I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. I could get it started again, but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. The new one showed the same behavior! Am I doing
something wrong? What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

"Ben" wrote in message
...
I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. I could get it started again, but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. The new one showed the same behavior! Am I doing
something wrong? What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

On Jul 19, 4:56*pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:
"Ben" wrote in message

...



I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. *I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. *However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. *I could get it started again, *but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. *The new one showed the same behavior! *Am I doing
something wrong? *What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? Weird...

Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

...




I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. I could get it started again, but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. The new one showed the same behavior! Am I doing
something wrong? What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....


That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Jul 19, 4:57*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

....

I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. *I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. *However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. *I could get it started again, *but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. *The new one showed the same behavior! *Am I doing
something wrong? *What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? *Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. *If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Defects run in batches. Like an unhappy employee screwed the Co. or
drank Tequlia. I never rebuy my return from a same batch .......Alot
of chinese **** is sold here everyday

On Jul 19, 5:57*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

....

I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. *I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. *However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. *I could get it started again, *but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. *The new one showed the same behavior! *Am I doing
something wrong? *What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? *Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. *If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel

This seems to have worked! I started it again and it conked out after
a couple of minutes. I then loosened the gas cap...same thing. I
then took the cap off altogether and everything seemed to run fine!
It continued to work after I put the cap back on. Strange! I hope I
don't have to do such nonsense every time...

Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 5:57 pm, Nate Nagel wrote:

Ben wrote:

On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

...

I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. I could get it started again, but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. The new one showed the same behavior! Am I doing
something wrong? What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel


This seems to have worked! I started it again and it conked out after
a couple of minutes. I then loosened the gas cap...same thing. I
then took the cap off altogether and everything seemed to run fine!
It continued to work after I put the cap back on. Strange! I hope I
don't have to do such nonsense every time...

Well, now you need to find out why the tank isn't venting so you don't
have to do this. Does it appear that the gas cap should be vented, or
is there a seperate vent?

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Ben" wrote in message
...
On Jul 19, 5:57 pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

...

I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. I could get it started again, but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. The new one showed the same behavior! Am I doing
something wrong? What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If
yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for
fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel

This seems to have worked! I started it again and it conked out after
a couple of minutes. I then loosened the gas cap...same thing. I
then took the cap off altogether and everything seemed to run fine!
It continued to work after I put the cap back on. Strange! I hope I
don't have to do such nonsense every time...

Glad that worked. I was going to say that it might be the gas shut off
valve. I bought a tiller that would run for about 30 seconds and stop.
After the first 3 times I looked and found I was turning the gas cut off
valve the wrong way.

"Ben" wrote in message

....
Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water
comes through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve,
pull out choke, start, and push in choke.

My power washer has always been hard to start after I stop it to refill
the gas tank. I would pull for five minutes, then let it^H^Hme rest for
five, then *maybe* it would start. (This is not impressive for
customers who are paying by the hour.)

I recently discovered that if I turn the water off at the faucet and
relieve the pressure in the hose, it starts right up. Apparantly the
motor doesn't have enough power to get up to steady state if it's
simultaneously trying to pump water into a closed hose.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

On Jul 19, 6:56*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Ben wrote:
On Jul 19, 5:57 pm, Nate Nagel wrote:

Ben wrote:

On Jul 19, 4:56 pm, "J.H. Holliday" doc@okcorral wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

...

I just bought a Troy Bilt model 020344 pressure washer and pulled it
out to clean the siding on my house. *I followed all the steps and it
started on the first pull. *However, after a minute or two, the engine
started pulsing and then stalled. *I could get it started again, *but
it would basically die again right away.

Since I just bought it, I brought the unit back, returned it, and got
another one. *The new one showed the same behavior! *Am I doing
something wrong? *What would account for this symptom in two new
units?

Here are the steps I followed: check oil and gas, run water through
the hose for 30 second, connect water hose and high pressure hose to
the washer, turn on water, pull trigger on spray gun until water comes
through steadily, turn on engine switch, open fuel valve, pull out
choke, start, and push in choke.

Help!!

Are you using the same gas from the same gas can on the new unit? If yes,
maybe it's bad and the culprit....

That's a good idea---I'll try new gas (although the can was filled 1
wk ago).

Also, if the gas were bad, would the engine run for a couple of
minutes before stalling? *Weird...

