Craftsman Pressure Washer 2700 psi Leaks Oil Help!

This is a Craftsman model # 580767700 2700 psi washer. I got this used and worked fine last year. But this year it seems to load up when I’m not spraying water and leak oil out of the top of a valve on the water pump? It’s black and gooey looking kind of like tar? It also spits out a little bit of hot water out of a little tube when it’s on and not spraying. I got oil all over my drive way now from just washing a couple cars. I had to use the sprayer on it just to clean it up somewhat but the oil is still on the concrete. Now I have to figure out how to get that out? It won’t come off from spraying. I guess I can try some detergent on it? My biggest thing is I want to wash the house and deck but I need to get the oil thing fixed first. Any suggestions? The manual doesn’t say anything about the valve spitting out oil?

FYI..I just checked the oil levels and they are up and there is no sign of water in it? All oil is clear and clean.

I always pour some citrus based oil solvent/cleaner on oil spills after getting as much up as possible, on asphalt they seem to loosen up and lighten up over time, and on concrete it atleast seems to lighten the spots up, if they didn’t sit too long I pretty much expect it to go away in time.

Gotta find the leak, worse case is to replace the pump itself, haven’t done it yet, but it’s on my list of things to do to my PW. (broke my pump…)

I can see where it’s leaking but not sure why it’s leaking and why the pump loads up when it’s not being sprayed?

BTW…Thanx for the tip on the clean up!

So I looked on the pressure washer and where it’s leaking is a plastic oil plug on the top of the pump? Why would they put a plastic plug on the pump with high pressure? I tightened it down but can’t try it out till later? It just doesn’t look like that will solve the problem as I couldn’t tighten it much? I could replace it with a brass plug? Also what weight oil do I put in there?

Well I’d guess it’s a brigs and stratton pump, it seems they have their own oil for the pump itself, I’m sure you can find it online, not so sure about locally, Northern hydrualic would be my first call. Not sure about the plug, though I know I would try to use something diffierent if it were mine.

Seems like there is some info out there online, I’d try and figure out if your pump is really a B&S pump, and then online search B&S pumps, I think you should be able to find some good info.

any 30 weight NON-DETERGENT will work. that is what we run in all out pumps. Napa, or almost anyauto parts place should cary the NON DETERGENT.

The pump is more than likely oil cooled. Check the oil level and make sure it is not overfilled. I have a glass gauge on mine with a slash mark for the correct oil level.
However my unit is a Honda. Hope this helps.

Is there a little plug on the top of the oil cap? The oil cap should have a vent, if there isn’t a vent then it could over pressurize the crankcase area, then it will push out the easiest escape area. With the pumps we sell at the company I work at you can also use desiel engine oil 15w-40w (example is Shell Rotela T 15w-40 with pumps that use 30 weight non-detergent oil. The little valve that is spraying out hot water sounds like a thermo relief valve and they do go bad if they pop off so many times, they go off when water temps reach a certan tempature usally around 140 deg F. If you let the pressure washer run for over a minute to a minute and a half without squeezeing the gun it will heat up fast. If you would like please send a photo to me and I’ll take a look at what you have.

walleye33…will have to wait as the PW is at the fiances house. But it sounds exactly like you are saying. There is a little vent hole in that plastic plug on top of the pump and that is where the oil is coming from. Do you know why it is venting there? Also I noticed a water leak on the bottom of the pump between the pump and the front end of it? Look like a seal is out? It’s spraying water not oil. I’ll get the pics and send them as soon as I can. I only see her every other weekend. That’s the problem with long distance relationships. And that’s another story. Anyone have a job opening in or around Becker, MN?

Any chance that when you put it away last winter that it still had some water in the pump? I take my air compresser and shoot air into the pump and force out the water.

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Any chance that when you put it away last winter that it still had some water in the pump? I take my air compresser and shoot air into the pump and force out the water.

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That’s what happened to me I think, I swear it was dry…..

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Any chance that when you put it away last winter that it still had some water in the pump? I take my air compresser and shoot air into the pump and force out the water.

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That’s what happened to me I think, I swear it was dry…..

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Me too.

Just started it again after pulling the pump off. There are three pistons with shaft seals around each one that push the water in the water pump. The shaft seals might be out but when I started it up the oil shoots out of the oil side of the pump through the top vent plug and water shoots out of the bottom of the water pump. It’s worse than before. I did move the shaft seals around to see if it made a difference in the water leakage and it’s a little more than before but still not sure it’s the problem. There is a number on the machine so I’ll give them a call and see if they have an idea of what is going on.

to be continued…..

Calling them is a waste of time. No answers other than bring it in to a repair center.

So I Looked at it a little closer. Seems like there is water in the oil that is coming out of the pump. I’m wondering if it isn’t the seals between the pump and the pump head as they call it that are bad. Maybe it’s getting water in it and creating so much pressure that it shoots out the pump relief valve? And that’s also why it shoots water out between the pump and the pump head? Also…should I have put some Vaseline on the seals when I put them back in? What I might have to do is to get some new seals and see what that does? They look like shaft seals for a trolling motor shaft. And if there is water in the pump…shouldn’t that be cleaned out and new oil added? I just want it to work!!