Extend the Working Life of Your Pressure Washer with Hotsy's 24-Point Tune-Up
What Does Hotsy's 24-Point Tune-Up Include?
Choosing a Hotsy pressure washer is a sound investment. To extend the working life of your pressure washer, it’s important to maintain regular tune-ups, the same as you would do for your own automobile. Hotsy dealers have service technicians on-hand who are trained to perform this important service for Hotsy customers.
- Check pump pressure
A drop in water pressure may be due to wear in a component or a restriction in a water line that could cause cavitation, damaging the water pump and other pressure washer components. Excessive water pressure would indicate that a component is failing or mis-adjusted, and could cause serious damage to components or injury to the operator. - Check pump volume
A loss of pump volume could indicate the development of a problem in the pumping system. It could be as simple as a restriction in the plumbing, or it could be the start of a component failure. - Check nozzle
The restrictive hole in the nozzle creates the water pressure intensity. As the hole wears, it reduces the units of cleaning power lowering the performance of your pressure washer. - Adjust belt tension
Proper belt tension is required to maintain the proper pressure and volume of the pumping system. Belts can wear or stretch causing them to loosen. - Check pump crankcase oil
The pump oil lubricates the crankcase components. Low oil levels could cause a premature failure or scratching of the crankcase components, and can cause the oil to overheat and lose its lubrication. Hotsy recommends that you change the pump oil after the first 50 hours of use, and then every 3 months or 300 hours. - Check engine crankcase oil
The crankcase oil lubricates the engine components. Low oil levels could cause the oil to overheat, break down, and lose its lubrication. - Check hoses for damage
The high-pressure hoses contain a wire braid that can become damaged over time. If the wire breaks, it can cause the hose to leak. - Check wand & gun for damage
The trigger gun and wand must be checked for common wear and tear that could cause an unsafe working environment for operators. - Inspect quick couplers
The quick couplers allow hoses to be removed or extended. Nozzles, wands, guns, and pressure washer accessories can easily be removed or swapped, so you will want to watch for wear and tear. - Check detergent supply & metering valve
The metering valve and hoses supply the correct detergent dilution ratio for optimum cleaning power. Worn or damaged components could cause air to be pulled through the system, damaging other components, such as the pump. Incorrect metering of the detergent may result in overuse of soap, which can increase the cost of operation. - Check for coil scaling
Scale build-up causes nozzle pressure loss — which can damage the pump and its components. Scale buildup usually is caused from lime and mineral deposits. - Check for coil sooting
Soot can develop on the outside of the heating coil if the fuel or gas pressure changes, or if something else affects the air/fuel mixture of the combustion. Soot is a sign of a combustion problem — the sooner the problem is caught, the less expensive it will be to repair. - Check unloader adjustment
The unloader valve “sets” the pressure limits when the trigger gun is pulled and released. If adjusted too low, it will reduce the operating pressure of the system. An unloader that is adjusted too high will increase the spike pressure of the system. - Inspect wire connections
When a wire connection becomes loose, it could cause a voltage drop in the electrical system, which can lead to an increase in the amp draw (which causes heat). Overheating can damage switches, motors, transformers, relays, and other components causing them to fail. - Check thermostat for proper cycling
The thermostat is designed to cycle the burner ON and OFF to maintain the set operating temperature. If the thermostat fails, it may cause severe overheating damage. - Check voltage & amp draw
The input voltage supply can vary depending on the electric company and the installation. Loose wire connections affect power cleaning equipment operation and component life. - Check oil or gas burner for wear or corrosion
This ensures the burner is performing up to specifications. - Check for contaminated fuel tank & flush if required
Water, condensation and other contaminants in the fuel could damage components and affect the fuel pressure, which can result in expensive repairs. - Check fuel filter
The fuel filter can trap water and contaminants after the fuel tank, if it became contaminated. If this is caught in time, it could be cleaned and flushed from the system before causing any damage. - Check fuel or gas pressure
The fuel or gas pressure affects the air/fuel mixture and the efficiency of the burner. If the fuel pressure changes, the amount of fuel supplied to the combustion chamber will change and could cause the burner to “burn dirty”. This will cause soot to build up on the heating coil, which will reduce the temperature of the water (in hot water pressure washers) and could damage other components. - Adjust burner for best combustion
The air/fuel mixture should be checked and adjusted for the best combustion and maximum efficiency. - Check engine air filter
A dirty air filter may reduce the engine performance and the cleaning ability of the pressure washer. Clean and replace the air filter as necessary. - Check engine spark plugs
The condition of the engine spark plugs should be checked and replaced if necessary. - Check engine fuel filter
The engines fuel filter will need to be cleaned and/or replaced periodically.
Contact your local Hotsy dealer today to schedule a service call to ensure your pressure washer is in proper working order. You’ll be glad you did.
