Huge thanks Mate! My k4 overheated and I thought its over with it... But moving it from side to side got the pump going again. I still had no waterflow, first I disconnected the pistol, did not help, then I disconnected the pressure hose directly at the machine. Soon it made a pop noise and seemingly carbonated water started flowing out of it 😂 after 30 sec. water came out normal! You made my day👍 Greetings from northern Germany!
Micaelroche628 reply to this was spot on. I spoke to the Karcher engineers today (who were very helpful) and then stripped down my K4. I’ve had this issue for years and it’s been getting worse. Whilst “shaking the machine” and waiting for up to 20 mins for the system to “bleed” has worked I believe all this has really done was either given the sticking valve a helping hand through shock or time. Once I found the component it was clear it was fairly seized up. Removed it, cleaned and re-greased and it now fires up straight away. First time it’s done that in years!
Brilliant mate. Thank you so much. Looked at 4 videos before yours. The real time recording was perfect Before watching your video I was all afternoon trying to get the air out Thanks so much 🙏
Thanks for the feedback, yeah I’ve seen some of the other videos and it’s not really obvious if they have an air lock or are pretending so they can make a video about it. Each time I get an air lock I try and get it working quicker than the last time, as frustrating as it is, I have not yet found the perfect technique! One day I’m going to open it up to see what’s going wrong! 😂
I was worried. What the servicing/repairing people say.. which part they want to replace with new one.. what would be the Cost.. And here .. i youtubed Karcher k2 not working and this video . Thank yoh Man. Tha k you very much.. Its working now.
Great video, will try that, since my K7 is "pulsating", high pressure for 2 sec, than pressure down and than again for 2 seconds. Doesn't matter what I do with the water hose etc..
I have had my Karcher for 6 years and it often has that problem. I have always solved it by attaching the gun turning the machine on and depressing the trigger, and after a couple of mins or so it bursts into life. No problem.
I’ve had my water running for twenty minutes before reconnecting the lance and still getting no consistent pressure on my K5 model. I’ve also removed the water filter at the water inlet and given that a good clean. Checked the water pressure at the source and with just the connector hose attached and water is flowing fine. Spluttering only starts when I attach it to the Karcher unit. Any other suggestions?
Thanks for the comprehensive real time video, I've had the same symptoms several times in the past, maybe due to age, maybe due to powering down incorrectly. This time letting the water run through multiple times from 5 to 15 mins to try and clear the air lock / free the pressure piston was just not working, tried the tilting, shaking, slapping it in suggested area, forcing the pressure via the hose but none of it would work. What did work was keeping the water flowing, lifting about 6 in off the ground then and hitting the wheels into the ground with a mild to moderate amount of force, tried a few times, cycling the power switch on and off each time, then on the 4th attempt it came back to life, same idea as using the hose pressure to get things moving but with a physical shock instead.
Thanks for the feedback on the video. Your suggestion sounds like a good idea to try and dislodge whatever is preventing the pressure washer pump from turning on. Like you mentioned, I was reluctant to to use physical force in case it damaged the casing, but I'm not going to lie, there have been times in the past when I've lost my temper and wanted to launch it across the driveway!
Glad to hear and good job 👍🏼. I forgot to mention in the video that it’s also a good idea to disconnect the hose pipe from the pressure washer to make sure there is no air trapped in the hose and it’s running continuously before reconnecting it to the pressure washer.
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately I've not yet filmed taking apart the internal components of the pressure washer since the solution in this video got me back up and running. I'm aware some users say the fault can be caused by the pressure relief valve sticking, however, until I open mine up and take a look, I cannot confirm if this is what is causing the issue. I've seen a video on RUclips for a pressure washer that isn't a Karcher with a sticking unloader valve, but the purpose of these valves is to regulate the pressure, so the pump doesn't create too much pressure; I don't think they control whether the pump turns on or not. Looking at spare parts for Karcher, the pressure value doesn't have any electrical connections. Sorry I cannot be of more help at this stage.
