Husqvarna pressure washer wont spray

tim1

New Member
I got a deal on a Husqvarna 3300 pressure washer. I did a couple needed repairs and attempted to use the washer. When the engine is running at full (or any other position) throttle and I squeeze the wand handle the motor dies almost instantly. I have had success using only the soap applicator tip. I hope someone can guide me in the right direction. I am also looking for a repair manual for this pressure washer.

Thank you
 

archie_MN

Moderator
A bunch of possibilities there. The engine works the hardest the moment you pull the trigger, kind of like stomping the gas pedal in your truck. If either your pump or your engine are constricted, that'd be the moment it would kill.

Off the top of my head, I'd guess it's been a while since it was run and the carb's filthy. Easiest way to clean it is to add twice the recommended amount of Seamfoam to the gas. Pop off the gun and let the water run through at low pressure for a good 15-20 minutes. Top it off with fresh gas and fire it up.

If that doesn't work, what repairs did you do?


Here's the manual:
Husqvarna PW3300 Manual
 

tim1

New Member
I did a complete rebuild of the carb, so its clean and ready to go. Had to replace the solenoid and redo some of the wiring for the electric start, changed the oil in both the motor and pump. I had it spraying water through the soap applicator tip for over 20 minutes. I keep thinking it is a pump problem.
 

Mark

Moderator / Sponsor
I suspect you may need a "new carb".
Engine runs when not under load, but cuts out or dies under load,
does not sound like a pump problem, sounds more like a carb problem.
It is extremely difficult to clean out all ports, jets etc. in small carbs.

We are seeing a lot of carb problems due to ethanol in gasoline,
ethanol .

Gas with ethanol can make small engines fail

Automakers warn new ethanol mandate could damage vehicles | Fox News

DID YOU KNOW?
Gasoline goes stale in about 30 days, and stale gas can lead to component failures and costly repairs
90% of all fuel sold in the U.S. is an ethanol blend
The right fuel treatment.
From the small engine experts.

Fuel Additive | Fuel Stabilizer | Briggs & Stratton

16 OZ Concentrate New.jpg
 

tim1

New Member
The pressure washer has less than 3 hours of run time and was stored with no gas in the tank and the carb was run dry when it was last used. I really doubt it is a carb issue. If I use the soap spray tip it will run forever, or until it runs out of gas. Maybe I need to take it to the shop to get the issue resolved. The oil in the pump was contaminated with water when I got it out of the shed. That is what makes me believe it is a pump issue. The is a know on the pump that should be free turning so you can adjust the pump pressure, this know will not budge.
 

archie_MN

Moderator
Sorry it took me a few days to get back to you Tim. It could be the pump, but its pretty unlikely.
Mark's probably right, somewhere along the way, your fuel line is gelled. I run standard gas in my Honda commercial engines because I've never had an issue with the gas gelling in them. I run non-oxy in all the others (ryobi, stihl, even deere)
It wouldn't be the electric start, it pretty much sits idle once you're running. If your not sure, you can pop a terminal off the battery once its running. (BE CAREFUL! DC current is no joke!)
Did you try the Seafoam thing? If you took it into a small engine repair shop, that's probably where they'd start. They'd call it "cleaning your carb," and charge you $50 or more for it. Another option is do the same process with the stabilizer Mark recommended mixed 50/50 with fresh gas.
Could also be you're not getting a good spark. Check the plug for gap and spark. You might even need to sand the contacts a bit. If you're still not sure, a spark tester is like $10 and a plug is like $5.
 

tim1

New Member
Well I gave up trying to figure out what was wrong and took it to a repair shop. They got into trouble shooting the issue and found that the crankcase gasket has gone bad, which is causing it to loose compression. So it runs fine at idle or wide open throttle but when put under the extra pressure from the pump it shuts the motor down. I am going to pick it up today and see about ordering a new crankcase gasket. The shop wants $120 to install the gasket, that's something I can do for the cost of the gasket and a few hours of work. Thanks for all your recommendations. I will let you know how it goes.
 

Clean County

New Member
That very well may solve your problem and hopefully it does. If it doesn't I would check the push rods to see if anyone of them are bent which can also can cause low compression. I had this problem in one of my engines yrs go and the symptoms were very similar to yours.
 

tim1

New Member
The repair shop said it needed a crankcase gasket before they would look at the pump, their cost 120. I picked it up and ordered the gasket and replaced it. Yesterday I tore the pump down a little and cleaned the pressure regulator adjusting knob. Now it will spray but it is not building any real pressure. I believe someone went into the pump a little further than I did and has it put together improperly. Going to investigate today.
 

tim1

New Member
Does anyone have a repair manual for this pressure washer? It is a Husqvarna Pressure Washer 3300psi. model 020524-00. I found a illustrated parts list but cannot find a repair manual. Sure hope someone can help me out.
 

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