$50 Craftsman Pressure Washer Won’t Start — This Simple Fix Brought It Back!

Craftsman pressure washer won’t start? In this episode of Probably Fixed It, I picked up a Craftsman 2800 MAX PSI, 2.3 GPM pressure washer with a Briggs & Stratton 163cc engine for just $50. The previous owner said it had only been used a couple of times before being put away — and now it wouldn’t run. Old stale fuel, a clogged carburetor, blocked jets, or a fuel-delivery issue are common causes of a pressure washer that won’t start. I work through the diagnosis to find the problem. And yes… I also discovered something embarrassingly simple. Apparently the ON/OFF switch works better when it’s actually turned on. 🤦‍♂️ Once the engine fired briefly, the symptoms pointed toward a fuel-related problem, so I opened the Briggs & Stratton plastic carburetor and replaced the internal carburetor cartridge / emulsion tube and jet assembly without completely removing the carburetor. This plastic carburetor design is found on many newer Briggs & Stratton engines, Craftsman equipment, push mowers, and other small-engine applications. Old gasoline can leave varnish and deposits that cause no-start, starts-and-dies, rich-running, and fuel-delivery problems. After installing a replacement carburetor cartridge and adding fresh non-ethanol fuel, the engine came back to life — but then I noticed black smoke. That led to a second diagnosis involving the automatic choke linkage, which I had accidentally disturbed during the repair. If you have a Craftsman pressure washer that won’t start, a Briggs & Stratton 163cc engine that only runs on starting fluid, or a Briggs plastic carburetor clogged by stale fuel, this video may help before replacing the entire carburetor. 🔧 PRODUCTS & TOOLS USED 👉 Briggs plastic carburetor cartridge: https://amzn.to/3R2PCuR 👉 Complete replacement Briggs carburetor: https://amzn.to/4gplPa5 ⚠️ Avoid running a pressure washer for extended periods without water supplied to the pump or leaving the pump deadheaded unnecessarily. EQUIPMENT IN THIS VIDEO: • Craftsman gas pressure washer • 2800 MAX PSI / 2.3 GPM • Briggs & Stratton 163cc engine • Symptom: Won’t start / fuel issue • Repair: Carburetor cartridge replacement • Secondary issue: Automatic choke linkage • Fuel condition: Old stale gasoline If you enjoy small engine repair, pressure washer repair, carburetor troubleshooting, and cheap equipment rescues, subscribe to Probably Fixed It. I’ve been told dogs like me too… so if you don’t want to watch, put the playlist on for the dog. 🐕😂 If it ain’t broke, I probably haven’t touched it yet. #PressureWasherRepair #BriggsAndStratton #SmallEngineRepair 00:00 $50 Craftsman Pressure Washer Rescue 00:35 Craftsman 2800 PSI Pressure Washer Overview 01:02 Briggs & Stratton 163cc Engine Inspection 01:30 Checking Old Fuel and Gas Condition 02:02 Checking the Engine Oil 02:25 Inspecting the Air Filter 02:52 First Attempt to Start the Pressure Washer 03:30 Testing the Engine With Starting Fluid 04:08 Checking the Choke Butterfly 04:45 Why Won’t This Briggs Engine Fire? 05:15 The Embarrassing ON/OFF Switch Discovery 05:48 Briggs Engine Finally Fires 06:20 Why a Pressure Washer Pump Needs Water 06:55 Connecting Water to the Pressure Washer 07:35 Engine Starts but Fuel Problem Remains 08:05 Diagnosing a Fuel-Related No-Start 08:38 Briggs Plastic Carburetor Explained 09:15 Common Plastic Carburetor Cartridge Failure 09:50 Removing the Carburetor Cover 10:30 Accessing the Briggs Carburetor 11:05 Camera Overheats in 104 Degree Heat 11:35 Rebuilding the Carburetor on the Engine 12:10 Removing the Plastic Carburetor Bowl 12:50 Old Fuel Damage Inside the Carburetor 13:25 Discolored Float and Stale Gas Evidence 14:00 Briggs Emulsion Tube and Jets Explained 14:35 Rebuild vs Replace the Carburetor Cartridge 15:10 Installing the New Carburetor Cartridge 15:48 Cleaning Sediment From the Carburetor 16:20 Reinstalling the Float Bowl 17:00 Moving the Repair Into the Garage 17:32 How to Stop Fuel From Leaking 18:05 Pinching Off the Fuel Line 18:38 Tightening Fasteners Into Plastic 19:10 Reconnecting the Carburetor to the Intake 19:45 Reinstalling the Air Box and Cover 20:30 Briggs Plastic Carb Used on Lawn Mowers Too 21:05 Replacement Carburetor vs Rebuild Kit 21:40 Briggs “Just Check and Add” Oil Discussion 22:20 Adding Fresh Non-Ethanol Fuel 23:00 Connecting the Pressure Washer Hose 23:35 First Start After Carburetor Repair 24:10 Black Smoke Means It’s Running Rich 24:42 Diagnosing the Automatic Choke 25:20 Removing the Recoil Starter Assembly 26:00 How the Briggs Automatic Choke Works 26:42 Finding the Choke Linkage Problem 27:20 Correcting the Choke Linkage 28:00 Final Start and Repair Test 28:40 What I Accidentally Did Wrong 29:15 $50 Pressure Washer Rescue Results 30:00 Full Plastic Carburetor Rebuild Video 30:35 Final Thoughts and Probably Fixed It