Pressure Washer Expectations
Do you love your yard tools? I sure do, some more than others. There’s one that is closer to my heart than the others. That’s my baby pictured above. I love my skill saw and generator and I can’t forget about the belt sander, which is a handy tool I like too. But the pressure washer, that’s my precious baby.
It’s so easy to skip the oil change, especially for our yard tools. But these are the machines that work the hardest for us.
By the time I mustered up enough energy to go out and do the yard work, the last thing I want to find is an engine that won’t start. The engine oil has an important roll in the engine. It lubricates the vital working components and it also assists in removing heat from the engine while the engine is working. Old and dirty oil cannot perform either of those functions. Dirty oil can damage the engine components with scoring as the dirt is forced through the engine. Changing the oil is one of the best ways to keep a power washer working, so let’s go change that oil!
Average time to complete: 15 minutes
How Often Should You Change Pressure Washer Oil?
A simple search of the internet about when to change the oil in your pressure washer will bring up anything from every 50 hours to 300 hours. It really depends on how you use it.
I tend to err on the side of caution, so I imagine I change the oil more often than absolutely necessary. According to your usage you can come up with a schedule of oil changes.
Do you use your pressure washer several times a day, or once a week? Several times a day users will need to change the oil closer to 50 hours of use than someone that uses theirs once a week, and the once a week user will change the oil more often than the once a month user.
Does dirt and dust tend to cover the machine by the time you’re done power washing? Dust and dirt can get into the engine via the air intake, so you will want to change the oil often. I feel like I use the pressure pretty heavily for a home user: several times during the week for about an hour each usage. I change the oil at the beginning of Summer and again at the end of the Summer. Changing the oil with this method has worked well and the machines still work like new.
Tools
You’ll save yourself some headache by gathering the tools you’ll need to complete the oil change beforehand. There are only five items you’ll need:
- New 2-stroke oil
- 10 mm socket or wrench (the size may be different on yours)
- Catch basin for the used oil
- Funnel
Step-by-Step Photo Tutorial
How to Change the Oil in Your Power Washer
Some older pressure washers only have a dipstick hole, and the oil is drained and filled through that.
This power washer has both, and both look similar. One has a dipstick attached to it to check the level of the oil. The other is merely the oil fill hole cap screw. This is the one we will put the oil back into.
Before draining the oil, turn the pressure washer on for a minute or two. The oil will flow out a lot better if it is warm rather than cold.
- Place your catch basin under the drain hole, if there is one. The oil will miss the drain hole and end up flowing onto the engine plate anyways, so have a rag or towel handy to wipe up the overspill.
- Remove the oil fill cap to allow the oil to flow out easily.
- The oil drain plug is going to be at the low point of the engine. It’s probably pretty dirty where the bolt is located, so wipe or rinse the area first. The oil drain plug is a small bolt as shown in the photo below. The one pictured is a 10 mm. Use a wrench or socket wrench to remove the bolt.
- Allow the oil to flow into your catch basin and all over the metal plate. When it stops flowing, wipe the area clean and put the bolt back in.
- If needed, put your funnel into the oil fill hole and fill it with new 2-stroke motor oil. The power washer pictured doesn’t use an entire pint.
Check the oil level with the dipstick to make sure you have it full. I like to start the engine up and check the level again to make sure it is indeed full. And that’s it! Your power washer is good to go!