Gas-powered pressure washer pump stuttering


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Old 07-15-14, 09:44 AM
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Gas-powered pressure washer pump stuttering

I have a typical direct-drive gas-powered pressure washer--a Campbell Hausfeld 3200psi with Annovi Reverberi pump. A problem this season is short stutters in the output. Too brief to be engine related, the engine reacts to the pressure changes but isn't causing them.

I assume the pump head has piston(s) that do the pumping--what could cause the pressure to drop out rapidly--and even quit to the point of just being a gentle mist from time to time?

Incoming water seems to be steady, no leaks or other pso found.
 
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Old 07-15-14, 12:09 PM
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Sounds like air in your hose or water line. If you are using a long hose, it can take a long time to get all the air out.
 
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Old 07-15-14, 02:02 PM
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I like to run the water thru the system until it comes out of the tip with no sputtering, just a clear steady stream of water before I crank it up.
 
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Old 07-16-14, 06:20 AM
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I know how air in the line behaves--I would get puffs of air out the nozzle and it's more of an interruption than a quick pressure drop.

I'm going to have to take it apart. Looking at diagrams online I assumed the engine & pump were connected by a keyed shaft. Yesterday I checked the setscrew and it was backed way out. It won't tighten--just seems to go into a void and run out of thread. Maybe I don't have a key in there, the shaft is chewed up or something that's allowing it to slip.
 
 

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