Karcher K2 pressure washer problem

[Rivendell]

I was pressure washing the walls of my house yesterday. I’d been at it for an hour or so when suddenly the motor started to scream at very high revs, but the water pressure fell to zero. Turned off the machine. With the motor stopped, water flows through the system and out of the hose nozzle hose. Inlet filter is clear. However, when I turn the switch on, rather than the motor rev and then stop (waiting for the trigger pull to restart it), it revs/screams at far higher revs than normal (like it’s about to explode!). I’ve no idea what type of pump is in there, but it’s as if the paddles have been removed and the spindle is just spinning like mad without getting any ‘traction’ with the water. Any ideas gratefully received - the machine is a few years old now and doesn’t owe me anything, but thought I’d check for an easy fix before a trip to the tip. Thank you! 

 

[Tel]

Sounds like the coupling between the motor and pump has let go.
Should be a cheap and easy DIY fix.

Modern hp washers unless Pro, aren't built to last long periods of use.

 

[Rivendell]

Thanks Tel. Could be a Sunday project.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Search ‘Karcher K2 pump’ on eBay and lots of various parts and designs show up.
Once stripped you can identify what bits fell apart from shaft, gears, etc. and fix if for £20

If not confined to home I’d bin but it's an hours fun to pull apart and satisfying if you do fix it

 

[Rivendell]

If not confined to home I’d bin but it's an hours fun to pull apart and satisfying if you do fix it

Thanks cj10jeeper. My thoughts entirely!

 

[Rivendell]

Well, I’ve dismantled it. Using all my technical knowhow, I have diagnosed that it is officially buggered. Loads of swarf and bits of gearbox in the pump. Plenty of spares on eBay though as previously suggested, so I’m now in search of the right gearbox and pump assembly. It’s fixable (my wife thinks I’m mad).

 

[cj10jeeper]

Excellent - what a great way to waste half a day of the lock down

 

[scm]

... my wife thinks I’m mad ...

Apparently, it takes one to know one.

 

[PussCat]

Sorry to see it was unfixable, though I do see there are various K2 pumps on the bay.

My K2 started springing water from inside last year. Once I got inside (long thin star or torx required), I found it was the pump outlet elbow, which was leaking.

I repaired the leak with epoxy, but the £5 'bay' replacement arrived before the epoxy had cured, so I put that in.

 

[ianp]

I seem to have entered an alternative reality forum, should my F-type have a Karcher? How about we invent some ventilators too!

 

[cj10jeeper]

Sorry to see it was unfixable, though I do see there are various K2 pumps on the bay.

I don't think Rivendell has stated it to be unfixable. He was on the hunt for ebay parts in the last post.
It cannot yet be declared dead

 

[Timbo]

You can pick a new one up for about 80 quid.

 

[Sir Jagalot]

Firstly, did you leave it in your garage over winter? Water can be retained in parts of the motor, and if it freezes, will probably break the motor when it thaws.
Also, I heard that Karcher use primarily plastic parts in their motor. That's why I use a Nilfisk, which uses metal motor parts. It's never let me down yet after many years.

 

[Fez]

Karcher washers have changed over 15 years or so. I have a little k2 which is approaching at least 15yrs if not more. Its weight is about 10 times that of current entry models. It lives in the shed all year and to stop it freezing I just discount hoses and run for 10secs which pumps out any remaining water.

 

[Tel]

Karcher washers have changed over 15 years or so. I have a little k2 which is approaching at least 15yrs if not more. Its weight is about 10 times that of current entry models. It lives in the shed all year and to stop it freezing I just discount hoses and run for 10secs which pumps out any remaining water.

I have a KEW Professional from 1990 - All metal, cost me £350 brand spankers. Replaced a few o-rings over the years, it still goes on and produces 1500 psi all day.

Sadly, everything is cheapie plastic and chuck away rather than service and maintain...

 

[Rivendell]

My Karcher is definitely not dead! I am still on the hunt for the right bit on eBay and I will, at some point, post a picture of me snow foaming my F type having brought it back to life (hopefully). My model is old and therefore I will definitely not be diverting modern resources from inventing ventilators, facemasks or any other coronavirus paraphernalia. In even less interesting news, I fitted a new mudguard to my bike today, which I am now celebrating with a pint.

 

[Rivendell]

So, after a successful search, I found the bits on eBay (new pinion and nylon gears). Another half day of lockdown spent reassembling and I was back up and running for a tenner. If it hadn’t been for Covid, this would have been on the tip!

 

[Jaguandy]

Well done. It's always good to see repairs rather than total replacement. Lovely car, too.

 

[Anonymous]

Congrats, it’s always a good feeling bringing something back to life!

My sander just gave up the ghost and the plastic gears inside had completely stripped, sadly I just bought a new one as they are so cheap now, probably get another 7 or 8 years before I’ll be buying another :roll:

 

[cj10jeeper]

Glad you fixed it. It’s so easy to just buy another and appreciate that owners of F Types generally don’t have time or inclination to do so but it’s so satisfying when things fire up

Working on my chipper/shredder this week if the parts arrive. Can’t believe a complete new carb for the 15hp engine is only £15 posted.. Wife thinks I’m crazy as we don’t use it now as most of the trees and bushes have long since been chipped and shredded.
She’ll never understand...