Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI User manual

Model No. 12940 (2200 psi High Pressure Washer) Manual No. B38 6 Revision 2 (7/20/1999)
Visit our Generac website: www.generac-portables.com
Problems?
Questions?
Before taking your unit
back to the store,
call the pressure washer
helpline at
1-800- 70-1408
M-F 8-5 CT
GENERAC
The Reliable Ones
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all safety
messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
2200 PSI
Pressure Washer Owner’s Manual

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
2
CAUTION! Always disconnect spark plug
wire and place wire where it cannot contact
spark plug to prevent accidental starting when
setting up, transporting, adjusting or making
repairs to your high pressure washer.
 Engine exhaust gases contain DEADLY carbon
monoxide gas. This dangerous gas, if breathed in
sufficient concentrations, can cause
unconsciousness or even death. Operate this
equipment only in the open air where adequate
ventilation is available.
 Gasoline is highly FLAMMABLE and its vapors are
EXPLOSIVE. Do not permit smoking, open flames,
sparks or heat in the vicinity while handling
gasoline. Avoid spilling gasoline on a hot engine.
Allow unit to cool for 2 minutes before refueling.
Comply with all laws regulating storage and
handling of gasoline.
 Locate this pressure washer in areas away from
combustible materials, combustible fumes or dust.
 The high pressure equipment is designed to be
used with Generac authorized parts only. If you use
this equipment with parts that do not comply with
minimum specifications, the user assumes all risks
and liabilities.
 Some chemicals or detergents may be harmful if
inhaled or ingested, causing severe nausea,
fainting or poisoning. The harmful elements may
cause property damage or severe injury.
 Do not allow CHILDREN to operate the Pressure
Washer at any time.
 Operate engine only at governed speed. Running
the engine at excessive speeds increases the
hazard of personal injury. Do not tamper with parts
which may increase or decrease the governed
speed.
 Do not wear loose clothing, jewelry or anything that
may be caught in the starter or other rotating parts.
 Before starting the Pressure Washer in cold
weather, check all parts of the equipment and be
sure ice has not formed there.
 Units with broken or missing parts, or without
protective housing or covers should NEVER be
operated.
 The muffler and air cleaner must be installed and in
good condition before operating the Pressure
Washer. These components act as spark arrestors
if the engine backfires.
 Check the fuel system for leaks or signs of
deterioration such as chafed or spongy hose, loose
or missing clamps or damaged tank or cap. Correct
all defects before operating the Pressure Washer.
 Do not spray flammable liquids.
 Never aim the gun at people, animals or plants.
The engine exhaust from this product
contains chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, birth
defects, or other reproductive harm.
WARNING:
IMPORTANT!  SAFETY RULES  IMPORTANT!
Save for future reference

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
3
 High pressure spray can cause paint chips or other
particles to become airborne and fly at high
speeds.
 Never allow any part of the body to come in contact
with the fluid stream. DO NOT come in contact with
a fluid stream created by a leak in the high
pressure hose.
 The high pressure stream of water that this
equipment produces can pierce skin and its
underlying tissues, leading to serious injury and
possible amputation.
 Always wear eye protection when you use this
equipment or when you are in the vicinity where
the equipment is in use.
 Operate the pressure at no more than the PSI fluid
pressure rated for your pressure washer.
 Never move the machine by pulling on the high
pressure hose. Use the handle provided on the top
of the unit.
 Always be certain the spray gun, nozzles and
accessories are correctly attached.
 Never use a spray gun which does not have a
trigger lock or trigger guard in place and in working
order.
 Use a respirator or mask whenever there is a
chance that vapors may be inhaled. Read all
instructions with mask so you are certain the mask
will provide the necessary protection against
inhaling harmful vapors.
 High pressure spray may damage fragile items
including glass. Do not point spray gun at glass
when in the jet spray mode.
 Keep the hose connected to machine or the spray
gun while the system is pressurized. Disconnecting
the hose while the unit is pressurized is dangerous.
 Hold the spray gun firmly in your hand before you
start the unit. Failure to do so could result in an
injury from a whipping spray gun. Do not leave the
spray gun unattended while the machine is
running.
 The cleaning area should have adequate slopes
and drainage to reduce the possibility of a fall due
to slippery surfaces.
 Keep water spray away from electric wiring or fatal
electric shock may result.
 Do not secure trigger gun in the pullback (open)
position.
 Do not bypass any safety device on this machine.
 The muffler and engine heat up during operation
and remain hot immediately after shutting it down.
Avoid contact with a hot muffler or engine or you
could be severely burned.
 Operate and store this unit on a stable surface.
 High pressure hose can develop leaks from wear,
kinking, abuse, etc. Water spraying from a leak is
capable of injecting material into skin. Inspect hose
each time before using it. Check all hoses for cuts,
leaks, abrasions or bulging of cover, or damage or
movement of couplings. If any of these conditions
exist, replace hose immediately. Never repair high
pressure hose. Replace it with another hose that
meets minimum pressure rating of your pressure
washer.
IMPORTANT!  SAFETY RULES  IMPORTANT!
Save for future reference

