Fixing a FREE pressure washer that surges and has low pressure- EASY FIX

this was a free pressure washer i received, and i have now encountered 4 of these ryobi honda "idle down" pressure washers that had the exact same problems. do you have a similar pressure washer with similar symptoms? Watch this video to see how to fix it!

[NitroRoo]

Cleaned my carb, changed the oil and the spark plug, and this was it all along. Thanks for the video!

[aprilmaclin]

Thank you so much for this video! I thought my Ryobi 1700 psi electric pressure washer was a goner after it stopped working for my daughter mid pool deck cleaning. I began to youtube troubleshoot, and the only two problems mentioned were the GFCI and the switch valve. Both outcomes basically meant surgery on the machine, plus the cost of parts and time for shipping. The advice given from another repair video was to just get a new unit. We've only had this machine for a year and a half, and have only put 5 hours of use on it. I definitely wasn't pleased with the idea of getting a new unit. Fortunately, I asked my daughter to explain to me in detail exactly what happened one more time. She said it was working fine, and then she heard a click or pop in the handle, and it stopped working. I was then lucky enough to find your video and EUREKA! The spring inside the handle was stuck, and the metal rod on the inside that holds the spring down had wiggled out of place. I didn't even need to complete all the steps in your process. The spring was stuck at first, but after taking it out and pushing it on the ground, it dislodged and started working again as usual. Put it back together, and VIOLA! Here's to people like you, saving the average man hundreds of dollars one day at a time! Cheers! 👍🍻👏

[LJG]

Thank you, so much.. just bought a Ryobi 3300 psi, and after 5 days and 20 hrs of use the exact same thing happened.. I was going to take it back.. I’ll have to check this out.. because I really do like it..

[TitoNeftaly]

Thanks for your video, it helped me repair my power wash and the problem was that pressure valve and I didn't know why the pressure went up and down but now it's like new again.

[dewboy]

This is exactly the problem I'm having with mine. I was assuming it was the carb, but now I know. THANKS!

[joshualopez]

Absolutely amazing! I bought a new one and had this issue but couldn’t figure out why. So I thought I ruined the pump because I didn’t bleed the line initially. But I ran it a very short time so now I realize that wasn’t it. Exchanged it for another and had same low idle issue with 2nd new model. I tried more things this time and found that if I manually pressed the throttle line/choke (I’m not a mechanic sorry, just a logical thinker) to rev the engine while holding down the trigger on the wand I would get pressure. Also, the pump worked like normal until I released the trigger. I would have to rinse and repeat to get pressure again. I thought maybe I need to adjust the choke to get engine to idle higher. This video has been a great find. I found one other guy who takes the engine apart and explains how the unloader valve works. Rather than take my second new machine back I think I’ll fix it with a couple wrenches.

Thanks so much Ryan.

[baronblansit]

I noticed the choke put in the wrong hole. It should be in the front hole to have the choke full open in the on position. A very good video. thank you.

[nightbreed]

excellent....just tried it ....surging low high pressure

[TeddyDub]

thank god i saw this video, I was about to get rid of it🤣 thank your for this video

[Marios_prodetail]

Exact same problem I’m having on my brand new Dewalt I’m gonna try this thank you

[TheDroppedAnchor]

Great video! Very good production values! The lack of voice over with the exclusive use of written word as the narration is a tremendous add-on. More should use that.
99 & 44/100ths pure excellence.

[joesinakandid]

Nicely done - very logical and insightful --- although a bit tedious in naming all the tools that should have been on hand to start with. Sort of the same idea as the difference between a Chilton job and a Motor's job.
Keep up the good work. 😃 - Joe -

[traderalex]

Excellent video. I have the same issue with my Ryobi, surging in idle, but no problem at full power. It looks straight forward enough to remove the carburetor. But it really did not look like yours was all that dirty, if at all? I doubt mine is, either, as I don't use the unit that much, and I don't leave old gas in it over the winter. I did not think either it is the idle down cable. I I have suspected the off-loader found that mine was seized in the housing, trying to pull it out. I ended up removing the spring, and putting a stack of washers on the shaft, and using the adjustment nut (17mm socket) to reverse torque the valve, and it did pop out, doing that. It did not look too crudy, when I got it out-but it was seized into the housing. I have replacement off-loader on order. Hopefully when it comes, that will be the end of my surging problem. Because that seemed to be the identical solution o what I saw in this video.

[cwytonweb]

If you are going to be messing around with the nuts and springs on an unloader valve, you need to spend 15-20 bucks on a water pressure gauge. Without one you're just going to be guessing about setting it right (and it needs to be set right).

[bryanmarquardt]

Yes this is the important stuff. Simplifying thank you

[scroungasworkshop]

Very helpful thanks, I’d have never figured that was the problem. Cheers mate, Stuart 🇦🇺

[vtecsin]

Omg glad I found this I clean the hell out of my carb and was still having the same issue I did notice the idle down cable was really loose now I see why thank you so much going to do this when I get home

[georgewalter]

Fixed after watching this video. Thanks

[KarlH]

On flipping pressure washers.

As the lawn mower season went by the wayside, I tried buying and flipping pressure washers. After 6 units I have decided that it is a waste of effort. If the pump is bad then the cost to replace makes only the free ones worth any time. Free ones with decent engines are too rare to take the time to look for them.

The 3 that I bought in which the previous owner said that the pump was good but it wouldn't start all lied. Each had pump issues. Total waste of time and $120.

[marknye.thefixitguy]

I'm going to try that Ryan.
This is my second ryobi and I hate these GCV160 honda motors trying to replace the carburetor and all the gaskets