I was using this older (5 years?) gas powered pressure washer just fine yesterday. However, I left it out overnight and it rained.

I go to use it today and with the first pull it cranked for a second and then stopped. Second pull, it lets out a pretty loud backfire. I immediately noticed after that it felt like it had no compression. I start pulling pieces off and trying to crank it and I notice what appears to be whiffs of gas coming out of it. I do some more inspection and it seems like a metal gasket is blown out of what I guess is the piston chamber (?) and the head (?).

Does it make sense that some water got in there and pressurized the fuck out of it and blew the gasket out and the backfire was the unburned fuel burning as it escape?

9/22/2009 2:01:27 PM

what kind of engine?

i'd say it's possible. either way you're pulling the head off.. which is easy as hell on a lot of them

9/22/2009 2:18:03 PM

It's some 6hp briggs. And yeah, I'll be working on it later today perhaps.

9/22/2009 2:57:24 PM

Ah. An overhead valve engine. Not as easy as the old L-head ones, but still pretty much cakewalk.

9/22/2009 4:07:17 PM

Yeah, this guy

http://www.managemyhome.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/L0304148.pdf

9/22/2009 4:24:47 PM

If the cylinder filled with water.....you're likely going to need more than a head gasket. Sounds like you hydro-locked it.

9/22/2009 10:31:11 PM

name is fitting for the topic

9/22/2009 10:33:19 PM

^^ Such as? I can pull the cord and it seems to move smoothly, just with no compression.

I don't know that it was water, the thing seems to be nearly 10 years old. Midway through using it, water started blasting out of the pump plate and I noticed a sheered off 6mm bolt on the ground. Upon inspection I found it was already completely missing another bolt on the same side of the plate. It seems like water got in the threads a little and rusted the bolt, weakening it. And eventually the pressure was enough to just pop the thing in half.

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 9:20 AM. Reason : .]

9/23/2009 9:17:55 AM

bent rod is about the only other thing. just pull the head and go from there. if top dead center isn't coming anywhere near the top of the cylinder then you know why

9/23/2009 9:20:05 AM

Yeah, I got it apart, gasket is blown in 2 places. Piston comes all the way to the top, moves freely. My dumbass took it apart and is going out of town for 6 days. Should I be worried about surface rust anywhere that is open? I moved the piston all the way to the top, so I guess that should help. And I could be unlazy and wipe oil on everything I'm worried about, no?

9/23/2009 10:57:51 AM

Throw a garbage bag over the whole shebang and don't worry about it.

9/23/2009 12:17:28 PM

Spray down with WD40 too maybe?

9/23/2009 12:25:22 PM

Maybe. But the shit attracts dust. True, keeps any metal from rusting though.

9/23/2009 12:34:46 PM

piss on it

10/16/2009 2:04:10 PM