Pressure Washer Foul Up

[mlincoln]

Never lend your tools, never lend your tools, never lend your tools.

Well the neighbor who is super nice to me and the little one asked to borrow the pressure washer.  I said OK.  Neighbor tried to use the 25 degree nozzle with the soap dispensing function.  Machine didn't run right afterwards.  It was running irregularly and puffing out white smoke.  I checked the engine oil and it was super full.  I poured out the engine oil and it looked sort of watery / milky.  I refilled with fresh oil and it ran fine.

I got to thinking that maybe the use of the wrong nozzle pushed water back into the engine, and that's why the oil was so full and looked odd.  This sounds mechanically improbable, though.

I looked through the little viewing port for the pump oil and it looks fine, right on the red dot.  Should I change out this oil because of this mishap?

After I put fresh oil in it--and gave the guy some more instructions--the machine ran just fine for him for the next few hours, and I used it the next day and it worked fine for me.  It's a Ridgid 3000 psi.

Thank you for any and all suggestions.  And yes, the rule about never lend out your tools is the one I really should have followed.

[JosephP]

I wonder if he tried to put gas in the wrong place???

I'd change the oil, run it for a few minutes to cycle the new oil through, then drain it as much as you can and put new oil in again.  Very cheap insurance.

[daddo]

I have to pull my washer up level to check the oil.
Sitting as it does, it is tilted and this would make the oil level look low.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

Could it be possible he had the machine on a steep slope while running? I was taught to always keep the power head level and never let the pump run without keeping water flowing through it or hot water could damage the seals. That's power washing 101 for the units I've used in the past but maybe times have changed. Maybe he added his own fuel which was bad or not mixed right? Lots of smoke makes me think it may have been too rich.

[Roly]

With the oil being full & milky I would think he put the cleaning solution in the crankcase.   The pumps are separate from the engine so liquid from the pump could not get into the motor. Is your washer the type that uses a suction hose, and not a solution container ?    If so I'll bet that is where the solution went.   Roly

[fredhargis]

I know on mine there's no way water from the pump system could get into the crankcase....the pump is way separated from the engine. The other thing is that (with mine) if you don't use the right nozzle the only thing that happens is it won't pump detergent. I would guess he did something to get the oil contaminated. Something like the other suggested...I especially like Roly's comment that maybe he put the detergent into the crankcase. But if you changed to oil and all's well just add this to the "lessons learned" section of your mind.

[DieselDennis]

With the oil being full &  milky I would think he put the cleaning solution in the crankcase.   The pumps are separate from the engine so liquid from the pump could not get into the motor. Is your washer the type that uses a suction hose, and not a solution container ?    If so I'll bet that is where the solution went.   Roly

+1

They make the gas cap WAY too obvious and convenient on those things.  You have to actually bend over to pour the soap in.

[mike4244]

Three things I never lend out, my truck, my tools and my wife. Although not necessarily in that order.
mike

[Guest]

My pressure washer is 1 tool I don't lend out. It doesn't take long to fry the pump, whenit's run with the watwer turned off.

I once lent a relative a hammer drill do drill doles in concrete for termite work. I showed up while he was doing it.  I took the drill to see how it was working, and it was so hot, I almost couldn't hold it.
I'm not going to say what I said (loudly) but I was pissed.