Oil for predator powered pressure washer?
- Thread starter John9721
- Start date
Clean and full is the most important thing. Outdoor power equipment in general is pretty forgiving and not picky about the oil you use. A lot of folks will change the oil early to first time to get the break in metal out. The first change or two might be kind of glittery, but that's normal.
Stick with what is recommended. Brand is your decision. It's a pressure washer not a Ferrari.
Those predators come with forbidden glitter in them.
The most excessive break-in procedure I've heard of is run the 1hr and 23minute break-in. Where you put oil in it, run it for 3 minutes, turn it off and change the oil. Run it again for about 20 minutes, change oil. Then run it for an hour or run a full tank of gas through it and change it. Then run it like normal.
The most excessive break-in procedure I've heard of is run the 1hr and 23minute break-in. Where you put oil in it, run it for 3 minutes, turn it off and change the oil. Run it again for about 20 minutes, change oil. Then run it for an hour or run a full tank of gas through it and change it. Then run it like normal.
I put 50wt in mine but I know my pressure washer oil hits at least 280f.
It’s a Harbor Freight pressure washer! Still, we are all about overkilling oil decisions. Definitely do the early drain, and I’d use one of the cheaper synthetics like Kirkland, QS, even Castrol GTX. 0w30. Also, if those brands and weights are not around, use whatever is.
Historically the HF Predators are great engines for the money. I've run them on go karts without problems using pretty much any gas engine oil I had on the shelf including 0W20 and 15W50 syns and 5W30 conventional.
I just bought the same PW from HF. It appears to have a sealed pressure pump. Anyone know how to change the oil on the pump itself?
This is what HF has to say on the matter in their Owner's Manual:
"Pump Maintenance
The Pressure Washer Pump is maintenance free. If any sign of oil leakage is present on or around the Pump, DO NOT operate the Pressure Washer. Have the unit serviced by a qualified technician."
This is what HF has to say on the matter in their Owner's Manual:
"Pump Maintenance
The Pressure Washer Pump is maintenance free. If any sign of oil leakage is present on or around the Pump, DO NOT operate the Pressure Washer. Have the unit serviced by a qualified technician."
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- Dec 20, 2022
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I service two pressure washers. One gets 0w40 SuperTech euro formula from Walmart, the other gets 15w40 SuperTech fully synthetic HDEO. Both work great and are cheap. Change it early and often with whatever 30 or 40 weight you desire. I would always run a full synthetic in these engines, makes no sense not to, especially with the cost of oil nowadays.
I use Rotella T6 5W-40 or M1 TDT 5W-40 in many of my OPE engines. In the generator, I use 15W-50M1. That thing runs at full throttle and gets HOT!
Learned my lesson here in S. Florida. Hard running engines, in ultra hot and humid, stagnant conditions, need quality oil with sufficient viscosity.
Learned my lesson here in S. Florida. Hard running engines, in ultra hot and humid, stagnant conditions, need quality oil with sufficient viscosity.
Pretty much with any small engine, as long as it's atleast nominally 30 grade in viscosity that's all you'll need, although it's generally not advised to run 5w30 conventional in air cooled engines, I usually chuck Xw40 in my engines although I have been tossing 15w50 in stuff lately because I have a ton of it, 15W50 or 20w50 is a great choice for high ambient temps and commercial/continuous operation.
2 weeks ago I used my HF generator for a short power outage we had. I noticed my note on when the oil was last changed it was june 2019. But I do run it to exercise it every month or so. Yesterday I was antsy for something to do so I changed the oil. Out came Mobil one syn oil 5w30, in went the same. The version that is rated for 20k oil changes. The oil oil was dirty, but full. I estimate the oil had 6-7 hours of rum time on it. The biggest pita was draining the oil in a way it doesn't go everywhere, because the frame is in the way of the oil stream. 17 oz's later , good for another 6 years.,,
If it sees a little bit of run time I recommend no more than 4 or 5 years. Oil gets weird after it's been ran even a little after several years.
Mobil1 is likely just about the best choice for oxidization resistance.