I’m a Karcher engineer of 21 years, you’ve know idea. You’ve got an aqua stop on machine end, big no no. Shaking machine around will make no difference. Sounds like a stuck pressure piston. Running machine with no gun and lance will not clear airlock as most people don’t use chemical and that just draws more air into pump head at low pressure!!
Not seen this problem before! How do you get it working again after it stops? I’m guessing at this stage but could it be overheating? Does it start working again on its own or do you need to do something to get it going again?
Thanks found this video really helpful. I have run water through my pressure washer with the gun off and the water flow out the high pressure hoze is very spluttery and not a constant flow like you had. The system is new so no air filter blockage. I think its got an air lock but doesn't seem to be clearing. Do you have any further ideas? Thanks.
First check your hose pipe isn’t full of air; if you disconnect it from the pressure washer, does water flow constantly and at a good rate? Once that’s all good, try connecting it to the pressure washer again to see if it is still spluttering. The pump doesn’t hold a large volume inside so shouldn’t take too long to clear. If it’s starting to run continuously from the pressure hose like it does in my video, it’s then just dislodging the last of the air to get it running again.
Great video, I think I have a different issue.😢 Mine sounds like a hair dryer and doesn't stop the noise. Karcher support said it sounds like an air lock, hence why I am watching this video
If it isn’t an air lock, is any water leaking out of the bottom? If it is check out my other Karcher video which shows how to fix that issue. If it isn’t leaking, it might be the pump cylinder head that has gone on yours, which is about a £30 part to replace.
@SwiftDevelopments Thanks for the reply. There's no water leaking from the machine. The manifold sounds plausible. The motor noise sounds very fast, which makes me think there is no resistance on the motor. Water flows through the machine fine, but only at mains water pressure.
@@gavinnoname1424 I think the only way you are going to find out is to take it apart and remove the cylinder head and inspect it. If the motor is spinning and there are no leaks, my guess would be that the motor might not be spinning the pump to create pressure. Although I've not taken mine apart to this extent, there's a disc with an oscillating surface inside which moves the three pump head valves up and down; my guess would be to see if this disc is still spinning, and if not, how it is connected to the motor.
Hi, you're right. There is a relatively new company to the market called AVA which offer a 20 year warranty on their pressure washers. They look good, however the problem at the moment is that they are always out of stock!
@@SwiftDevelopments I got my dad a AVA master P60 (large bundle that came with a foam canon and two nozzles) last Christmas, after I got fed up with having to repeatedly do this procedure.. Got it working twice, but it it sits a few days or weeks it's straight back to not turning on (an older Karcher K4 Premium) as I saw a similar fix on an other channel, I haven't tried unplugging and plugging the hose back into the machine with the water running the last time it didn't turn on, and leaving the water running dit not resolve the issue.. The foam canon that came with the AVA, was much better than the one from Karcher, and produced a thicker and longer lasting foam when I tried it.. it also took a lot less snow foam concentrate to do this..
@@TheTronder007 How have you found the AVA pressure washer for performance compared to Karcher? I saw AVA mentioning they had some issues with the pump design in the older version which was causing issues for some customers (not sure what that was and how it was fixed), but I understand they've now fixed that in the latest v4 model released in the last month or so. They do look well built, but it would be interesting to hear from an existing user whether there are any niggles with AVA after longer term use? Thanks
@@SwiftDevelopments I haven't had a lot of use of the AVA master P60 yet, but from what I have experienced so far, the AVA is not lacking in any way compared with the Karcher, and I found AVA's foam canon much better than Karcher's foam canon.. It gave much thicker and longer lasting foam with less snow-foam concentrate.. If it's just the foam canon or the fact that the AVA master P60 has a slightly bigger capacity in L/hour that our old K4 Premium I cant be sure of... It could be a combination of foam canon and capacity of the pressure washer. I find the trigger grip/gun much better than karcher's one.. with the Ava I can attach the foam canon and nozzles directly to the "gun", as the lance detaches from the "gun", where as on the Karcher the trigger "gun" and lance is one solid unit The AVA master P60 is also a lot more stable and less prone to toppeling over compared to the Karcher 😄
IF THIS DOESN’T WORK!!! Try this because i was trying this method for hours with no joy… Plug the unit in and SWITCH IT ON. Attach the water and turn it on to the best pressure you can get. Leave the GUN PART attached with no attachment on. Spray water through the gun and shake the unit around to help clear the air. After about 30 seconds it will kick into life by itself!!
