Whatever You Do --- Don't Buy a Craftsman Pressure Washer

[jls1016]

You will expend so much energy cussing it, you might even have a coronary.

I'm warning you. It is designed by unethical ghouls with a pump guaranteed to fail within 10 hours of use, wheels guaranteed to fall off the axles, and an engine warranted to take at least 20 minutes to start. The pump, an engineering nightmare, has got to be made by neanderthal knuckledraggers who are ex-Yugo factory workers in Yugoslavia.

If you want your patience exhausted, your time wasted, your frustrations so yanked and shaken to the point of such utter despair that it almost breaks your heart-- in short, if you're a masochist --- then buy one.

****************** Fascism should rightly be called corporatism, as it is the merger of state and corporate power. -- Benito Mussolini

[twstanley]

Odd, I have one, my father-in-law has one, a friend had one, ..... never had any of these problems you mention. Maybe you got a bad apple?

[PipeDown]

Not sure about that model but on many, failure to turn on the water and flush some through before powering the compressor can cause all sorts of problems with the pressure switch. Some of these are very particular about the turn on sequence. My experience is with electric models though.

[NickySantoro]

I've had one for over ten years. It usually starts on the first or second pull and works well. Go figure. Actually, I have two, the second being given to me by a friend who had problems with it. After replacing the spark plug and running some carb cleaner through it, this one works fine too and usually starts on the first or second pull.

[twfsa]

What kind of carb cleaner do you run thru the carb?

Thanks

Tom

[Searcher]

I have one myself, though I do have a problem with it, it seems to always run out of gas right before I finish the job! I have a Craftsman clean and carry, small lightweight and rather inexpensive. Thats what I use for my deck washing business, last year I did about 80 decks and this srping I hope to have those and more, still the same clean and carry. Hasn't failed me yet! BTW, I own many MANY craftsman products, I bouhgt that damn extended warranty on most of the expensive purchases, well they took my money on those deals, the only two that I had a call into Sears for was my washer and my table saw, both of those calls were for routine yearly checks! I gotta stop buyin those warrantys, then maybe something will break!

Searcher

[Frank Thompson]

Have had probs with mine too...but nowhere near the extreme that you seem to have had. Main aggravation is tech support....it seems to be close to zero. Hard starting is p[rob but not a big one... I can deal with that...the pump (not the gasolene engine )cycling off and on is more aggravating...really get irritated at the fact that the mechanism for adding soap or whatever to water from hose has never worked...local store nor tech support seem to have no idea of how to remedy that....nor have posts in the past on here on this topic gotten me any help either...all that said it is still superior to the electric ones (think thery were Karchers) that I previously had.

[NickySantoro]

Just any cheap automotive stuff from KMart. You'll find it as "carburetor cleaner" or "fuel Injector cleaner". Using carb cleaner is usually a one time thing. Very rarely is it necessary to do unless a small engine was previously neglected and the carburetor varnished up when the gas dried out.

[No]

Welcome to my world

I have had problems with craftsman branded stuff many times. I refuse to buy anything with the craftsman brand any more. i have gotten burned too many times. Now you know. Sorry.

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[hallerb]

Try to find out who actually manufactured it and contact them directly!

Tech support and parts prices will be better too.

Sears service adds 35% to 50% for parts to the manufaxctuers list parts price

[Rich256]

Except their tools. I had a very old Craftsman pocket knife where the blade broke because of my doing something I should not have. I asked if I could get a replacement. Since they no longer carried that model the salesman told me to take my pick of any knife in the display.

[Lawrence]

in short, if you're a masochist ---

I am not a fan of the Craftsman brand. Back in the day when Sears was one of the few suppliers around it may have been OK. But now that they have competition they just put their name on machines which are manufactured by the lowest bidder. Yes their hand tools have a good warranty but this is not a hand tool.

I like to buy my stuff from my local independent dealer who will sell you a machine they are familiar with. They also have experience with which machines are the most reliable. that way when the inevitable goes wrong you can take it there and they may even remember you!

I have found my local rental store to be a good place to buy new gear. They may not have much on the showroom or the cheapest prices but they will get you anything and they have a serious service department. When you buy one of those machines online or from the big box you are pretty much on your own with it.

[ds549]

i picked up 3 5hp sears pressure washer with vertical shaft engine on garbage day in the rich hood. they all had bad gas clogging up the carb.one had a broken clip area on the pump that holds pressure releife valve in.i put a pipe plug in it so it has to be started and run with the wand on or it will kill the engine..but hey, i cant complain getting them for free. i have a 5.5 red honda with a cat pump that is great, but i winterized it and am using the free ones till they give out... lucas