OT: Power Washer Pump Head crack

It looks like there are some parts available, I did not look toughly for your part

This failing you may find a replacement in some place like the Restore, or similar second hand stores.

I would be tempted to try to braze it with a butane torch (which are not that expensive). In order for it to work, you would have to enlarge the hairline crack a little to provide room for some other material to flow into it. I think I could tackle this job if the part is steel, and not if the part is relatively thin aluminum. Note that galvanized metal will give off poisonous fumes when heated. I guess whether it's worth it or not depends on how much you like welding, or if you know someone who would like to do it. $80 doesn't go as far as it used to. My first guess was to use "silver solder", but I just read that silver solder doesn't like it's temperature jerked around, so I might be inclined to try another brazing material. That said, someone who repaired my air conditional a few years ago used silver solder to fill a cracked piece of copper tubing and the repair has been successful. I am not an expert, not even close--I learned most of what I know about this in high school! --and from what I understand it is much easier to work on aluminum these days. Good luck! Bill

Thanks Bill and Keith! I looked at those web sites and the prices are about the same all around for spare parts. It would be nice to just repair it so I don't have to worry about the proper fit and so on. The issue with any kind of repair is that it will have to withstand a good amount of water pressure. I'm not sure it even needs to be 100 percent water right. I will check into trying a braze. Appreciated!

Dumb question: With all of the advances in glues, is there a glue that you could that is strong enough to with stand the pressure and hold in water?? Some sort of epoxy??

Michael, Good luck and please let us know how it works out!

Bill

I repaired a make-up water pump on a boiler once. The unit was cast iron. When it was being installed the fitter turned his wrench into the outlet, cracking a triangular piece off. We replaced the pump with a new one, but I took it home to see if I could weld it back together. The weld cracks were so porous they weeped all along the weld. I had it physically repaired, so I put JB Weld inside on the walls of the pump outlet. A couple years later we needed an identical pump in an emergency situation, so we tried my pump. It's been running for almost 25 Years without a leak.

Steve

Thanks for the note! I've already put some marine epoxy on it and I'm letting it dry good and hard. Next I'll apply some leak seal/silicon tape.