It might have helped, but I think pulsing the water by connecting/disconnecting the hose pipe is probably the most effective method of getting it going.
Summary of Troubleshooting Steps: Identified Air Leak: Noticed that the washer dispenser nozzle was sucking in air, which contributed to an air leak in the system and caused the pump to switch off. Sealed the Dispenser Nozzle: Used a glue gun to permanently seal the dispenser nozzle, eliminating the air-sucking issue. Ensured Proper Drainage: Rattled the machine upside down to check for any air bubbles in the water outflow, confirming that the system was sealed properly. Continued Monitoring: Spent additional time observing the situation, noting that even after removing the dispenser bottle, air continued to bubble out at the outlet. Final Solution: After realizing that sealing the nozzle helped stabilize the system, you achieved successful operation after about an hour of trial and error.
I know it is very frustrating when it happens. I’m thinking I might open mine up one of these days to see what might be causing it. At the beginning it never did it, gets progressively worse with age, so I’m assuming something might need servicing or replacing.
Acabo de tener un problema con el mío el 3.99, la presión no es suficiente y cuando suelto el gatillo no inicia a encender, tengo que iniciar el botón on/off . Alguna idea?
Yo tambien le pongo El reset para que sirba y luego El "test" para apagarlo haha, ya Tengo dos anyos haciendolo asi es tiempo de un Nuevo hasta que algen sepa que es la problema
Thanks for commenting. Have you got a link to what the pressure relief valve looks like and another link showing the part which houses this valve? I've tried looking for pressure relief values online, however the examples I see look like a non-serviceable plastic cartridge, as opposed to a metal unloader valve that I've seen on pressure washers produced by other manufacturers.
@@SwiftDevelopments remove the mains switch , white plastic which is a push fit. You will then see a white pin that operates the mains switch. This is one end of the pressure release valve . Above this is a quarter turn water connection, remove this. From underneath push the relief valve up and remove. Lubricate and then reassemble in the reverse order. Your machine should then work again.
Micaelroche628 reply to this was spot on. I spoke to the Karcher engineers today (who were very helpful) and then stripped down my K4. I’ve had this issue for years and it’s been getting worse. Whilst “shaking the machine” and waiting for up to 20 mins for the system to “bleed” has worked I believe all this has really done was either given the sticking valve a helping hand through shock or time. Once I found the component it was clear it was fairly seized up. Removed it, cleaned and re-greased and it now fires up straight away. First time it’s done that in years! !
i got annoyed with mine not restarting each time i stopped water blasting, i got annoyed and lifted the machine and banged it on the concrete and then it started, later on it tipped over and for some reason i could releash the handle and it would restart ok...go figure
Your suggestion is usually an effective way to try and dislodge whatever is preventing the pressure washer pump from turning on. As tempting as it is to use physical force, I'm always concerned that it will damage the casing. I'm not going to lie, there have been times in the past when I've lost my temper and wanted to launch it across the driveway! 😂
I'm aware some users say the fault can be caused by the pressure relief valve sticking, however, until I open mine up and take a look, I cannot confirm if this is what is causing the issue. I've seen a video on RUclips for a pressure washer that isn't a Karcher with a sticking unloader valve, but the purpose of these valves is to regulate the pressure, so the pump doesn't create too much pressure; I don't think they control whether the pump turns on or not. Looking at spare parts for Karcher, the pressure value doesn't have any electrical connections. If I ever get five minutes I might bite the bullet and take it all to bits to see if this infamous valve is the cause of everyone's woes! 😄
The idea behind it is that it could starve the pump of water if it restricts the flow of water coming into the pressure washer. I've used one since day one and never had a problem. If you've ever forgotten to turn the water supply on to the pressure washer before using it, you'll know what the pump sounds like when it is running and being starved of water. I may have done this once or twice in the the past! 😅
Karcher are crap ...never heard anyone not having problems... problems that occur after light use ...they are an embarrassment pumping out unreliable machines...my dad has a cheap aldis one and it still works after years of heavy use ...