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
4
CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a
GENERAC high pressure washer. It has been
designed, engineered and manufactured to give you
the best possible dependability and performance.
Should you experience any problem you cannot
easily remedy, call the pressure washer helpline at
1-800- 70-1408.
Please read and retain this manual. The instructions
will enable you to assemble and maintain your high
pressure washer properly.
CUSTOMER
RESPONSIBILITIES
 Read and observe the safety rules.
 Follow regular schedule in maintaining, caring for
and using your high pressure washer.
 Follow the instructions under Customer
Responsibilities and Storage sections of this
Owner's Manual.
PRODUCT
SPECIFICATIONS
Pressure Washer Specifications
Outlet Pressure . . . . 2200 psi
Flow Rate . . . . . . . . . 2. gallons per minute (gpm)
Detergent Mix . . . . . Use undiluted detergent
approved for pressure
washers
Water Supply . . . . . Not to Exceed 140°F
Temperature
Automatic Cool . . . Will cycle when water
Down System reaches 140°-14 °F
Engine Specifications
Engine Model . . . . . Honda GC 160 QHA
Rated Horsepower . .0
Displacement . . . . . . 160cc
Spark Plug
Type . . . . . . . NGK:BPR6ES
Set Gap To: . . 028-.031 inch (.7-.8mm)
Gasoline Capacity . . 1.8 U.S. quarts
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SAE 10W30
In the State of California a spark arrestor is required
by law (Section 4442 of the California Public
Resources Code). Other states may have similar
laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands.
NOTE: If you equip the muffler with a spark arrestor,
it must be maintained in effective working order.
You can order a spark arrestor through your
authorized Honda service dealer.
Model Number 1 940
Serial Number
Date of Purchase
The model and serial numbers will be found on a
decal attached to the pressure washer. Record both
serial number and date of purchase and keep in a
safe place for future reference.

