Trying to FIX: Karcher Dirt Blaster Lance NOT Spinning 

Excellent! Who knew that repairing pressure washers would be fun! I had to do a repair to mine many years ago - left water inside over winter, it froze, expanded and cracked a piece of aluminium on the pressure part. Luckily I sourced a replacement part and it was good as new! Now I always make sure to run the jet washer without water until all the water is expelled from inside, then store it for the winter.

Thanks for posting this, would have never thought the end of the lance was screwed on which makes it repairable. Great work and keep it up.

I love watching investigative fixes! Great work gents.

Brilliant video Vince. You and your brother worked together and figured out a brilliant result. Hopefully it lasts a good while longer while you look for a more permanent solution or repair kit. As always great video!

Thanks Vince, was using mine today and came in for a brew because the nozzle stopped turning. Perfect timing for your video. Job for tomorrow.

Thanks for posting this. your video is excellent to watch to the point not boring at all. very lively and focus to watch. also like your approach it is not a fake video as there are many nowadays showing stuff that can't be put in practice. Yours is genuine. When fixing anything issues crop up as it is shown in your video. Step by step you showed logic approach.. Best wishes & keep it up. Thanks again.

My dirtblaster was broken in the same way and this video was a perfect fix for me. No faffing about figuring it out. Thank you

my job is fixing karcher machines, and i have to say that the plastic dirt blasters do wear out very fast and then stop working properly. the brass versions last much longer

Thank you opening my eyes to repairs that I could take on myself. Now you show how strip down the gearbox in my Audi A6.👍

Excellent vid guys. Funny I stumbled upon this because my exact lance on the exact machine has just developed the same fault. Many many thanks.

Iam kind of handy man and I got little experiance to do many trades ,this chanel is one of the best I have ever seen and since I started watching RU-vid for many years iam subscribed only in 9 chanels and now I have 10 chanels including yours ,keep it up mate 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Very good fix guys!!! I have an older unit which has similar parts. I used a plastic washer that was adjusted to the right thickness... a lot of fiddling around is needed.

I didn’t have any tiny washers so I was putting some raw plugs away and came up with the idea of slicing a neat piece the size of the washer that you used and it works a treat .

what a great video, very thorough in trying & results. mine (Karcher K2) was having the same problem with its dirt blaster nozzle. thanks for the video.

Great informative video ,thanks for sharing it with us . I am having a problem with my patio cleaner not working .

I've got the same problem with mine, will give you're fix a go, cheers for that mate

I know, what to do when & if my dirt-blaster starts being a arse. Mine shouldn't as, it's less than a month old 😄 But, many thanks for your solution to a problem that could have had a cost to it. ( a new, replacement dirt blaster at a cost of 😕 ) Your solution with your brothers help 😁 has saved money on forking out for another. For those who may need to do so in the near future. THANKS ANYWAY!!!! 😉 I wonder what would be the, solution if the various lancewood, had issue's Maybe a video in the future, showing how, to deal with that, . I'm sure, they are, quite, a bit more complex, at the nozzle. Once again THANKS!!!

Great Vid. The key design element of the lance is that the ball bearing must protrude from its housing, thus allowing the unit holding the ball bearing to spin. I have a K4 Karcher where the ball bearing sits in a solid tube with no hole to let the water through. I created a copper disc that now sits in the bottom of the tube allowing the ball bearing to protrude the correct distance and it now works like new. Thanks (if you're still monitoring the vids)

Thank you for solving the karcher problem, cheers

What a coincidence, I literally set my karcher blaster up earlier today and I come on youtube and this video is waiting for me

Thank you . I am experiencing this issue at the moment so this knowledge is a good way how to start fixing mine Kärcher.

Excellent trouble shooting. It is very useful to me. Thanks guys.

Thank you, Vince & brother, that really helped me!

I've just had to take my one apart too. It's a GreenWorks model. The jet nozzle has a 6mm allen up in it's rump and it's REVERSE thread. My one was built almost the same. I polished the bits that slide on each other with 2000 grit wet/dry paper and gave it a light tough of silicon grease. Job done!

Great video! Mine has the same problem, so next day I will try your method 👏👏👏👏👏 Thank you very much for your help! 😉😉👍👍

Very Impressed the way you and your brother worked it out .

Nice fix!!... from one Karcher repair person to another. I will try the washer fix on my rotary wand. cheers!

Great way of fault finding. Well done..

I agree with your conjecture that the ball bearing wears down the plastic support mechanism. I couldn't locate a washer as small as yours to bring up the level of the ball. Mine was barely above the top of the plastic retainer. So I drilled a 1/16" hole in the sides of the retainer, just above the cross members, and inserted a copper wire across, bending it up to retain it. The blaster now continues to run, albeit not as smoothly as before, but at least it gets the job done. Thanks for your insight.

Great job guys, I have the same issue and will have a go at this

Thanks for the video , my karcher suffers the same problem. I shall check tomorrow . And now one borrow their tools to anyone . I don't know is it just me or there are others out there, WHEN EVER YOU LEND YOUR TOOLS TO OTHERS, IT'S NEVER THE SAME WHEN AND IF ITS GET'S RETURNED.

