Pressure Washer issue (pump oil vs. engine oil)

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First post here, so take it easy on me!
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Glad to be here though, looks like a great community.


Ok, so I unpack and assemble a new B&S 3000psi Pressure Washer and the thing looks great. The manual said it did not have any oil from the factory, so I should add SAE 30. I checked, and it clearly had oil in it. I figured it was a store model, and perhaps had been tested, so to be on the safe side I changed the oil and put in SAE 30 Engine Oil.

That's where I messed up terribly. And where I wince at the embarrassment this causes.

What I had changed was the pump oil. The engine was dry, so I filled that with the SAE 30, but now I'm afraid to start the thing due to the pump oil being SAE30 Engine Oil, and not the recommended SAE30 non-detergent Pump Oil.

Am I ok with the SAE 30 Engine Oil? Or, can this be fixed with a simple change back to the pump oil? Or... have I ruined it before I even got it started?

Total bonehead move on my part, but I hope it's fixable.
 
Honestly I doubt you'd hurt anything running the SAE 30, but for peace of mind I'd change it back to whats recommended and you should be fine!
 
I can't see where the detergents in a regular SAE30 would harm the pump unit. More likely the added detergents could actually be beneficial, maybe protecting the pump better.

You're probably totally fine :p
 
Originally Posted By: RiceCake
I can't see where the detergents in a regular SAE30 would harm the pump unit. More likely the added detergents could actually be beneficial, maybe protecting the pump better.

You're probably totally fine :p
nd oil won't't mix with water like detergent oil will
 
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Personally, I would not run it with regular 30W oil. Why?
Because of the pump design. With camshaft splashing oil to lube the pump, it will cause bubbles and froth to form in the oil. Bubbles/froth will be worse with detergents. And oil bubbles don't lube well and could lead to pump failure.

I would drain the regular engine oil out and pour in ND oil. It cost only your time and $2.50 a quart at wallie world or you can go synthetic for about $6 a quart.
 
Thanks guys. I'll run out tomorrow afternoon and grab some pump oil and replace it accordingly. Glad to know it shouldn't be harmed so long as I change it to Manufacturer's Rec. before starting it up.
 
If it were my unit, I'd probably drain the incorrect oil - fill with the proper type- run unit for a short period-drain and refill again, just to insure that there's a minimum amount of incorrect oil in that pump. Hey, it's cheap enough for the peace of mind you'll get, especially if there's any warranty issues later on.
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