My dad has a Honda GC160 5.0HP engine on his pressure washer. It will crank and run fine, then after about 2 min it just shuts down. I put it up on the bench pulled the pump off and tryed to play with it and about the time it starts to die if i pull the choke out of a sec it will pick back up and continue running. Or if i have the choke pulled half way out it will run fine.

I have removed taken apart and cleaned the carb and still the same problem. I am thinking its the fuel pump going bad. Does anyone else have any other ideas ?

Try running it with the fuel cap loose, may just be the cap not venting properly and fuel stops flowing to the carburetor.

Well 30yearTech you done it again. I cranked it and let it run till begain to die again and quickly removed the fuel cap and it picked right back up. then put the cap back on and did let it run again till it about died and removed the cap again. Same thing. Thanks for your assistance.

Excell Pressure Washer with a Honda GC160QHA 5hp Engine
Read other suggested solutions. Nothing works yet. Welcome comments and suggestions. Thanks!

Summary of Problem and My Attemps to Resolve it:
- Starts easily with choke full on. Runs great – even gives FULL power for 15 to 30 seconds and then sputters and shuts down. Just quits. -
2nd or more tries:
- If I try it again immediately – No Start. // WAIT 2-3 minutes before the next try and it will start again > just to fail again.
- Tried it multiple times over multiple days with same results after trying the things shown below. No luck.

- Spark seems good, so I suspect fuel starvation.
Ideas I’ve considered:
1. Air Filter is clean.
2. Emptied and cleaned gas tank (using new gas to help get out any sediment). Fuel had some small black specs in it before. Also drained the fuel from carburetor using the drain screw. Result: No luck. Same problem after
3. Taking the gas cap off to assure the vent is not clogged. Result: No Luck - Same problem with/without the gas cap on
4. Carberator clean out. NOT done yet, but could. From what I have read, it did not make a change.
5. Fuel Pump Test: NOT CONCLUSIVE. Fuel pump “out” line (going to Carberator) removed carberator and attempted pulling starter to pump it 10-12 times. Got fuel through, but not a lot. Result: Fuel pump may / may not be the problem.

History: Pressure washer in use every couple weeks. No problems before this. No experience with bad gas with other equipment using the same gas can. Have used gas additive when not being used for more than a week or two.

NOTE: Choke seems to have something to do with it because as it is dying, you can get it to “come back” (only for a couple more seconds) if you move the choke slightline in/ out. It still “stops” though.

Also, can it have something to do with pressure washer pump binding?

Excel balance beam pumps have seizing issues. I have had two Excel pressure washers from big box stores with Honda engines seize the pump after two years. Excell is good about standing behind them.