Hey man. I think its an airlock not sure. Left it for around 30mins and nothing. Any tips. I need mine to work. Can you perhaps drop your Instagram so i can chat with you.
Huge thanks Mate! My k4 overheated and I thought its over with it... But moving it from side to side got the pump going again. I still had no waterflow, first I disconnected the pistol, did not help, then I disconnected the pressure hose directly at the machine. Soon it made a pop noise and seemingly carbonated water started flowing out of it 😂 after 30 sec. water came out normal!
You made my day👍
Greetings from northern Germany!
Micaelroche628 reply to this was spot on. I spoke to the Karcher engineers today (who were very helpful) and then stripped down my K4. I’ve had this issue for years and it’s been getting worse. Whilst “shaking the machine” and waiting for up to 20 mins for the system to “bleed” has worked I believe all this has really done was either given the sticking valve a helping hand through shock or time. Once I found the component it was clear it was fairly seized up. Removed it, cleaned and re-greased and it now fires up straight away. First time it’s done that in years!
Thanks a lot for sharing! I was going to send my machine to the repair centre but after i saw your tips it was solved in 20 mins. Top🤗
Thanks for the great feedback and glad my video helped you fix your Karcher. 👍🏼
Brilliant mate. Thank you so much.
Looked at 4 videos before yours. The real time recording was perfect
Before watching your video I was all afternoon trying to get the air out
Thanks so much 🙏
Thanks for the feedback, yeah I’ve seen some of the other videos and it’s not really obvious if they have an air lock or are pretending so they can make a video about it.
Each time I get an air lock I try and get it working quicker than the last time, as frustrating as it is, I have not yet found the perfect technique!
One day I’m going to open it up to see what’s going wrong! 😂
Thank you very much for your video. Much appreciated. I was just about to throw the pump away.. saved me a few hundred pounds
Excellent, glad the video helped 👍🏼
I was worried. What the servicing/repairing people say.. which part they want to replace with new one.. what would be the Cost..
And here .. i youtubed Karcher k2 not working and this video .
Thank yoh Man. Tha k you very much.. Its working now.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you managed to get your pressure washer sorted whilst saving some money in the process. 👍
Great video, will try that, since my K7 is "pulsating", high pressure for 2 sec, than pressure down and than again for 2 seconds. Doesn't matter what I do with the water hose etc..
Ours has same problem.
Did you fix it?
@@guringai No, nothing helped. Service needed.
Despite what the karcher engineer’ above says this method does work whereas just letting it run through doesn’t. Excellent video and thank you.
Glad it helped and thanks for the feedback!
Many thanks for the wise counselling. Check for an airlock before disassembly.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
It worked!! Thanks so much I was about to dump it😢
Glad it helped and thanks for posting feedback!
I have had my Karcher for 6 years and it often has that problem. I have always solved it by attaching the gun turning the machine on and depressing the trigger, and after a couple of mins or so it bursts into life. No problem.
Glad it worked out for you, but boy, that's a shitty design.. 😂
I’ve had my water running for twenty minutes before reconnecting the lance and still getting no consistent pressure on my K5 model.
I’ve also removed the water filter at the water inlet and given that a good clean. Checked the water pressure at the source and with just the connector hose attached and water is flowing fine. Spluttering only starts when I attach it to the Karcher unit.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks for the comprehensive real time video, I've had the same symptoms several times in the past, maybe due to age, maybe due to powering down incorrectly.
This time letting the water run through multiple times from 5 to 15 mins to try and clear the air lock / free the pressure piston was just not working, tried the tilting, shaking, slapping it in suggested area, forcing the pressure via the hose but none of it would work.
What did work was keeping the water flowing, lifting about 6 in off the ground then and hitting the wheels into the ground with a mild to moderate amount of force, tried a few times, cycling the power switch on and off each time, then on the 4th attempt it came back to life, same idea as using the hose pressure to get things moving but with a physical shock instead.
Thanks for the feedback on the video.
