Pressure Washer wont stay running

[emory]

It has a 5.5 hp 'Wen Power" OHC engine. I was pressure washing last week and it just died. Kinda sounded like it was running out of gas(tank was half full). It would not restart. I tried it again this today. It started, ran about 2 seconds and died. I can keep it running by spraying engine starting fluid in the carb. I drained the gas tank. Added fresh stuff. I know gas is getting through the hose to the carb. I disconnected the line going to the carb and gas ran out. There are two small tanks, one is silver one is gold. The silver receives gas straight from the tank and is full. Nothing comes out of the gold tank. I'm thinking it's starved for gas, seeing as I can keep it running with the starting fluid. Any ideas on what could be going on?

Here are pics of the small tanks. http://k9cisco.com/pressure.aspx

 

[flatlandtacoma]

That's not OHC. It is OHV, a Chinese knockoff of a Honda GX160.

The "silver tank" is a strainer/sediment trap. Dump and rinse out with gas, make sure it is clean.

The "gold tank" is the carburetor bowl. The drain plug points down at an angle toward you in that picture. Once the sediment trap is cleaned out you should be able to get flow into the bowl and clean that out.

If you still can't get it to run after cleaning it all out, a new carb for one of those is only about $30 and might be the easiest solution.

 

[emory]

flatlandtacoma,
You were right on. I cleaned the tank, disassembled, cleaned, and shot air through anything that moved fuel. When cleaning the carb, I shot air through a chamber and noticed the float valve came open. I'm guessing crud had it sticking in the closed position. Anyway, running like a champ now! Thanks for you help. If you get the chance, finish looking at the website that I had the pressure washer pics on. www.k9cisco.com thx again