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
Chemical Nozzle
High Pressure Nozzles
Nozzle Extension with
Quick Connect Fitting
Choke Rod
High Pressure Outlet
Pump equipped with
Automatic Cool Down
System
Spray Gun
Water Inlet
Oil Fill Cap
Pressure Control Knob
Fuel Tank
Recoil Starter
Throttle Lever
Air Cleaner
Chemical Injection Tube
KNOW YOUR PRESSURE WASHER
Read this owners manual and safety rules before operating your high pressure washer.
Compare the illustrations with your high pressure washer to familiarize yourself with the location of the controls.
Save this manual for future reference.
Air Cleaner  Dry type filter element limits the amount of
dirt and dust that gets in the engine.
Automatic Cool Down System  Cycles water through
pump when water reaches 140°-14 °F. Warm water will
discharge from pump onto ground. This system prevents
internal pump damage.
Chemical Injection TubeUsed to siphon chemical from
the detergent container to the pump.
Chemical Nozzle  Use this nozzle to apply chemical.
Choke Rod Prepares a cold engine for starting.
Fuel Tank  Fill engine with regular unleaded gasoline
here.
Goggles (not shown)  Always use the goggles or other
eye protection when running your pressure washer.
High Pressure Hose (not shown) Connect one end to
water pump and the other end to spray gun. Store hose on
hook on the rear of the unit
High Pressure Nozzles  Use these nozzles to clean and
scour a surface. These nozzles vary the spray pattern of the
high pressure stream and cannot be used to apply chemical.
High Pressure Outlet  Connection for high pressure hose.
Nozzle Extension with QuickConnect Fitting  You must
attach this to the spray gun to use the nozzles. The
quickconnect fitting lets you quickly exchange the four
provided nozzles to adjust the spray pattern of the high
pressure spray and apply chemical.
Oil Fill Cap Fill engine with oil here. See page 7 for oil
requirements.
Pressure Control Knob  Varies the pressure of the high
pressure spray.
Pump  Develops high pressure.
Recoil Starter  Used for starting the engine manually.
Spray Gun  Controls the application of water onto
cleaning surface with trigger. Includes safety latch.
Throttle LeverSets engine in starting mode for recoil
starter and stops a running engine.
Water Inlet  Connection for garden hose.

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
6
WARNING! Read entire owners manual
before you attempt to assemble or operate
your new pressure washer.
REMOVE PRESSURE
WASHER FROM CARTON
 Remove the handle and parts box included with
pressure washer.
 Slice two corners at the end of carton from top to
bottom so the panel can be folded down flat, then
remove all packing material.
 Roll pressure washer out of carton.
Carton Contents
Items in the carton include:
 Main Unit
 High Pressure Hose
 Handle
 Parts Box (which includes the following):
 Oil Bottle
 Goggles
 Nozzle Cleaning Kit
 Bag Containing 4 MultiColored Nozzles
 ORing Maintenance Kit
 Owners & Engine Manual
 Spray Gun
 Nozzle Extension with QuickConnect Fitting.
 Parts Bag (hardware to attach handle)
If any of the above parts are missing or damaged,
call the pressure washer helpline at
1800 701408.
PREPARE PRESSURE
WASHER FOR USE
If you have any problems with the assembly of your
pressure washer or if parts are missing or damaged,
call the Pressure Washer Helpline at
1800 701408.
Perform these tasks to prepare unit:
 Attach the handle to the main unit.
 Add oil to the engine.
 Add fuel to the fuel tank.
 Connect the high pressure hose to the spray gun
and the pump and connect the water supply to the
pump.
Attach Handle to Pressure Washer
To attach handle to the pressure washer (Figure 1):
 Slowly tip the pressure washer forward and let it
gently rest on the front bumper.
 Align the holes on the handle with the holes on the
base.
 Insert the carriage bolts provided to hold the handle
in place.
 Secure handle to the pressure washer using the
four provided flange nuts.
 Slowly tip the pressure washer back in place and
insert the multicolored nozzles in the spaces
provided in the handle.
Figure 1  Attach Handle to Pressure Washer