Your suggestion sounds like a good idea to try and dislodge whatever is preventing the pressure washer pump from turning on. Like you mentioned, I was reluctant to to use physical force in case it damaged the casing, but I'm not going to lie, there have been times in the past when I've lost my temper and wanted to launch it across the driveway!
Thank you for your video. It was very useful.
Thanks for the feedback, glad it was helpful!
Brilliant, worked after 5mins of running water through which was very spluttery.👏🏾
Glad to hear and good job 👍🏼. I forgot to mention in the video that it’s also a good idea to disconnect the hose pipe from the pressure washer to make sure there is no air trapped in the hose and it’s running continuously before reconnecting it to the pressure washer.
Thank very much. It work with your instructions
Thanks for the feedback and I’m glad it helped you fix your pressure washer.
Brilliant, so, what about the 2nd way to fixing this, do you have a video for internal fixings?
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately I've not yet filmed taking apart the internal components of the pressure washer since the solution in this video got me back up and running.
I'm aware some users say the fault can be caused by the pressure relief valve sticking, however, until I open mine up and take a look, I cannot confirm if this is what is causing the issue.
I've seen a video on RUclips for a pressure washer that isn't a Karcher with a sticking unloader valve, but the purpose of these valves is to regulate the pressure, so the pump doesn't create too much pressure; I don't think they control whether the pump turns on or not. Looking at spare parts for Karcher, the pressure value doesn't have any electrical connections.
Sorry I cannot be of more help at this stage.
I’m a Karcher engineer of 21 years, you’ve know idea. You’ve got an aqua stop on machine end, big no no. Shaking machine around will make no difference. Sounds like a stuck pressure piston. Running machine with no gun and lance will not clear airlock as most people don’t use chemical and that just draws more air into pump head at low pressure!!
So what should you do?
You'll be out of a job if it does work,
What about the K4 keeps tripping the house’s main!!
What about my K4 full control it stops working for around 2 ton3 seconds then starts working again, what may cause this
Margaritas come out of mine 🎉
Hi mate great video. Problem I got is it will work fine for 15 to 20 mins then won't power on and just trickles. Any ideas what it could be
Not seen this problem before! How do you get it working again after it stops?
I’m guessing at this stage but could it be overheating? Does it start working again on its own or do you need to do something to get it going again?
Thanks found this video really helpful. I have run water through my pressure washer with the gun off and the water flow out the high pressure hoze is very spluttery and not a constant flow like you had. The system is new so no air filter blockage. I think its got an air lock but doesn't seem to be clearing. Do you have any further ideas? Thanks.
First check your hose pipe isn’t full of air; if you disconnect it from the pressure washer, does water flow constantly and at a good rate?
Once that’s all good, try connecting it to the pressure washer again to see if it is still spluttering. The pump doesn’t hold a large volume inside so shouldn’t take too long to clear. If it’s starting to run continuously from the pressure hose like it does in my video, it’s then just dislodging the last of the air to get it running again.
@@SwiftDevelopments Thank you for the advice :-)
You’ve got a stuck pressure piston.
Great video,
I think I have a different issue.😢 Mine sounds like a hair dryer and doesn't stop the noise. Karcher support said it sounds like an air lock, hence why I am watching this video
If it isn’t an air lock, is any water leaking out of the bottom? If it is check out my other Karcher video which shows how to fix that issue. If it isn’t leaking, it might be the pump cylinder head that has gone on yours, which is about a £30 part to replace.
@SwiftDevelopments Thanks for the reply. There's no water leaking from the machine.
The manifold sounds plausible. The motor noise sounds very fast, which makes me think there is no resistance on the motor. Water flows through the machine fine, but only at mains water pressure.
@@gavinnoname1424 I think the only way you are going to find out is to take it apart and remove the cylinder head and inspect it. If the motor is spinning and there are no leaks, my guess would be that the motor might not be spinning the pump to create pressure. Although I've not taken mine apart to this extent, there's a disc with an oscillating surface inside which moves the three pump head valves up and down; my guess would be to see if this disc is still spinning, and if not, how it is connected to the motor.