Great handy video Vince. 👍

Not all heroes wear capes! Thanks for this guys!

Hi vince thanks to this video y jet wash was doing the same thing but on the 4 speed head version when I went to hi it was making the same noise and pump going on and off so after watching this I took the head apart and there was some dirt in side cleaned out and now works great almost brought a new jet washer thanks again would like to chat with you privately about something if you have a min

Vince and Lance. Could be brothers!

Ok watched. Agree with your diagnosis. Would offer that if you take a pencil and press the washer onto some 120 grit sandcloth with the eraser end, that after 5-10 min of sanding you can adjust the thickness of the washer easily. Sand two washers down to 3/4 original thickness!

Thank you. ! A great video. Answered all my questions!!😊

That was a genius fix thanks guys for your help

thanks to you sorted mine thanks keep up the videos good work and very enjoyable

Brilliant job guys, helped me a lot

very necessary info! we also have hard water and i immersed the nozzel in white vinegar for a couple of days which dissolved the minerals, largely calcium and magnesium [scale] and it seems to have done the trick - a squirt of oil/silicone now and then could also help. if there is dirt inside obviously opening the unit will be the solution.

Had the 'Karcher power washer advert' stuck in my head the last couple days and then this video turns up in my feed. How strange:)

Awesome video as always 👍🏻❤️

Thanks guys, VERY interesting video.

Thanks! I wish you good health and good luck!

Thanks very much mate. Fixed mine a treat!

thank you for sharing. I have just fixed mine👍

Amazing solution, guys!

You've got me worried now - my one of these was reluctant to start spinning when I used it the other day. Something else to add to the list. FWIW to me it looks like the angled hole plate makes the ball-bearing end of the nozzle rotate around the chamber. The small O-ring then contacts the side of the chamber and makes the nozzle spin on its axis, which in turn may make the output end run on a water bearing to reduce wear.

Well done mate!

From diagnosis I am certain that this was dropped and it damaged the inside by changing the length of the stem. Because the length was short the stem was flopping around inside the nozzle and getting stuck till pressure built up dislodged it and lodged it again. Sorta why you feel that pulsing pressure at the start. I From what I can see this is how it works. The inner height of the nozzle assembly is actually shorter than the stem itself. This forced the stem to rest on the outer edges of the radius inside. When water is turned on the water is forced through that small pin hole near the top giving you that high pressure. This flows down the stem and around the bearing(ball). This ball gives the stem free movement around the radius of the orange piece and the small rubber washer acts like a bumper to protect the stem from slamming into the sides of the nozzle at high rpm. Due to the angle of the holes in the orange piece and the angle of the stem itself I believe is what causes the stem to rotate. Because this device was dropped it messed up the length which you both figured out. That washer fix is very nice but remember now because of the smaller outlet between that washer and ball you may end up having to open it up and clean it out more frequently.

It never hurts to take stuff apart... It's already broken, and you may just learn something.

Great work!

Hi mymatevince wow what an interesting video brilliant 👍

I will check if i can print the perfect washer, thanks for the video :D

This is an excellent Video . You Know how to Teach..

great video as always

Very good work👍🌹.

Very nice deduction and repair. May I suggest that 1) I hope you used a stainless washer. and 2) If you had used a rotary fine grinder and created indents around the outside of the washer for water to bypass, you would have had a far better flow and cleaning pattern! If you don't know what I mean, just ask.

This is why RU-vid was invented for!!! Great video.

What a fantastic video Vince! I've got a how to fix video coming up later on from our dryer. When it was turned on it sounded like there was something rattling about in the motor, but in fact it was actually a bit that I had changed out a few months ago that had fallen down the lint trap and was causing it to make a loud rattling noise and sometimes to stop the motor entirely, of course the lint trap was also full of crud as well and it leads directly to the blower. Here I was thinking I'd have to tear the whole thing down and replace the motor lol 🤷‍♂️

Here is the way that helped me. The nozzle jammed and gave a straight stream, the pressure was ok. What I did: "I found a way to start the nozzle without disassembling it. Just squirt the lithium grease in the spray inside the nozzle from the outlet side. Lubricating even a wet nozzle makes it run like new. 20 minutes. Then you have to repeat it and the working time is longer. Fairy tale. I recommend it. I used CX80 Lithium lubricant. " My nozzle got a second life, after a few cycles with grease, I washed 350 square meters of the driveway. RECOMMEND

Good work on that washer 👍

Thank you for your valuable intructions.i had two defective nozzles and managed to repair.how to repair the other long one?

Fab little fix Vince.

Vince why not buy whole broken Karcher unit? That would be cool video and maybe views also could raise.

Going to have to finish that patio off now vince 😄

My problem with this wand was the tip. True the ball bearing does sink in, so the washer trick is good. The cure was the end tip has a hole in I, pushed the dirt through with a strong needle and voila that did it. Put it back together, don't forget the O ring and it worked like new. Thanks lads.

