Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Craftsman pressure washer quits

I have a Craftsman 6 HP 2,300 PSI 2.0 GPM Model 580.752300 that has worked great for about 4 years and perfectly last time out.

This time, I had problems....

1. started quickly as always
2. pressured up and ran fine for few minutes, then died
3. will not start w/o choke, engaged choke, started fine, have to turn off choke immediately or engine will die again
4. pressured up and ran fine for few minutes, then died again
over and over and over....

When it dies it sound like it's not getting fuel and sputters out.
At idle, it cycles up and down normally.
Pressure and water flow seem fine when operating
Doesn't seem to have a fuel filter that could be clogged
Air filter is clean
Doesn't seem to be water in the gas
Sometimes, on the 1st pull on restart, there is more resistance than usual, but this is not always the case

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated :)

thanks

Sounds like water or trash in the carb.

Does it have a low oil safety switch???

I am not an expert but I have 3 pressure washers and I have different stuff go wrong with them every year or so
then I service them.

This is what I do know. It will always be harder to start on the first pull after it has been running
because the water pressure is built up in the pump. When it cuts off and you have to restart it pull the
handle and release the pressure then it will be much easier.

For the not starting part, If you have not serviced it in the past 6 months it's time.
rather then messing around with each thing and wondering what is it just do these 2 things at one time and
be done with it.

Pressure washers normally fault a spark plug ever 6 months so replace that,for rule they sometimes have
a filter in the tank it's self or in the line to the carb or not at all. I just had to clean the carb on mine,
the dirt and gunk that is very very small, will settle in the bottom of your float bowl. Which in the bottom
round bowl on the bottom of the carb, the junk in there will clog up the jets that shoot the fuel into the head.

That is probabally why it runs and then cuts off when the debree gets stuck in the jet and won't suck through.

So there is only 2 things that can go wrong fuel, or spark, because you said the air was good
So replace your plug then clean the carborator then it will work all most guaranteed I do it all the time.
Here watch this video it will tell you exactly what to do

THIS GUY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM YOU DO
YouTube - briggs & stratton carburetor with no fuel flow (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEQDAbglGN8)

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I am going to pull the carb apart and see if there's anything in there (water, trash, etc) and look at the plug this weekend...

* I took carb off, wasn't really dirty, but cleaned very well anyway..put back on and....no changes....

The engine will now run almost constantly with choke all the way on...when I turn off choke, engine dies....will start right back up, but dies again...BUT..if I let it sit for a few minutes, it starts and works w/o choke for a while..then after a 3 minutes or so, will die if I don't use choke...I am thinking it has something to do with the float not fully releasing that needle and not allowing fuel into the bowl...once I let it sit, I am thinking the bowl fills up with fuel and runs fine until fuel level in bowl drops enough to request needle to let more fuel in, but it is not fully unseating and using choke pull a little, but not enough to let fuel back in...

any ideas?

You should check the valve clearances,, as when the engine heats up & everything expands,, It holds the valve open,, Also make sure you have spark right till the end... Roger

Start by loosening the gas cap when it begins to die. If it starts running right again, the vent in the cap is bad. If not, remove the fuel line from the carb end and verify that it is flowing freely to the carb.

I've run quite a lot of carb cleaner through the engine and it will now run constantly and 1/2 throttle...if I open up to full throttle, it will eventually die unless I throttle back.....on 1st tank after cleaning carb, it would only run constant on choke, then at min throttle, now at 1/2, I expect it will work at full by next tank or so.....carb really wasn't very dirty, but maybe the jets were clogged and I just couldn't tell.....

I'll take a look at cap vent, but when I drained fuel tank, gas flowed very freely...I think the problem is inside the carb..probably between the fuel intake and the bowl..

Ok, if gas was flowing freely with the cap on, then the problem is in the carb still. Did you clean out the tiny holes in the bowl screw?

yes....ran a very thin wire through the holes

any idea on how how can I clean out the inlet hole to the carb...fairly large opening, but takes 90 degree turn into a very small hole that goes into the bowl....I think this is where my problem is

Blow it out with a compressor, or use a pipe cleaner?