Ever solved it? Have the same shit
@tikvosha mine was 18months old so was sent for repair under warranty. They've emailed to say its fixed and on its was back to me now
Kärcher is the best sold brand in the market, but also the brand with the most problems. Isn’t that crazy ??
Hi, you're right. There is a relatively new company to the market called AVA which offer a 20 year warranty on their pressure washers. They look good, however the problem at the moment is that they are always out of stock!
it has most problems because most sold so it makes sense.
@@SwiftDevelopments I got my dad a AVA master P60 (large bundle that came with a foam canon and two nozzles) last Christmas, after I got fed up with having to repeatedly do this procedure.. Got it working twice, but it it sits a few days or weeks it's straight back to not turning on (an older Karcher K4 Premium) as I saw a similar fix on an other channel, I haven't tried unplugging and plugging the hose back into the machine with the water running the last time it didn't turn on, and leaving the water running dit not resolve the issue..
The foam canon that came with the AVA, was much better than the one from Karcher, and produced a thicker and longer lasting foam when I tried it.. it also took a lot less snow foam concentrate to do this..
@@TheTronder007 How have you found the AVA pressure washer for performance compared to Karcher? I saw AVA mentioning they had some issues with the pump design in the older version which was causing issues for some customers (not sure what that was and how it was fixed), but I understand they've now fixed that in the latest v4 model released in the last month or so. They do look well built, but it would be interesting to hear from an existing user whether there are any niggles with AVA after longer term use? Thanks
@@SwiftDevelopments I haven't had a lot of use of the AVA master P60 yet, but from what I have experienced so far, the AVA is not lacking in any way compared with the Karcher, and I found AVA's foam canon much better than Karcher's foam canon.. It gave much thicker and longer lasting foam with less snow-foam concentrate.. If it's just the foam canon or the fact that the AVA master P60 has a slightly bigger capacity in L/hour that our old K4 Premium I cant be sure of... It could be a combination of foam canon and capacity of the pressure washer.
I find the trigger grip/gun much better than karcher's one.. with the Ava I can attach the foam canon and nozzles directly to the "gun", as the lance detaches from the "gun", where as on the Karcher the trigger "gun" and lance is one solid unit
The AVA master P60 is also a lot more stable and less prone to toppeling over compared to the Karcher 😄
It worked!
Glad to hear!
IF THIS DOESN’T WORK!!! Try this because i was trying this method for hours with no joy… Plug the unit in and SWITCH IT ON. Attach the water and turn it on to the best pressure you can get. Leave the GUN PART attached with no attachment on. Spray water through the gun and shake the unit around to help clear the air. After about 30 seconds it will kick into life by itself!!
Two krachers in three years for me.
No power after 3-4 usage.
It looks like the shaking the machine violently probably dislodged the stuck pressure relief valve not an air lock
It might have helped, but I think pulsing the water by connecting/disconnecting the hose pipe is probably the most effective method of getting it going.
@@SwiftDevelopments Better have a quick disconnect on supply hose so you can connect and disconnect quickly.
Keep up the good work!!
Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated 👍🏼
Summary of Troubleshooting Steps:
Identified Air Leak: Noticed that the washer dispenser nozzle was sucking in air, which contributed to an air leak in the system and caused the pump to switch off.
Sealed the Dispenser Nozzle: Used a glue gun to permanently seal the dispenser nozzle, eliminating the air-sucking issue.
Ensured Proper Drainage: Rattled the machine upside down to check for any air bubbles in the water outflow, confirming that the system was sealed properly.
Continued Monitoring: Spent additional time observing the situation, noting that even after removing the dispenser bottle, air continued to bubble out at the outlet.
Final Solution: After realizing that sealing the nozzle helped stabilize the system, you achieved successful operation after about an hour of trial and error.
I used MJJC snow foamer canon for using car wash and that solved the problem, since I sealed the dispenser nozzle permanently.
Smart man
Cheers Mate!
A like and subscribed from me. It worked. Thanks!
