Pressure washers are a great tool to have around the house and they make many of your cleaning tasks easier. There are electric pressure washers, gas pressure washers and even solar pressure washers. But all at different prices.
Whether or not you can use oil in gas pressure washers depends on the type of pressure washer you have. It's important to be careful when dealing with pressure washers, as they can be dangerous if not treated with respect. Here's what you need to know about oil and pressure washers.
While many pressure washer owners prefer the ease of electric pressure washers, most people and contractors prefer gas pressure washers because they tend to be more powerful. But even with their solid performance, there are still some questions about how these machines work — like "Do you need oil for the gas pressure washer?"
The answer is yes. Your gas power washer requires oil to function. In fact, it's essential that you check your oil level before every use to ensure your machine will function properly.
Oil needs to be used to lubricate the engine of gas pressure washers.
One common mistake that people make is putting too much oil into their engine.
If you add too much oil, there may be some issues with the engine not starting or the oil overflowing when you start the engine. This can result in an oily mess that needs to be cleaned up and can even damage your machine.
You must however, know that Gas engines require oil to lubricate moving parts, and the oil needs to be separate from the fuel. Their separation is a matter of physics: gasoline floats on top of motor oil. That's why gas engines have two tanks — one for gas and one for oil.
Mixing them will cause engine damage, because the oil will congeal and choke off fuel lines.
In most cases, this means you cannot use an ordinary lawn mower engine or snow blower engine with a pressure washer. They all run on gasoline. Your options are to buy a commercial engine designed for use with pressure washers or to use an electric motor instead.
What Type of Oil do Gas Pressure washers use?
When it comes to the world of power washers and other machinery, there are a lot of different oils out there that can be used for them. There are also a lot of different brands as well as different types of oil.
It is however, important to note that these machines don’t use regular car oil but instead require specific types such as those used in chainsaws and lawnmowers. This is because these machines also use engines that require oil to function properly.
The type and amount of oil needed for your engine depends on a couple of things about your unit:
- The size of your engine (2 stroke or 4 stroke)
- The manufacturer's recommendations for your model
- Oil-Lubricated Engines
Gas pressure washers with two-stroke engines will use a mixture of gasoline and oil for lubrication. In most cases, you can use regular motor oil or synthetic oil for this purpose.
- Sizes and Mix Ratios
Pressure Washer Oil is available in a variety of sizes and mix ratios. It is best to consult your owner's manual to determine which type is right for your unit. This information can also be found on the engine itself, where it will be listed as "TCW3" or "API TC."
Most models use a SAE 30 grade oil. This is a type of engine oil that is in the category of multi-grade oils. The SAE 30 oil has properties that allow it to maintain its viscosity within a range of temperatures; it won’t thin out when it gets hot or thicken when it gets cold. These multi-grade oils contain different polymers which make them work this way. If you are still unsure pleae consult with the Giraffetools collections.