graytruck91
New member
when I was living in Virginia several years ago I worked part-time during the day for my pressure washing supplier in sales and technical support. We were talking about pump failures on direct drive units one afternoon and this is what he passed along to me.
I think if my memory is correct the manufacturer was A/R and evidently for quite a while many years ago they were having quite a bit of problems in the crankshaft and connecting rod area on the direct drive pumps. They tried different types of materials on both and we're still having problems keeping them from throwing rods and tearing up crankshafts. after a while It was evidently the extreme heat that was being transferred from the engine crankshaft to the pomp and causing so much heat that the oil was not able to provide proper lubrication and then would destroy the crankshaft and related parts.
so, I think bottom-line was after installing mobil 1 15/50 fully synthetic oil in the direct drive pumps they basically quit having problems.so, the problem was a lubrication problem and not a problem with crankshaft and connecting rod materials.
I think I remember seeing tags on the pumps that specifically states use only mobil 1 15/50 fully synthetic oil in this unit or the warranty would be void.
I remember one time thinking that this was kind of a far out theory and I was not sure if I believed all that or not. Several months later while cutting up some added pressure washing units that I had with a torch. Some of the synthetic oil spilled out on the frame from the pump. and when I was cutting with the torch it ignited. But, as soon as I took a torch away the flame went out. evidently synthetic oil does not burn very well. If that was petroleum based oil I would have probably had a serious fire going on.
after all of this happened I finally decided to use the mobil 1 15/50 in my air cooled Vanguard 18 horse engines. Never had any problem whatsoever. In my opinion synthetic oils are the way to go.....Just passing along some first-hand experience with synthetic oils vs. regular petroleum based oils.
Dan Swiderski ( not Dan S )
I think if my memory is correct the manufacturer was A/R and evidently for quite a while many years ago they were having quite a bit of problems in the crankshaft and connecting rod area on the direct drive pumps. They tried different types of materials on both and we're still having problems keeping them from throwing rods and tearing up crankshafts. after a while It was evidently the extreme heat that was being transferred from the engine crankshaft to the pomp and causing so much heat that the oil was not able to provide proper lubrication and then would destroy the crankshaft and related parts.
so, I think bottom-line was after installing mobil 1 15/50 fully synthetic oil in the direct drive pumps they basically quit having problems.so, the problem was a lubrication problem and not a problem with crankshaft and connecting rod materials.
I think I remember seeing tags on the pumps that specifically states use only mobil 1 15/50 fully synthetic oil in this unit or the warranty would be void.
I remember one time thinking that this was kind of a far out theory and I was not sure if I believed all that or not. Several months later while cutting up some added pressure washing units that I had with a torch. Some of the synthetic oil spilled out on the frame from the pump. and when I was cutting with the torch it ignited. But, as soon as I took a torch away the flame went out. evidently synthetic oil does not burn very well. If that was petroleum based oil I would have probably had a serious fire going on.
after all of this happened I finally decided to use the mobil 1 15/50 in my air cooled Vanguard 18 horse engines. Never had any problem whatsoever. In my opinion synthetic oils are the way to go.....Just passing along some first-hand experience with synthetic oils vs. regular petroleum based oils.
Dan Swiderski ( not Dan S )
