Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Roland S on April 11, 2013, 07:31:21 pm

Title: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 11, 2013, 07:31:21 pm
hi

i'm giving my pressure washer a service honda gx390 and ww965 pump. it6 says 10w30 oil, should this be mineral oil, synthetic, part synthetic? and i apparantly need 30w oil for the pump any idea where i can buy that cheaply? i'm changing the spark plug and air filter also, anything else i should be doing?

thanks in advance
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Blast Away on April 11, 2013, 07:39:44 pm
I just bang engine oil in ours. Not sure what the number is but it goes in the van too!
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Rob_Mac on April 11, 2013, 07:59:33 pm
Ain't it 15 40 for the engine and 10 for the pump.

Maureen will be along in a minute to give you the correct algorithm ;D

Rob ;D
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: chris scott on April 11, 2013, 08:04:08 pm
15/40 ish for the engine from any hire shop and straight 30  for the pump .
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Rob_Mac on April 11, 2013, 08:05:59 pm
I want none of those pikey ways on Saturday ;D ;D ;D

Rob ;D
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: AshWhite on April 11, 2013, 09:07:27 pm
Aldi were selling 30weight oil for about £3/litre last week, not sure if its still there.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roger Oakley on April 11, 2013, 09:18:02 pm
hi

i'm giving my pressure washer a service honda gx390 and ww965 pump. it6 says 10w30 oil, should this be mineral oil, synthetic, part synthetic? and i apparantly need 30w oil for the pump any idea where i can buy that cheaply? i'm changing the spark plug and air filter also, anything else i should be doing?

thanks in advance

Check valves on the pump, and don't use cheap oil you'll regret it in the long run.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 11, 2013, 09:26:44 pm
Engine oil 10-30 I use semi from costco - I use light gearbox oil which is what I use in my bike. I also change the valves and unloader every year
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 11, 2013, 10:12:00 pm
thanks for all the advice  :), the cheap motor factors locally don't seem to have 10w30 (i think because its a motorcycle grade?) so i'll have to get it from halfords, they have castrol semi synthetic 4litres for £26 which seems ok for decent quality oil http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_263351_langId_-1_categoryId_165507

the pump oil it says SAE 20w30 but struggling to find that.

what do you check for when looking at the valves on the pump?

as far as the unloader, i was told they pack up a lot so i don't bother using it all my lances and fsc have the triggers permantly held on with cable ties.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 11, 2013, 11:32:56 pm
thanks for all the advice  :), the cheap motor factors locally don't seem to have 10w30 (i think because its a motorcycle grade?) so i'll have to get it from halfords, they have castrol semi synthetic 4litres for £26 which seems ok for decent quality oil http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_263351_langId_-1_categoryId_165507

the pump oil it says SAE 20w30 but struggling to find that.

what do you check for when looking at the valves on the pump?

as far as the unloader, i was told they pack up a lot so i don't bother using it all my lances and fsc have the triggers permantly held on with cable ties.

Do you mention this in your rams ?
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roger Oakley on April 12, 2013, 01:17:53 pm

what do you check for when looking at the valves on the pump?

as far as the unloader, i was told they pack up a lot so i don't bother using it all my lances and fsc have the triggers permantly held on with cable ties.

You are not serious about the cable ties?
Re the valves
You are looking for any where & tear, they show travel with a little bit of resistance, how long you had the machine and how much work has it done? might just be better change the valves anyway.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 12, 2013, 02:34:16 pm
its had a fair bit of use and i bought it 2nd hand. as far as the cable ties, yes i am serious, the guy i bought it off told me it was recommended, as the unloader valves fail regularly. to be honest it's mainly residential i do and i don't have the public walking around while i'm working, so i don't consider it to be that unsafe. but clearly i'm in a minority there lol.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roger Oakley on April 12, 2013, 02:45:01 pm
Ok not going to go there about the cable ties,
Anyway for your machine I would do the following,
Change both oils, engine & pump,
Change air filter
New set of valves in pump,
Check the Fuel sediment (tap) trap for any crap from the fuel tank.
If unloader is ok and working then leave it but it wouldn't hurt to change it, keep that one you have a last resort spare.

That's about it for a basic service to that machine
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Rob_Mac on April 12, 2013, 02:59:59 pm
All the machines I have had and still have and I have never replaced an unloader valve!!

Rob ;D
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 12, 2013, 03:56:02 pm
Ok not going to go there about the cable ties,
Anyway for your machine I would do the following,
Change both oils, engine & pump,
Change air filter
New set of valves in pump,
Check the Fuel sediment (tap) trap for any crap from the fuel tank.
If unloader is ok and working then leave it but it wouldn't hurt to change it, keep that one you have a last resort spare.

That's about it for a basic service to that machine

thanks for the advice, who do you recommend for buying the valves from?
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 12, 2013, 03:57:46 pm
All the machines I have had and still have and I have never replaced an unloader valve!!

Rob ;D

that's interesting, i've just checked and they don't seem really expensive anyway, so maybe i will start using it.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roger Oakley on April 12, 2013, 04:10:11 pm
Ok not going to go there about the cable ties,
Anyway for your machine I would do the following,
Change both oils, engine & pump,
Change air filter
New set of valves in pump,
Check the Fuel sediment (tap) trap for any crap from the fuel tank.
If unloader is ok and working then leave it but it wouldn't hurt to change it, keep that one you have a last resort spare.