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
7
Add Engine Oil
WARNING! Any attempt to crank or start the
engine before it has been properly serviced
with the recommended oil will result in an
engine failure.
Use only high quality detergent oil rated with API
service classification SF or SG rated 10W30. Do
not use SAE 10W40 oil.
 Place the pressure washer on a level surface.
 Clean the area around oil fill and remove the oil
dipstick (Figure 2).
 Wipe the dipstick clean.
 Insert and remove the dipstick without screwing it
into the filler neck. Check the oil level shown on the
dipstick.
 If the oil level is low, fill to the edge of the oil filler
hole with the recommended oil. DO NOT
OVERFILL.
 Reinstall the oil dipstick, hand tighten securely.
Note: Check Oil Often During Engine Breakin.
Add Gasoline
DANGER! Never fill fuel tank indoors. or
when engine is running or hot. Do not smoke
when filling fuel tank.
WARNING! Always fill tank to about 1/2"
below the bottom of the filler neck to provide
space for fuel expansion. Wipe away fuel
spillage before starting engine.
 Use clean fuel and store in approved, clean
covered containers. Use clean fill funnels. Never
use stale gasoline left over from last season or
gasoline stored for long periods.
 Clean the area around the fuel fill cap, remove the
cap (Figure 3).
 Add regular UNLEADED gasoline, slowly, to fuel
tank. Use a funnel to prevent spillage.
 Install the fuel cap and wipe up any spilled
gasoline.
Connect Hose and Water Supply to
Pump
IMPORTANT: You must assemble the wand and
attach all hoses before you start the engine. Starting
engine without all hoses connected and water
supplied will damage the pump.
 Uncoil the high pressure hose and attach one end
of the hose to the base of the spray gun.
(Figure 4). Tighten by hand.
Figure 2  Add Oil to Engine Crankcase
Oil Fill Cap/Dipstick
Upper Limit
Lower Limit
Figure 3  Add Regular Unleaded Gasoline to Fuel
Tank.
Figure 4  Connect High Pressure Hose to Fuel Tank
Connect high pressure
hose here.

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
8
 Attach the other end of the high pressure hose to
the high pressure outlet on the pump (Figure ).
Tighten by hand.
 Before you connect your garden hose to the water
inlet, inspect the Inlet Screen (Figure 6). Clean the
screen if it contains debris or have it replaced if
damaged. DO NOT RUN THE PRESSURE
WASHER IF THE SCREEN IS DAMAGED.
 Run water through your garden hose for 30
seconds to clean out any debris .
 Connect the garden hose to the water inlet. Tighten
by hand (Figure 6).
 Turn ON the water.
 Squeeze the trigger on the gun to purge the pump
system of air and impurities.
CAUTION: Before starting the pressure
washer, be sure you are wearing adequate
eye protection.
 Attach the nozzle extension to the spray gun.
Tighten by hand (Figure 7).
CHECKLIST BEFORE
STARTING ENGINE
Review the assembly to ensure you have performed
all of the following.
 Check for properly tightened hose connections
(high pressure and water supply) and for tight
connections and that there are no kinks, cuts, or
damage to the high pressure hose.
 Check that oil has been added to the proper level
in the engine crankcase before trying to start the
pressure washer.
 Add the proper gasoline to fuel tank.
 Provide a proper water supply (not to exceed
140°F).
 Be sure to read the Safety Rules and Operation
sections before using the pressure washer.
Figure 6  Connect the Garden Hose to Water Inlet
and Turn ON the Water.
Inspect inlet
screen, do not use
if damaged, clean
if dirty.
Figure 7  Connect Nozzle Extension to Spray Gun
Figure  Connect High Pressure Hose to Pump
Connect high
pressure hose here.