Loosen the gas cap. *If the tank isn't vented properly it'll starve for fuel

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel

This seems to have worked! *I started it again and it conked out after
a couple of minutes. *I then loosened the gas cap...same thing. *I
then took the cap off altogether and everything seemed to run fine!
It continued to work after I put the cap back on. *Strange! *I hope I
don't have to do such nonsense every time...

Well, now you need to find out why the tank isn't venting so you don't
have to do this. *Does it appear that the gas cap should be vented, or
is there a seperate vent?

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I'll take a look to see what I can find out. But I did put the cap
back on and it continued to work, so it must have been venting
appropriately at that point. Maybe it was vapor locking
somehow...after all, it was about 94 degrees outside here today.

Sounds to me like it's just a little cold blooded. Perhaps a bit of choke
after it's running will help. Although my troy bilt does not even have a
choke.


s


"Ben" wrote in message
...


This seems to have worked! I started it again and it conked out after
a couple of minutes. I then loosened the gas cap...same thing. I
then took the cap off altogether and everything seemed to run fine!
It continued to work after I put the cap back on. Strange! I hope I
don't have to do such nonsense every time...

On Jul 19, 8:51*pm, "Steve Barker DLT"
wrote:
Sounds to me like it's just a little cold blooded. *Perhaps a bit of choke
after it's running will help. *Although my troy bilt does not even have a
choke.

Good thought, but it's hard to reconcile with the fact that it ran for
a couple of minutes just fine before stalling.

Well, I couldn't get the darn thing to work no matter what I tried---
fresh gas, loosening the gas cap. Every time both the original and
the replacement would stall after a couple of minutes of use. I'm
returning the thing and looking for a different model! Any
recommendations? This is mostly for cleaning vinyl siding on a raised
ranch (max height about 20').

-Ben

Ben wrote:

Well, I couldn't get the darn thing to work no matter what I tried---
fresh gas, loosening the gas cap. Every time both the original and
the replacement would stall after a couple of minutes of use. I'm
returning the thing and looking for a different model! Any
recommendations? This is mostly for cleaning vinyl siding on a raised
ranch (max height about 20').

Vinyl siding is pretty light work. If that's all you'll ever use it
for, get an electric model.

Mine is an Excel, and it works OK. I finally learned to turn off the
water at the tap and release the pressure in the hose before restarting.

Your problem sounds like the choke is not turning off after the engine
warms up. Does yours have an automatic choke?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

On Aug 3, 2:51*pm, Ben wrote:
Well, I couldn't get the darn thing to work no matter what I tried---
fresh gas, loosening the gas cap. *Every time both the original and
the replacement would stall after a couple of minutes of use. *I'm
returning the thing and looking for a different model! *Any
recommendations? *This is mostly for cleaning vinyl siding on a raised
ranch (max height about 20').

-Ben

Does it have a low oil cutoff switch, if so try overfilling it a few
ounces, or pull plug wire to see if its got spark just after it dies.
Are you sure the choke actualy comes off since its after it is warmed
it dies, You have to remove the air filter to look at the choke, if I
choke motors they die when hot. If you get a new one it will likely be
the same batch, If you have a little squirt bottle after it dies
squirt in gas to see if its a gas issue. Its gas or ignition, To die
when hot also indicates a bad ignition module.

Ben wrote:
Well, I couldn't get the darn thing to work no matter what I tried---
fresh gas, loosening the gas cap. Every time both the original and
the replacement would stall after a couple of minutes of use. I'm
returning the thing and looking for a different model! Any
recommendations? This is mostly for cleaning vinyl siding on a raised
ranch (max height about 20').

-Ben

big soft bristle brush on a pole. spray orange cleaner on with a hose
end sprayer. let sit for 5 pr 10. don't let dry. scrub lightly with
brush in several directions if possible. let sit a while longer adding
solution if needed to keep wet. rinse.

replying to SteveB, KPLLOYD wrote:
respond wrote:

"Ben" wrote in message

...
My power washer has always been hard to start after I stop it to refill
the gas tank. I would pull for five minutes, then let it^H^Hme rest for
five, then *maybe* it would start. (This is not impressive for
customers who are paying by the hour.)
I recently discovered that if I turn the water off at the faucet and
relieve the pressure in the hose, it starts right up. Apparantly the
motor doesn't have enough power to get up to steady state if it's
simultaneously trying to pump water into a closed hose.



KP I found that depressing the trigger helps for restarting the engine
--


--