Hot rod pressure washer

I have a 3.5 horse pressure washer with a dead pump. Vertical shaft.

I also have a spare 14.5 horse vertical shaft briggs from a riding mower.

I want to build a hot rod pressure washer. Something that will strip lates paint from wood. Something that will get oil stains out of concrete. Something that will cut 1/4 plate steel with a zero degree nozzle. Something that will cut a toe off of im wearing sandals. You know, a good pressure washer that doesn't suck.

Im cheap. I see a whole bunch of inexpensive (sub $150) pumps on ebay. I know guys here have done this. I am pretty sure that someone will have the knowledge to tell me what to order, which engine to use, and what other parts ill need.

So, hive, help me build darwins pressure washer, with complete disregard to common sense and safety.

I have no idea how to do this but it sounds like your pressure washer would have a good shot at winning the "percentage increase" category at the next GRM Dyno day.

And I want to see pics.

My only advise is remember to look at the ratings of all the components. Oh. And I have a 3500 psi washer and I just grazed my hand with it. I how have a perminant scar above my left thumb about three inches long that looks like the Nike running shoe symbol. Never underestimate the power of a non compressible fluid.

The trick is pressure and volume both. I have this one.

http://www.pressurewasherauthority.com/item--pressure-washer-pumps--general-pump-tsf2021.html

8 gpm and 3500 psi. But I run it hydraulically off a 35 hp diesel which is only just large enough. I would hazard a guess that with 14 hp you can run maybe 3500 or 4000 psi with 3 or 4 gpm. That will be a nice pressure washer but it won't cut a rubber boot. Conversely, you can sacrifice volume for pressure and cut stuff but you wouldn't have the volume to do a nice job of your patio.

In reply to bearmtnmartin:

So essentially the best compromise between cleaning and stripping would be a 3500 psi at 3-4 gpm?

Any of the ebay pumps hit that?

I built one once with a used pump and a Harbor Freight engine.

It would cut a door in half.

It would also strip paint, but not without taking the first layer of wood with it.

I'm laughing because I was going to start a "Hotrod my Sandblaster" thread this morning.

I could dig a hot rod sandblaster.

Ebay pumps. Found a 2gpm at 3000 psi for right around 100 bucks. Id that the droid i am looking for?

Foegot i also have a honda horizontal shaft gx390 as well.....

I have too much crap.

I vote 3hp electric motor. My FIL has a 5hp one from a car wash and it is WAY more powerful than the 5hp gas one I have (duh, I know). It is really nice to just flip a switch and start washing.

I dunno. A few weeks back my trusty old Excell washer (2,500 psi) broke its connecting rod (12 years out of a 6.75 Briggs motor is all it had I guess).

Yesterday I went to HD and bought a Ryobi 2800 psi at 2.3 GPM (Honda powered) and am honestly....underwhelmed. I just doesn't feel like it's achieving the potential it should.

Exactly why im going roll your own. Ive never used a homeowner grade pressure washer that felt like it lived up to its potential.

The honda has a 1 inch output shaft and 11.5 horsepower. Seems like a good idea.

Toyman01 wrote: I built one once with a used pump and a Harbor Freight engine. It would cut a door in half. It would also strip paint, but not without taking the first layer of wood with it.

Any specs on the pump? This looks like what im wanting.

And why belt drive?

See I'm just an idiot here, but I feel this device needs a "don't turn my E36 M3 into splinters" mode.

Toyman01 wrote: I built one once with a used pump and a Harbor Freight engine. It would cut a door in half. It would also strip paint, but not without taking the first layer of wood with it.

Holy shIT that made me LOL

Didn't read all, but it you build it, put the name Binford on it.

Commercially available 14hp units seem to be 4GPM@4000, pumps that size don't come in vertical, but they do come as low as $235 for a horizontal unit. So you'd need to run a belt with a 90* twist (an acceptable practice) and a stub shaft in the pump with a pillow block bearing supporting the end, and hope your wand and hose don't blow at that pressure or upgrade those as well.

Or gang up two $60 pumps and see how long they live with the regulator springs shimmed for more pressure.

Or do the boring thing and just replace the dead pump on the assembled one you have.

In reply to BrokenYugo:

Since i have a 1 inch output shaft horizontal engine available, how much difference will the 2.5 horsepower make? That one is an 11.5 honda i had planned to use on a cyclecart.

You'd have to back the regulator adjuster off until it quit bogging down, I would guess you'd end up with something like 3300-3500 psi.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Any specs on the pump? This looks like what im wanting. And why belt drive?

The pump came from Bosch during one of their auctions. IIRC, it had a 7hp, 3 phase, electric motor on it. It's huge. Maybe 4500 psi and 5-6 gpm. I'm really not sure.

It was belt driven when I got it, so that was the easy button for gas power as well.

The HF engine didn't really like driving it, but it would as long as you held the trigger down. As soon as you turned it loose, the engine would stall.

The engine ended up in a golf cart and the pump is sitting on a shelf in the shop. I keep meaning to hook it up to my 25 hp Kubota diesel, but haven't found a house I need to cut down yet.

spitfirebill wrote: Didn't read all, but it you build it, put the name Binford on it.

6100 Series

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hLnFdYt4yZw?ecver=2

In reply to Toyman01:

If you want to sell it, i know a guy.....

Keep in mind, it's a heavy bastard so shipping may be pretty pricey. The pump body is almost 12" from the head to the bottom of the crank case and the cast iron pulley is almost 7".

It also probably needs a relief valve. I never could get it to release, no matter how loose I adjusted it.

Let me find out what shipping will be, you add $25 to that, and I'll send it to you.

I'll never use it and I hate to throw it out.

Do you ever run with ccrscca up in concord? Save hassle for both of us to get it at an autocross....

In reply to Dusterbd13:

I don't. I usually stick to the SCR events on the coast. That could change, but probably not this season.