Alright, so check this out, I messed around with a jet washer pump the other day, and figured I'd share what I learned. It wasn't pretty, but hey, that's how you learn, right?

First off, the damn thing just stopped working. No pressure, just a pathetic dribble. So, I unplugged it (safety first, duh!), and started poking around. I started by checking the power cord, making sure it wasn't frayed or anything obvious. Looked good. Next, I unscrewed the nozzle to see if it was clogged. Nope, clear as day.

Okay, so time to get a little more serious. I disconnected the water inlet hose. Figured I'd check the water filter. Man, that thing was FILTHY! Full of gunk and grit. Gave it a good clean under the tap, scrubbed it with an old toothbrush, the whole shebang. Put it back in, hooked everything back up... still nothing. Argh!

Alright, next suspect: the pump itself. This is where things got interesting. I had to take the whole casing apart. Lots of screws, so I grabbed a bowl to keep them organized. Inside, it was a maze of wires and plastic bits. I could see the motor, and there was this capacitor thingy. Googled it quick to see what it does (something about starting the motor, apparently).

I figured maybe the capacitor was shot. I don't have a multimeter to test it properly, so I just visually inspected it. Looked okay, but honestly, who knows? Anyway, I kept digging. I found the actual pump part, a little impeller thing. I tried spinning it by hand. Felt kinda stiff, not smooth like I expected.

That's when I saw it. A tiny pebble, jammed right in there! Bastard! I used a small screwdriver to carefully pry it out. Spun the impeller again... much better! Nice and free.

So, I put everything back together, making damn sure I didn't forget any screws (almost did!). Plugged it in, crossed my fingers, and hit the power button. BAM! Water blasted out like a champ! YES!

Lessons learned:

• Always check the simple stuff first (power cord, nozzle, filter).
• Don't be afraid to take things apart (but take pictures so you remember how it goes back together!).
• Sometimes it's just a tiny thing causing all the trouble.

It was a pain in the butt, but I saved myself some cash and learned a thing or two. Plus, now I can blast the crud off my patio like a boss. Worth it!