[SOLVED] Power washer with Honda engine won't start.

[TheRegit]

I have a Honda power washer that I am using to prepare my home for painting. This weekend I was using it quite a bit without problem. I accidentally let the engine run out of gas the it stopped. I refilled the tank with gas and tried to start it but it wouldn't do anything. I thought the problem was that the fuel lines didn't have any gas in them so it had nothing to ignite so I went and bought some ether spray and sprayed it into the air intake. After doing this two times the engine started up like it should and I thought the problem was solved. However after using it for about a half an hour I turned it off to take my son inside, when I returned it wouldn't start again. Since then even the Ether spray hasn't helped. I checked the spark plug and that looks fine. The wierd thing is that the pull start is all of a sudden really hard to pull. When it was working fine it pulled rather easily, but now it is almost as if the engine is locked up.

I really have no experience with engine's what-so-ever so I am not quite sure what to do. One of my friends that worked on the grounds crew at a golf course suggested the ether spray and my neighbor checked the spark plug and said it looked good.

Any ideas of things to try?

[Meat Plow]

Maybe the pump is "almost locked up." If you don't know what you're doing as you say you don't, find a small engine repair shop. If it were mine I would remove the pump and see if the engine starts. If it still is hard to pull then you've got internal damage to the engine. If it starts the pump is damaged. See how easy that was? :)

[Greg]

I have a honda pressure washer, second one, the first one I got, right out of box, did just like your's, after 1/2 hour of running it was hard to pull, wouldn't start, I checked oil before and after, before I ran it, nice and new and clean, after it was silver, something got eaten up in there, took it back, they gave me a new one, it's run about 10 times now with no problem.

[scott21230]

Trash it and get an electric one instead. Duh.

[TheRegit]

Okay so this shows how much I don't know about Power Washers. I took the thing to a local lawn and garden shop and had their service person take a look at it. He checked out a few things for about 30 seconds, pulled the pull start once and viola it started to problem. Turns out that you can only start those things if you hold the trigger and release the pressure that is built up in the engine. He said never to start it without the trigger being held down. So after feeling like a complete idiot I took his advice and the thing has been working great ever sense.

[MEWICKER]

Perfect! This problem has been happening to us for years, and we knew if we let the thing sit, it would eventually start. Many thanks.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Wondering nothing mentioned in the owner's manual?

[trader4]

I have an electric one that will sometimes trip the breaker if I try to start it without the spray trigger valve open. I've gotten used to starting it that way. Guess the same principle applies to gas.

[Home Guy]

(...)

I'm not seeing the original (first) post by dhcbsmith.

When was it posted?

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[Stormin Mormon]

Parasites, trying to make it look like they have readers and subscribers? . Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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on-t-start-247263-.htm

[Ralph Mowery]

I looked in my manual and it says to start it with the trigger lock on. That keeps the trigger from being pulled.

Then it mentions after you run it or if it tries to start and doesn't, to pull the trigger and release the pressure before restarting.. It is in just the regular print. One would think this would be in bold print because it is an important point. Then it mentions something about if you don't releaes the pressure, it could cause the motor to kick back.

[ShaZee]

Thanks for that tip. My power washer wouldn't start. Tried holding the nozzle down and it started right up. Thanks!

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Did not read the owwner's manual? Lazy?, LOL!

[thowell476]

I bought it used, no manual

[Joe R]

Wow! I just had this same issue. I borrowed this unit from my sister and thought I had broken it in 10 minutes.

One pull of the trigger and it started right up again. Before that, it was as if the pull cord was tangled. I guess it was just too much compression in the cylinder.

Well...Mucho Thankso!!

Joe Rowan

[Sandy V]

Thank you sooooo much!

I was cleaning my deck and the same thing happened to me. First, for some reason, maybe because I am a female with not much muscle on my arms, I have a bit of trouble starting it - at this point, it usually pulls back real fast, bruises my fingers and if my leg is on the machine to keep it from flipping, it bruises my ankle too! That said, I have to ask my son to come out each time to start it for me. So if you have any fix for the cord pulling back fast let me know. But after one day of washing the deck, the next morning I called him to start it up. His arms are huge - he just pulls once usually and it starts. Well the machine cord gave him some trouble. Was extremely hard to pull. He tried several times before having to give up. I went it to look it up on the internet and saw your solution. We did what you said and it started on the first pull. Amazing - thanks for this post that I somehow found almost immediately. You saved hours of my time!

Seriously, if there is a fix for thequick recoil that almost pulls me back into the machine, let me know. Am I just to weak to pull it hard enough?

[Fred McKenzie]

Sandy-

I had a small generator that did the same thing. It turned out that the engine's compression release mechanism was not working.

The compression release is a part in the engine that holds a valve partially open to make it easier to start. Once the engine begins rotating, centrifugal force moves the mechanism out of the way so the valve closes to allow full compression.

It is possible that the mechanism is stuck due to sludge in the oil. Changing oil might help. If yours is broken, repair may involve disassembling the engine. I had the local dealer repair mine. It was not cheap, but much less than a new generator.

One thing you can try, is to slowly pull the starter rope until you feel resistance due to the compression. Let the rope move back in so you have its full length available. Then give it a strong pull.

Fred

[udibendror]

thanks for your post. it really saved the day for us since we rented the PW on Saturday and Sunday they are closed. Wouldn't get the job done w/out you!!!

[Leo]

Thank you. That was my problem. Before I noticed your post I ordered a $27.00 part that some one else had told me had gone bad. Now I stock with that part.

[marlymurdach]

Amazing advice. I am not a mechanic and I couldn't restart my powerwasher that has a Honda GC160 5.0 engine. It ran out of gas. After refueling, af ter first pull rope would not pull again. Like it was bound up somehow. A fter reviewing your post Viola! Pulled the release lever on the wand that in turn released the pressure and it started. Thank you very much for the tip. Your suggestion was not in my manual. Dave