# PW about 3/4 power+killing....



## paint2ski (Jan 20, 2011)

Rigid w/subaru engine purchased at home depot running about 3/4 power and killing when I release trigger. Runs when trigger is pressed but not full power. Why do I go through a pw once a year or at best every 2 years. Kept this one in the basement during the cold season hoping that would prevent any problems....guess not... anyone had this problem?

The pump works like normal so I am thinking something with the engine....or something inbetween...


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## Ultimate (Mar 20, 2011)

Is your chemical injection up or downstream?


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

The subaru engine is crap. Bought one about six years ago and did two houses then it died halfway thru the third. Buy a Honda and you wont have any troubles. Get one that has at least a 10hp engine and will automatically shut off if the oil gets low.


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

paint2ski said:


> Rigid w/subaru engine purchased at home depot running about 3/4 power and killing when I release trigger. Runs when trigger is pressed but not full power. Why do I go through a pw once a year or at best every 2 years. Kept this one in the basement during the cold season hoping that would prevent any problems....guess not... anyone had this problem?
> 
> The pump works like normal so I am thinking something with the engine....or something inbetween...


My guess is..



paint2ski said:


> *Rigid w/subaru engine purchased at home depot *


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## Retired From Paint (Jun 12, 2011)

Sounds like maybe the unloader valve if it has one.
This is just my opinion subject to change but i dont think Home Depot, Lowes Etc. sells any proffessional equipment that i have seen. Even the name brands make stuff
just for them. Use your hard earned money and buy stuff that lasts and you can rely on.

Best of luck


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## Sirocco Jerry (Sep 10, 2011)

*Pressure washer pressure low, and stalls when gun is off*

may I lend a hand here ??..
First, yes, the *unloader valve* is the failure here.
The Unloader takes the biggest beating in the trigger-gun systems..
It regulates the pressure, but the "set-point" is the spike-pressure at the moment you release the trigger.
It has to be set perfectly, if you want long-term-low-cost whilst running the machine at PEAK-pressure.
They wear out at least twice as fast as the water-seals, under "perfect conditions"... that is, 2 years max between 4th year seal-kits.
If the seals are overherated, they waer prematurely, and the valve gets "sticky", then fails to unload completely.

What's not perfect about the system is..
Most pressure washers have no external bypass line, and the amount of water bypassing is DIRECTLY related to 
how long it takes to overheat ALL the seals in your system when the trigger gun is off, and the pump bypasses water,
.. instead of ejecting the heat build-up from the piston-plungers thrusting through the water-seals
.. at up tp 3600 times per minute...
(Buy belt-drive, instead of direct-drive to get slower-speed, cooler-running seals.)
But remember.. even if it IS belt-drive..
A "cheap" pressure washer has a very limited amount of water in the "bypass line". 
A "cheesey" pressure washer, has the pressure unloader built-in to the pump head..
You can't throw away the unloader, put on a new, and go another 2 years..
You have to rebuild, ..and a rebuild only lasts half as long as the original,
then half as the last.. that's a junk pump in only 3 years because of rebuild cost.

It does not matter what brand of pump, or how well built the pump is, 
..if it has an unloader built in to it.. it is handicapped. PERIOD.

Don't blame the motor for a pump-failure,
and don't let the trigger-gun "off" for more than 2 minutes, or you'll "cook" the seals in bypass..
I don't care if you just took it out of the box, brand-new..
give it the "perfect" water-supply,
keep the trigger open, 
and train your help to understand all the above..
Management is control.
"Quality purchasing" is "LongTerm-Low-Cost"


*Jerry*@*PressureWasher.net* .. 619-448-8111


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## Sirocco Jerry (Sep 10, 2011)

If your unloader is getting "sticky" or not "Unloading" properly,
call, or e-mail me for a free guide..
in "How to Safely Adjust Your Unloader"
no strings attached..
I'm just a helpful tech

*Jerry*@*PressureWasher.net* 619-448-8111


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

Hey Jerry, welcome to Paint Talk


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## paint2ski (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks guys, brought it in and sounds like it an unloader valve... but they are going to take a deeper look. so this was purchased with a 3 year warranty and I have the reciept will this type of problem be covered?? Or is it somehow my fault?

I have purchased 2 hondas before and alway had the pump blow on me after 2 years. so I thought I would try to subaru... hmmm? Same crap.


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## Sirocco Jerry (Sep 10, 2011)

*Honda doesn't make pumps, Subaru doesn't either.*

the motor has nothing to do with the relaibility of the pump, and vice-versa..
The Subaru motors have been fine so far,
except for the small EFI version.. the injector gums up from bad fuel WAY too easily,
but that's not a part failure, that's a user issue, in the warranty context
..watch out for bad fuel voiding warrantees.. more on that later.

If you have a warranty extension on that pump, go for it..
the manufacturers don't cover them, it's an aftermarket company (usually) that does the extension-deal.
..and they do honor the pump-failures, as far as I've seen.

remember guys,
Honda doesn't make pumps.
Subaru doesn't nmake pumps.
Briggs doesn't make pumps.
an "assembly-house" assembles them with a pump they choose,
and plumb it the way they choose,
.. and you get the package they boxed-up.

Choose a pump that does NOT have a built-in unloader.

Choose wisely, and read the fine print in those warrantees.

A manufacturer that builds reliabilty wants the referrals, .. just like you do.


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