# $125 Pressure Washer Honda 13 HP 3700psi



## HeatsTwice (Oct 26, 2011)

I bought a pressure washer used from a shut down cement cleaning company for $125. It runs fine and I've used it to clean/stain my wood deck.

Whats weird is that it has a 13 HP Honda engine on it. All the ones I've rented before only had 8 or 5 hp engines on them yet they all have said that the PSI was 3700 at about 3.0 - 3.5 gallons per minute. I can guess that the 13 hp engine is sure to top the gallons per minute and psi, but the pump has stamped on it 3.5 gps @3700psi. 

I quess my question is why even the 5 and 8 hp pressure washers say the same.


----------



## btuser (Oct 26, 2011)

RPMs


----------



## smokinj (Oct 26, 2011)

Dont know about the numbers matching up, but that is a serious power washer!


----------



## HeatsTwice (Oct 26, 2011)

Ok, so the lower hp engines have lower rpms and as such can't run the pump to full capacity pressure or gallons per minute wise even though they are capable (at max rpm) to do so?


----------



## HeatsTwice (Oct 26, 2011)

Yea, it is so powerfull the wife has trouble useing it. The kick back is tremendous.

btw, thanks to this group for teaching me about Honda engines. This one had been tipped over and the gas can can caught on fire - turning it black. It looked ugly and hence the low price. But I took it into a shop where they tuned it up and it was good to go. Had I not had as much faith in those engines from what I've read on this site, I would never have bought this ugly duckling, but the thing rocks.


----------



## Joey (Oct 26, 2011)

Is it the commercial Honda motor????? If it is,,,,,thats the cats meow...what a machine.....looks are deceiving sometimes..... :ahhh:


----------



## btuser (Oct 26, 2011)

The bigger motor doesn't need as high rpm to produce the same power.  Good rule of thumb is for every 1/2 drop in rpms the motor will last 4x as long.  

Ive got a 13hp 4000psi pressure washer too (not quite the same sweet price) and wish I had got it earlier.   The real number you want is cleaning untis (gpm x psi).   A lot of wasted time with the smaller one.  I picked up a turbo tip.  Works incredible.


----------



## HeatsTwice (Oct 26, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> The bigger motor doesn't need as high rpm to produce the same power.  Good rule of thumb is for every 1/2 drop in rpms the motor will last 4x as long.
> 
> Ive got a 13hp 4000psi pressure washer too (not quite the same sweet price) and wish I had got it earlier.   The real number you want is cleaning untis (gpm x psi).   A lot of wasted time with the smaller one.  I picked up a turbo tip.  Works incredible.



Good info (gpm x psi). The gal I bought it from threw in 2 turbo tips, 100 feet of hose, and a pro grade wand. Go figure.

Pictures below. I've painted the gas tank with some Almond colored. It used to be pretty black and singed looking.

Sorry, I don't know if this is the comercial motor. Duh.


----------



## freeburn (Oct 26, 2011)

Yup, that's the commercial. Excellent buy. Can't believe someone go rid of that. Those motors are pricey.


----------



## CountryBoy19 (Oct 26, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> The bigger motor doesn't need as high rpm to produce the same power.  Good rule of thumb is for every 1/2 drop in rpms the motor will last 4x as long.
> 
> Ive got a 13hp 4000psi pressure washer too (not quite the same sweet price) and wish I had got it earlier.   The real number you want is cleaning untis (gpm x psi).   A lot of wasted time with the smaller one.  I picked up a turbo tip.  Works incredible.



Remember though that a 1/2 drop in RPMs will both decrease pressure and volume. Volume will decrease pretty proportionately to RPM (1/2 rpm correlates to 1/2 volume). Pressure is a bit more difficult to figure out the pressure drop. But either way, 1/2 drop in RPM will result in more than 1/2 drop in cleaning units.


----------



## HeatsTwice (Oct 26, 2011)

freeburn said:
			
		

> Yup, that's the commercial. Excellent buy. Can't believe someone go rid of that. Those motors are pricey.



When I found it, it was in an old leaky shed way out on the far corner of a 30 acre plot. Looked miserable on a 2x4 sled. But I had faith. They must not have known what they had. The only thing I can say is that it takes about a minute to warm up the engine before I can pull the trigger on the wand without stalling it (the engine). Perhaps the pump is a bit rusty. But after that, no problems.


----------



## lukem (Oct 26, 2011)

HeatsTwice said:
			
		

> freeburn said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I rented a post driller with a 9HP honda engine and it took a few minutes to warm up too.  Must be cold natured.

Either way, the engine alone is probably worth twice what you paid for the whole pressure washer.  Nice find!


----------



## SWNH (Oct 26, 2011)

HeatsTwice said:
			
		

> btuser said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I had that motor on my sawmill. Hard to pull, but started EVERY TIME on the first pull. Damn fine engine.


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 26, 2011)

I have its little brother the GX270 on my 5,000 watt generator. Same kind of find. Didn't look all that used to me at a landscape company bankruptcy auction. Picked it off for $165 and it has powered this joint twice for a week during power outages without a burp along with a few three hour and one day outages. Gas drinking sucker though.


----------



## btuser (Oct 26, 2011)

I do love the Honda GX engines.  Another great engine is the Vanguard series by B&S.  I swear the air is cleaner after it passes through the engine.  

Pressure washers are one of those things that you should go big or go home.  A smaller one is no more helpful than a garden hose.  I figure the bigger unit saves me between 8-12 hours/year between washing the house/pool deck and whatever else.  

I've got a pressure washer seasonal maint. question:  Do you need  to put in the anti-freeze or could you just blow it out with a compressor?  Is it a a rust inhibitor or just to keep it from freezing?  I was thinking I could blow in a little bit of veggie oil instead of $10 for a pint of special elixor.


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 26, 2011)

My pressure washer was a little one. I just blew it out. Then it froze up and busted the first winter in the garage.  :red:


----------

