How To Take Apart A Pressure Washer Pump

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Pressure washers are a piece of powerful equipment that you can use to clean many surfaces. Still, they might not be able to perform with their initial effectiveness due to corrosion in pumps, cavitation, leakage, and anything else. Everything degrades with time, and the same goes for the pressure washer. Pressure washers do not work on complex components, and you can easily replace damaged or broken components.

If your pressure washer pump is not performing well, you might need to change it rather than changing the whole pressure washer. Pumps are under a lot more stress than the rest of the pressure washers, and they get degraded very easily. In this article, we will discuss removing the pump from your pressure washer so you can replace it easily. Let’s get started.

Steps To Take Apart Your Pressure Washer Pump

Anything, especially technical works, requires some planning, and it is not only time-consuming and annoying but also risky to try to take apart the pump without any planning. Pressure washer pumps are designed to handle at least 2000 psi pressure, and they are not something you would want to mess with. These are the steps to take apart the pressure washer pump properly.

Gather your things

The first step in taking apart the pressure washer is to gather the proper tools and equipment. You will need an Allen wrench, penetrating oil, socket wrench, flathead screwdriver, and a plier. Besides this equipment, you will also need full gear with safety goggles and gloves. Safety is very important, and ensure you are dismantling your pressure washer at a suitable place in the garage or driveway.

Disconnect everything

Before taking apart your pressure washer pump, disconnect every hose and pipe from it. If you are using an electric pressure washer, then turn off the power supply. Squeeze the trigger to eliminate any pressure build-up and make sure it is completely safe to dismantle.

Loose The Nuts And Bolts

First, you should use the flathead screwdriver to loosen and unscrew the primary screws that hold the pressure washer pump with the motor or engine. Do not remove one screw completely and go to the second. Instead, loosen all the screws together until you can remove them with your hand.

It is very important to do it this way because by removing one or two screws, the weight falls on other screws, which might cause them to bend. You might also need to elevate the pump when removing the last screw because all the weight has fallen. However, you can easily overcome it by elevating it with your hands.

Remove The Base Nuts

The next step will be to remove the base nuts that hold the pressure washer pump to the surface. You must locate and remove them without any complexity or trouble, as they will be used for attaching the new pressure washer pump. Remove them one by one, and the best way to do it is to remove them diagonally. Remove the first screw and then go the third, then the second, and then the fourth.

Remove The Set Screw

There might be a second set of screws that connect the pressure washer pump to the motor, and very few pressure washers will have this feature. Pull the pump off the pressure washer and if you feel any resistance, immediately stop. If there is nothing attached, then you will be able to remove it easily, and if it does not come out, then do not try to apply the force. You will have to remove another set of screws, which might be very tricky. In this case, you will have to use the Allen key to locate and remove them. It will take some time, and patience is the key to this step. Do not apply force, or you will end up bending the screws, which would be a new problem.

Remove The Pump

Now you will need to remove the pump from the pressure washer. Usually, the pump comes out easily without any resistance, but if it resists, you will need to apply force. You will need to apply force but make sure to apply it correctly as if the motor rod gets damaged, and then it will not be easy to bring it out. As soon as you remove the pump, the set screws and key will fall out, and you must secure them separately for later use. Now your pump is removed, you should replace the pressure washer pump because it is unreliable to repair it and will cost nearly the same.

Things To Consider When Taking Apart Your Pressure Washer Pump

Consider several things when taking apart your pressure washer pump if you do not want to damage yourself or other equipment.

  • Ensure that you have completely drained all the water and there is no pressure build-up inside the pressure washer.
  • Detach all the connections from the pressure washer to avoid any mishandling.
  • Make sure you follow all the safety protocols and have working boots to avoid the damage of falling objects.
  • Put on safety goggles and gloves to protect yourself from sharp objects.
  • Do not immediately take apart the pressure washer pump after using it. Instead, wait for some time to let it cool.
  • Do not take apart the pressure washer on any rough surface. Select a solid surface with considerable lighting, and make sure that you can see every screw or nut that falls off the pressure washer.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we have discussed every step in detail about taking apart the pump of the pressure washer. It is better to replace the pump than to repair it because the repaired pump is unreliable and is not recommended to handle the pressure. To take apart the pressure washer, you need to gather your tools, which include an Allen wrench, penetrating oil, socket wrench, flathead screwdriver, and plier. You will need to loosen the screw and remove them one by one and make sure that you do not apply too much force. When you have removed every screw and connection, then you will be able to pull it out. Make sure that you secure everything that comes out of the pump or motor for later use.

 

Jose Kelly
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