That's about it for a basic service to that machine

thanks for the advice, who do you recommend for buying the valves from?

Interpump spares can be got from ebay if you have to or Tech-Clean, or I can give you my service guys number has he'll have them in stock.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 12, 2013, 04:22:22 pm
well techclean is where the washer came from originally so i'll speak to them. thanks
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 12, 2013, 05:51:42 pm
If you cable tie the trigger open then why bother with an unloader at all ?
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 12, 2013, 06:38:24 pm
If you cable tie the trigger open then why bother with an unloader at all ?

errr because it came with one fitted? and as i said earlier if they're more durable than i had been led to believe i'll start using it.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Blast Away on April 12, 2013, 07:44:38 pm
All the machines I have had and still have and I have never replaced an unloader valve!!

Rob ;D

I find that hard to believe Rob.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 13, 2013, 11:42:51 am
i've done a bit of research and also spoken to the tech dept who blend this oil, and for the pump - at least in my case (interpump vv965) - you need a detergent free sae 30 oil. apparently the detergent free bit is quite important as the detergent increases wear on the valves. this is what i bought if anyone is interested:

"Smith & Allan Classic Vintage Select SAE 30 Detergent Free Motor Oil 1 ltr"

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370567523163
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Matt Gibson on April 13, 2013, 01:07:08 pm
I just bought interpumps own brand oil.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 13, 2013, 09:01:09 pm

And exactly how does the oil increase wear on the valves an an Interpump vv965  ??? Are you adding it to the water supply  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
You spoke to the technical dept and they told you that  ::)roll ::)roll ::)roll ::)roll ::)roll

Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 13, 2013, 10:10:07 pm
I know nothing about pumps I must have got confused. I spoke to the tech guy who makes that oil not inter pump. That's the right oil anyway and cheaper than I could find elsewhere.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 14, 2013, 12:09:35 am
The oil on the pump is a simple crankcase and because it suffers very little heat range then a mono grade will suffice. The anti foaming property is more important in this case. There is an air gap and tell tale between the crankcase and the pump head so the oil will never ever contact the valves unless something goes very wrong - the valves sit in the water gallery. Any light gear oil will do as would a 30 grade hydraulic oil in this particular case. The person you spoke to was obviously talking about engine oil and probably still thinks its 1956.
  Anyway you go with what you believe to be correct but do everyone around you a favour and use the trigger corectly - a good unloader is about £40 and will outlast the warranty. I found 6 unloaders on my bench last week and only one had been stripped and hence failed - I use Pulsar 3's.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Kenny83 on April 14, 2013, 12:18:07 am
I just use engine oil 10 40 in my machines, the Cat pump and yanmar diesel engine, before that I used it in my honda diesel and cat pump and before that I used it in my petrol.... never ever had a problem with the runnings if the machine...
I also have never had a problem with my unloaders, although I have come across alot of machine with failed unloaders. I reckon a simlple leaking gun/hose/etc would be the biggest cause of unloader failure, or maybe people who do alot of gum removal and valeters etc... people who are on and off the trigger alot
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 14, 2013, 12:29:11 am
I thought Smiff & allen made the guns in cowboy films  ;D
Re oil "owt's better than nowt"
I stand around talking and drinking tea and can't always be bothered to shut the machine down if the drive is on a slope and being too old walk any further than I need to - I change the oils valves and unloader once a year or when the hour meter says do it, for the money its cheaper than loosing an afternoon's work and wasted travel and finding a slot to return
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Kenny83 on April 14, 2013, 12:33:22 am
Ha ha, A service guy actually said that to me once, when I asked him what oil best to put in, he replied with 'any oils better than no oil'  ;D
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: BDCS on April 14, 2013, 12:47:26 am
When I was at the pit we only had one gear oil, one hydraulic oil and one emulsifying oil in common use. Good quality oil will do many appications and not just what you imagine it would do. Obviously some oils are developed for specific applications but a pressure washer pump is quite rustic. You'll never beat Castrol R for smell  ;D
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: chris scott on April 14, 2013, 07:23:18 am
Aaah  cassie "R". That takes me back!
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Roland S on April 14, 2013, 04:36:32 pm
The oil on the pump is a simple crankcase and because it suffers very little heat range then a mono grade will suffice. The anti foaming property is more important in this case. There is an air gap and tell tale between the crankcase and the pump head so the oil will never ever contact the valves unless something goes very wrong - the valves sit in the water gallery. Any light gear oil will do as would a 30 grade hydraulic oil in this particular case. The person you spoke to was obviously talking about engine oil and probably still thinks its 1956.
  Anyway you go with what you believe to be correct but do everyone around you a favour and use the trigger corectly - a good unloader is about £40 and will outlast the warranty. I found 6 unloaders on my bench last week and only one had been stripped and hence failed - I use Pulsar 3's.

Thanks for the info. Yeah I'll use the unloader in the future.
Title: Re: oil for pressure washer? (gx390 and pump)
Post by: Donnie Nicolson on April 14, 2013, 08:03:12 pm
I use 15/40 semi synth in both engines and pump , always have my 3 gx390 are 8 years old now, I run 2 interpumps and 1 cat pump, never replaced an unloader either, I bought 1 as a spare when I set up the biz and its still in my workshop unused, I do service very regular though, every 3 months :) as a matter of fact ive not replaced the valves in the interpumps either have done in the cat pump though