I got a K2 had it 2 or 3 years and now it won’t work. Stored inside well looking after
Check the Carbon Brushes
Amount of water being wasted....I have this exact problem it just won't work just trickles out
I know it is very frustrating when it happens. I’m thinking I might open mine up one of these days to see what might be causing it. At the beginning it never did it, gets progressively worse with age, so I’m assuming something might need servicing or replacing.
Acabo de tener un problema con el mío el 3.99, la presión no es suficiente y cuando suelto el gatillo no inicia a encender, tengo que iniciar el botón on/off .
Alguna idea?
Yo tambien le pongo El reset para que sirba y luego El "test" para apagarlo haha, ya Tengo dos anyos haciendolo asi es tiempo de un Nuevo hasta que algen sepa que es la problema
Your problem is the pressure relief valve sticking . Remove lubricate and refit works every time.
Thanks for commenting.
Have you got a link to what the pressure relief valve looks like and another link showing the part which houses this valve? I've tried looking for pressure relief values online, however the examples I see look like a non-serviceable plastic cartridge, as opposed to a metal unloader valve that I've seen on pressure washers produced by other manufacturers.
@@SwiftDevelopments remove the mains switch , white plastic which is a push fit. You will then see a white pin that operates the mains switch. This is one end of the pressure release valve . Above this is a quarter turn water connection, remove this. From underneath push the relief valve up and remove. Lubricate and then reassemble in the reverse order. Your machine should then work again.
@@michaelroche6298 Thanks for explanation, I'm going to give this a go. 👍
Micaelroche628 reply to this was spot on. I spoke to the Karcher engineers today (who were very helpful) and then stripped down my K4. I’ve had this issue for years and it’s been getting worse. Whilst “shaking the machine” and waiting for up to 20 mins for the system to “bleed” has worked I believe all this has really done was either given the sticking valve a helping hand through shock or time. Once I found the component it was clear it was fairly seized up. Removed it, cleaned and re-greased and it now fires up straight away. First time it’s done that in years! !
i got annoyed with mine not restarting each time i stopped water blasting, i got annoyed and lifted the machine and banged it on the concrete and then it started, later on it tipped over and for some reason i could releash the handle and it would restart ok...go figure
Your suggestion is usually an effective way to try and dislodge whatever is preventing the pressure washer pump from turning on. As tempting as it is to use physical force, I'm always concerned that it will damage the casing. I'm not going to lie, there have been times in the past when I've lost my temper and wanted to launch it across the driveway! 😂
Thing is when it was new it would just push the air out... I think it's the pressure valve inside ?
I'm aware some users say the fault can be caused by the pressure relief valve sticking, however, until I open mine up and take a look, I cannot confirm if this is what is causing the issue.
I've seen a video on RUclips for a pressure washer that isn't a Karcher with a sticking unloader valve, but the purpose of these valves is to regulate the pressure, so the pump doesn't create too much pressure; I don't think they control whether the pump turns on or not. Looking at spare parts for Karcher, the pressure value doesn't have any electrical connections.
If I ever get five minutes I might bite the bullet and take it all to bits to see if this infamous valve is the cause of everyone's woes! 😄
Don’t put an aqua stop on the machine end!!
Swift Developments never put an aqua stop connection onto the machine. Only use on tap end!!
why is that?
The idea behind it is that it could starve the pump of water if it restricts the flow of water coming into the pressure washer. I've used one since day one and never had a problem.
If you've ever forgotten to turn the water supply on to the pressure washer before using it, you'll know what the pump sounds like when it is running and being starved of water. I may have done this once or twice in the the past! 😅
Use the lance
To use the lance or not to use the lance, that is the question!
Karcher are crap ...never heard anyone not having problems... problems that occur after light use ...they are an embarrassment pumping out unreliable machines...my dad has a cheap aldis one and it still works after years of heavy use ...
Worst bit of kit I have ever bought should have just bought a cheap one How many of peoples time has this shit thing wasted
It is annoying because some of these breakdowns wouldn’t happen if they simply made the parts out of metal instead of plastic.
Hey man. I think its an airlock not sure. Left it for around 30mins and nothing. Any tips. I need mine to work. Can you perhaps drop your Instagram so i can chat with you.