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
9
HOW TO USE PRESSURE
WASHER
If you have any problems operating your pressure
washer, please call the pressure washer helpline at
1-800- 70-1408.
How to Start Engine
The best way to start the enginepowered pressure
washer for the first time is to follow these instructions
stepbystep. This starting information also applies
whenever you start the engine after you have let the
pressure washer sit idle for at least a day.
 Place the pressure washer in an area close enough
to an outside water source that can flow at a rate of
3.0 gallons per minute.
 Check that the high pressure hose is tightly
connected to the spray gun and to the pump. See
Preparing the Pressure Washer for First Use on
page 6.
 Connect the garden hose to the water inlet on the
pressure washer pump and turn on the water.
WARNING! Do not run the pump without the
water supply connected and turned on. You
must follow this caution or the pump will be
damaged.
 Pull the Choke to the CLOSED position (full choke)
(Figure 8).
 Move the Throttle Control Lever to the Fast
position (Figure 9).
NOTE: For a warm engine, be sure the choke is in
the OPEN position (no choke).
 Squeeze the trigger on the spray gun (make sure
the nozzle is in low pressure mode) to relieve the
air pressure caused by turning ON the water. Water
will spew out of the gun in a thin stream. Hold the
trigger until a steady stream of water appears.
Release the trigger.
 Apply the safety latch to the spray gun trigger
 Grasp the rope handle and pull slowly until you feel
some resistance. Then pull the cord rapidly to
overcome compression, prevent kickback and start
the engine. Let the rope return to the starter slowly.
NOTE: Always keep the Throttle Control Lever in the
Fast position when operating the pressure washer.
 If the engine fails to start repeat above steps.
 If the choke was pulled to the CLOSED position to
start the engine, slowly push it to the OPEN
position as soon as the engine runs smoothly.
How to Stop Pressure Washer
 Move the Throttle Control Lever to the Slow
position.
 Wait for the engine to idle down.
 Move the Throttle Control Lever to the Stop position.
 Simply shutting off the engine will not release
pressure in the system. Squeeze trigger on the
spray gun to relieve pressure in the hose.
NOTE: A small amount of water will squirt out when
you release the pressure.
Figure 8  Choke positions
Choke Rod
Open
Closed
Figure 9  Throttle control positions
Throttle Lever
Fast
Slow
Stop

Generac Portable Products 2200 PSI High Pressure Washer
10
How to Use the Nozzles
If you have any problems operating your pressure
washer, please call the pressure washer helpline at
1-800- 70-1408.
DANGER! Never exchange nozzles without
locking the safety latch on the trigger.
The quickconnect on the nozzle extension allows
you to switch between four different nozzles. The
nozzles vary the spray pattern as shown below
(Figure 10).
Follow these instructions to change nozzles:
 Engage the safety latch on the spray gun.
 Pull back the collar on the quickconnect and pull
the current nozzle off. Store the nozzle in the space
provided on the control panel.
NOTE: For a more gentle rinse, select white 40°
nozzle. To scour the surface, select yellow 1 ° or red
0° nozzle. To apply chemical, select black 6 ° nozzle.
 Pull back on the collar, insert the new nozzle and
release the collar. Pull on the nozzle to make sure
it is securely in place.
 For most effective cleaning, keep the spray nozzle
between 8 to 24 inches away from the cleaning
surface. If you get the spray nozzle too close, you
may damage the cleaning surface.
Cleaning and Applying Chemical
WARNING! You must attach all hoses
before you start the engine. Starting the
engine without all the hoses connected and
without the water turned ON will damage the
pump.
IMPORTANT: Use soaps designed specifically for
pressure washers. Household detergents could
damage the pump.
To apply detergent follow these steps:
 Review the use of the nozzles.
 Prepare the detergent solution as required by the
manufacturer.
 Hang the detergent solution container on the hook
at the rear of the pressure washer.
 Place the small filter of the chemical injection tube
tube into the detergent container.
CAUTION! Keep the chemical injection tube
from coming in contact with the hot muffler.
This will damage the chemical injection tube.
When inserting the filter into a chemical bottle,
route the tube so as to keep it from
inadvertently contacting the hot muffler.
 Make sure the black nozzle is installed on the
nozzle extension.
NOTE: Detergent cannot be applied with the high
pressure nozzles (White, Yellow, or Red).
 Make sure the garden hose is connected to the
water inlet. Check that high pressure hose is
connected to spray gun and pump, then start
engine.
 Apply the detergent to a dry surface, starting at
lower portion of area to be washed and work
upward, using long, even, overlapping strokes. Do
not allow the detergent to dry on. This will
prevent streaking.
 Allow the detergent to soak in between 3
minutes before washing and rinsing. Reapply as
needed to prevent surface from drying.
Figure 10  Nozzles
White Black
Yellow Red
Low Pressure
Use to apply
chemical