If you have been using pressure washers for some time, you will relate to the following scenario! Imagine you’re trying to pressure wash some mold from your driveway. But the pressure washer pumps keep leaking pump oil!
No matter how hard you try to minimize oil leaks, this is a widespread and recurring problem with most pressure washers. However, the main reason behind leaking oil is the absence of proper and timely maintenance!
To keep your washers working correctly, you must perform proper maintenance, regularly check the oil seals, and change the broken seals! You would be amazed how many people forget to carry out essential pressure washer maintenance!
However, this is a straightforward problem to fix. That’s why the exact causes of a pressure washer leaking oil, the preventative maintenance measures, and how to fix an oil leak are explained here. Keep reading below to find out more.
The Causes Of Pressure Washer Oil Leakage
There are various reasons behind leaking oil. Try to find the problem with your pressure washer from the characteristics of the leak.
Broken Or Worn Out Seals
Every pressure washer has two oil seals. The first seal is on the front and another on the back of the pump. After a long period of usage without maintenance, these seals may break or wear out.
Worn-out or broken seals can not contain the oil pressure, and it’s time to change your seal.
If the seals inside are broken, you will find foamy-milky oil coming out. However, if the oil is leaking from the seams, the seal on the outside is causing the problem.
Weather Conditions
This might sound weird to you but hear me out! Weather conditions, too, can cause power washer oil leaks! Because the internal components and openings may contract or expand in contrast to the temperature!
So, as the temperature rises and the openings expand, you may see some oil leak. Also, as the gaskets or seals are usually rubber components, they might break if exposed to extreme cold or hot temperatures.
So, high humidity might cause the seals to expand and contract, eventually leading to oil leakage. This is primarily true for washers because water and oils are kept together separately.
Improper Maintenance
This is probably the easiest fix among all the problems that may lead to an oil leak. If you see continuous oil leaks immediately after you performed maintenance, your pressure washer probably has some loose filter components!
Try to tighten the diesel filter, air filter, and machine filter properly if you see oil leaks from the filter region.
These are the common causes of a pressure pump leaking oil. Now let us take a look at how to repair a leaking pump.
How To Repair Pressure Washer Pump Leaking Oil? Top Three Things To Follow
Repairing an oil leakage in a pressure washer pump is relatively easy. You don’t need any professional help unless the pump itself is damaged. So, follow the guidelines below to select your pressure washer pump leakage.
Buy An Oil Seal Kit For Your Pressure Washer
Oil seal kits are a collection of different seals of various required sizes. Purchasing a single seal can be very costly. That’s why most manufacturers offer kits. So, you need to find an oil seal kit compatible with your pressure washer.
Also, replace the water seal kit with it for longevity. Because it is not just oil that leaks, water also leaks with the oil.
Using The Right Seal
Inadequate maintenance is one of the biggest reasons for washer pump problems. Most mechanics won’t even use the correct size seal for the washer.
As you already know the problems caused by humidity and weather, you will quickly understand the issues of using the wrong seal because most power washer pump manufacturers keep thermal expansion in mind while designing their products.
That’s why using the proper seal can easily counter the weather effects on your pressure washer. This will also tighten your pump properly and counter any oil spillage.
Check Regularly and Replace Broken seals
Now you probably know how a broken or worn-out seal can leak oil. Manufacturers use these seals only to prevent engine oil from leaking. That’s why these are very important to check and maintain properly.
If you can open your pressure washer and check the oil seals, do that regularly. Also, replace the seals if you think they are too worn out. However, some manufacturers ensure that average users can not maintain their pumps.
If your pressure washer pump is like that, you may need to call a regular mechanic!
How To Prevent Pressure Washer Leaking Oil
They say prevention is better than cure! So, here are some tips to prevent your pressure washer pump from leaking oil!
Using Non-Detergent Oil
A pressure washer is a mechanical device that is very much susceptible to mechanical wear. That’s why pumps use lubricating oil to minimize wear. So, use proper lubricating oil for your pressure washer pump.
Also, you should use non-detergent oil because pumps are non-critical gasoline engines. So, they do not require detergent oil. Detergent oils might damage the pump by drawing dirt from the pump walls. This will lead to dirt accumulation inside the pump.
Avoiding The Extremes
A pressure washer usually has many oil seals. These are traditionally rubber components. Temperature fluctuations affect rubber massively, and exposure to extreme weather for an extended period will cause seals to lose integrity and break.
It would be best if you always avoided extreme hot or cold temperatures with your pressure washer.
Regular Maintenance
As already mentioned, only regular maintenance can help prevent your pressure washer from leaking oil. Gasoline pressure washer pumps need regular maintenance to perform without issues.
However, you may buy an electric washer if you do not want to allocate that much maintenance. Although electric pressure washers also have some oil on the pump.
FAQ- Frequently Asked Questions
Do pressure washer pumps have oil in them?
Yes. Pressure washer pumps have oil in them.
Most pressure washing pumps use non-detergent oils of up to 5 oz per pump. Most pressure washers also use spraying oil lubricants. This involves rotating dippers to release oil in pistons or cylinders.
Why is the pressure washer pump oil milky and white?
The oil is white and milky because there is water mixed with the oil. There might be various reasons behind that. Some are excessive humidity, damaged oil seal, damaged water seal, cracked plungers, damaged heat exchanger, etc.
So, try to figure out the exact cause by reexamining the oil seal and other components.
How much oil should I put in a pressure washer pump?
Usually, a pressure washer needs 5 Oz of oil. So, a single bottle is sufficient for an oil change.
Can you clean an oil filter?
Yes. Oil filters can be cleaned and reused on any filtration system. However, the filter can get reused if it is passed through filter usage or fluid management analysis.
So, if you want to clean and reuse an oil filter on your pressure washer, you may go ahead.
How do I check if my pressure washer pump is bad?
Some indicators point towards a faulty pump. The most common are low output pressure, fluctuating output pressure, oil leak, etc.
So, if you see your pressure washer leaking oil or having low pressure, you should find some problems with the pressure washer pump.
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