Honda Pressure Washer: Engine Troubleshooting & Repair

Pressure washers powered by Honda’s engines are renowned for their superior performance and longevity. If you own such a pressure washer and use it regularly, you likely will have some problems over time. Some of them are easy to fix, and some of them will be harder. If you do not have a lot of experience, ask for help from a professional for some problems that are hard to diagnose.

If your pressure washer’s Honda engine doesn’t start, stalls, or doesn’t produce sufficient power, check that its filters aren’t plugged with deposits of dirt and fuel. Make sure the carburetor adjustment is correct. Be sure to clean your carburetor from deposits of old fuel. Also, check the fuel tank and the fuel lines and ensure no vapor lock occurs.

In this article, I will go through the most common problems with your pressure washer with a Honda engine and how they can be fixed. Honda engines are used in brands like Briggs & Stratton, Craftsman, Pressure-Pro, and PowerBoss.

Problems with the Honda Gas Pressure Washer Engine

The majority of engine-related problems with gas-powered pressure washers are caused by issues in the filters or the carburetor. This is a direct outcome of poor engine maintenance. Let’s examine these engine problems with your Honda pressure washer and find their solutions.

Let’s examine these engine problems with your Honda pressure washer and find their solutions.

● 1. Honda Pressure Washer: Keeps Stopping and Starting

If your pressure washer continually starts and stops, it could be due to a blocked fuel tank vent inducing a vapor lock. In some situations, a faulty gasoline filter could also be a cause.

When a fuel tank’s vent becomes clogged, fuel vapors accumulate, causing a rise in vapor pressure. This vapor pressure results in a vapor lock, which inhibits fuel supply to the carburetor and causes the engine to halt shortly after starting.

– Simple fix:

As a simple fix, open your gasoline cap and allow the vapors to exit the tank. Restart the engine. Make sure that the tank’s vent is not clogged with dirt. If this does not resolve the issue, inspect your fuel filter and replace it if signs of wear are detected.

● 2. Honda Pressure Washer: The engine won’t run

If your engine won’t start, inspect the spark plug and ensure it’s in good working condition. If this does not solve the problem, remove the carburetor and clean its ports with carburetor cleaner liquid.

The electrodes of the spark plugs are frequently compromised by carbon buildup, reducing spark quality and making starting the engine difficult.

– Solution:

If the problem persists, consider inspecting the carburetor on your pressure washer. Remove the carburetor and purge it of any old fuel residues. To help with the repair, you can purchase a carburetor repair kit and cleansing solvent to remove sticky residues.

● 3. Honda Pressure Washer: Engine Stops

If your engine begins to stall immediately after starting, your air and fuel filters must be duly examined and cleaned. You should also check for a vapor lock in the tank and ensure the carburetor is serviced and adjusted correctly.

The air and fuel filters keep external particles out of the carburetor. As a result, these filters typically get clogged with debris, affecting the engine’s air-fuel supply and resulting in a loss of power.

– Solution:

To resolve this problem, check these filters separately and clean/replace them as needed. If the problem persists, inspect the gas tank for vapor lock and consider adjusting the carburetor’s adjustment screws.

● 4. Honda Pressure Washer: Engine not providing enough Power

If your engine isn’t producing enough power, make sure the water supply is adequate, and there are no kinks in the water hoses. Following that, check that the air filter is clean and the carburetor jets are not clogged with debris.

The air-fuel mixture could be too rich if the engine isn’t producing enough power. This means that the engine is receiving too much fuel but not enough air to generate sufficient power after combustion. The carburetor or the filter may both be at fault.

– Solution:

Check the air filter, which should not be blocked with dust, to ensure sufficient air supply. The L and H screws on the carburetor should be correctly adjusted, and these screws regulate the engine RPMs at low and high speeds, respectively.

When you tighten the L screw, you restrict the fuel flow to the carburetor; hence, the air-fuel mixture becomes lean. This increases the engine’s RPMs. Conversely, loosening the screw reduces the RPMs. While you’re performing the carb adjustment, always keep the screw midway along both extremes. This would ensure that the RPMs stay optimum and the engine keeps delivering sufficient power.

Furthermore, make sure that no air is trapped in the pump and that the hoses are not kinked, as this produces a significant back pressure on the engine. Hence, it may not deliver enough power in that situation.

● 5. Honda Pressure Washer: Oil Leak

If your engine is leaking oil, it is most probably the result of a faulty seal. In almost all instances, replacing the seal would solve the problem. An overfilled tank may also cause oil to leak off in some cases.

You can purchase an oil seal kit to assist you in replacing seals as needed. These oil seals are found inside the oil inlets. On either side of the engine, there are two inlets sealed with caps.

– Solution:

Use a screwdriver to aid in removing the seal and inspecting its condition. Replace it if it appears to be damaged. Avoid overfilling your oil tank as a precaution, as this can result in oil spilling out of these inlets.

● 6. Honda Pressure Washer: Water in Oil

If water gets into the engine oil, its oil seal is ruptured. In this condition, you should replace the seal as per your manufacturer’s recommendations.

The oil appears milky when water enters it. One possible cause of this is a leaky oil seal. A worn-out engine piston is another less likely cause. Mechanical wear causes metal to chip off from pistons over time, increasing the gap between the piston and cylinder walls.

As a result, water entering the piston via the inlet manifold might reach the crankcase and combine with oil to form a milky suspension.

– Solution:

If your engine is relatively new, the problem is likely with the seals/gaskets. Hence, you would need to replace your engine’s seal/head gasket. If your engine is still under warranty, you should contact your manufacturer’s customer service and ask them to perform this replacement for you. I would not suggest placing your warranty at risk by doing the replacement yourself.

In the event of a worn-out piston, contact the manufacturer to see if the engine’s warranty is still valid. If not, your pressure washer may require a new engine.

Pressure Washer Brands Using Honda Engines

It is to be noted that Honda does manufacture pressure washers, but they aren’t available for sale in the US or the rest of the world except Japan. However, Honda’s engines power a wide variety of pressure washer brands.

Typically, Honda’s manufactured engines fall into two major categories. i.e., GC and GX series. GC series is mostly domestic grade, while GX engines are built for commercial applications. Their sizes range from 200-700 cc.

The majority of Honda engines are used in Simpson’s pressure washers, and a few are used in Briggs & Stratton’s machines. While Craftsman, Pressure-Pro, and PowerBoss also have some commercially available models that utilize Honda’s four-stroke engines.

Troubleshooting table Gas Pressure Washer with Honda Engine: