. And it leaks like a sieve when you finally do. Worst designed POS I've ever encountered.
 
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