Thanks so much for sharing.

@My Mate VINCE great videos as usual, just subscribed to your channel 😁

I've been using that very same pressure washer to clean my car this morning haha

hello, nice video, i was always told for detergent and descaler product, if you put too much it is less efficient than respecting the mixing ratio. what do you think ?

I had mine not starting after almost a year-stop. It would just not start as I pull the trigger, so I thought it was something with the switch. And so it was: not the main switch itself, but the pressure switch inside - it was stuck somehow. The problem was that in order to disassemble that switch I had to undo the pump's head. On reassembling it, I mounted the o-ring wrong and it leaked all the oil out. So I had to disassemble it again, do an oil change and finally reassemble the whole thing. Now it works flawlessly!

Love the content Vince. Highlight of my YT week. Also love how right at the end of the video, you hit the very nozzle you'd been fixing onto the ground 🤔🤔😂

One thing i have learned years ago the hard way is, dont lend your tools to anyone.

Great video guys. Thanks, in mine the problem seems to be with trigger gun. Any tips how to get into it? Have removed 3 screws but the rest seem to be some kind of plastic rivets??

Informative video. Could you please tell me the size of the big and small O rings and also what is the 'plastic disc with holes' part called? And any links to purchasing the same. Thanks

Thanks so much my friend’s very hep full

There is a groove on that orange piece, and I'd wager that the o-ring is supposed to be around that rim when it goes back, rather than just sitting limply behind the orange disc.

Good Show. Cheers!

thankx , now it works !!!!

*I haven't used it yet, however, this pressure washer replacement gun offers greater spray flexibility over the standard sprayer gun that came with my pressure washer originally.*

If I look at the construction the ball bearing blocks the passages as it is in the top cavity of the small pipe(water inlet). Perhaps try putting the ball bearing next to the white pipe, this way the entrance is not closed of by the ball bearing. I had a similar problem with a ALDI topcraft/kingcraft one.(which was also kaercher) I that case the ball bearing went in the upper cavity to give enough inertia to the pipe. The water entrance was not in the top part but half way the length of the pipe.

Every time I hear your brother I imagine Iwan Rehon. And I'm here for that.

This is just a bad system, to be honest. I used to have a Karcher machine a few years ago, and the lance stopped spinning within just a couple hours of use, got it replaced, and the new one stopped after a couple weeks. On my old Nilfisk (i'm guessing that's a brand you guys don't have), everything is still working fine after like 10+ years of use, even though it's a much cheaper, much more low end machine. Now i did like the Karcher a lot, apart from that awful spinning lance. Next time i need a new machine though, i'll probably just stick with Nilfisk.

Paul: YES!

Great loved it

Can you do a video showing how to replace the end bit on the hose. The brass connector that goes into the machine/hand gun.

Vince tell your brother to get the patio head cleaner with bristles it cleans about a 10 inch circle from 4 inches away an stops the spray I haven't cleaned my drive/patio with just the jet since I got the head attachment an it cleans the area in a quarter of the time an your feet stay dry.

Make sure to use a stainless steel washer so it lasts. One will not be horribly expensive. Also most washers are made with automated punches and may have a bit of a sharp edge on one side and the other side will have more rounded and not sharp edges. Make sure to put the slightly sharp side so that the bearing is not rubbing on it. These nozzles are not overly expensive if you shop around but you don't really have to if it is not worn out or broken.

Life saver 👍

Great fun video to watch as always!

Nice trial by error fix. Question: metal ball bearing vrs plastic = worn plastic. Metal ball bearing vrs metal washer = ? Will the coating come off either the bearing or washer and leave rusty jammed ball bearing?

Thanks for the post I have the same issue, another person put a very good comment , don't lend ur washer

Great Video, very informative ! HOWEVER, I can't for the Life of me, unscrew the Conical Bit. I've tried everything including carefully immersing the Conical Bit in boiling Water in order to expand the threaded (female ) portion from the threaded (male) portion on the Lance. At the Moment I'm soaking it in WD40 so I'll try again later. I see that you have a "K2" Version which is a slightly lower Pressure than my "K4". I was at the local DIY Center to find the Price of a new "Dirt Blaster" (as you call it) and they are quite reasonably priced (by Today's Standards). There were 4 different ones according to the Pressure Value of the High Pressure Machine. The Prices are considerably lower here in Germany compared with the U.K. (well, it is a German Company after all). I'm always amused by the way the Brits mispronounce German Words, but that's another Story. Ask your Brother if he can suggest a better Method of unscrewing the Conical Bit. Failing that, I'll have to buy a new Lance - Yuk !

We have the same Kärcher pressure washer and tips

top tip ,one little washer, and mines perfect now . was going to splash out on a k4 , but get some more life out of mine .

that was interesting, my one stopped spinning a while back guess that's another job for my social isolating todo list

Those Karcher systems are junk but the point is that it is now a working Karcher and not yet another land-filled Karcher. Great work.

Hi where is it possible to buy the flat steel washer to fit inside the dirt blaster