On May 16, 9:16 am, wrote:
All outdoor power equipment that uses a small
engine has to be cleaned. Usually, we use
a detergent or solvent based cleaner. The
cleaning agent itself is not going to damage the
engine, but the water that you use to flush it
off is going to shorten the engine's life.

A friend who is a pro auto mechanic has a large
stationary compressor. When used with a blow
gun it can produce a tremendous volume of air.
Its the safest way to remove soil, sand, and
grime without the use of chemicals and water.

I was looking at portable air compressors. To
me, a portable compressor is under 45 lbs.
An electric model would be best since they
require almost no maintenance. The question
is, can a portable compressor and a blow gun
deliver a jet of air powerful enough to blast away
the crud that accumulates on small engines?

In some instances. They should be able to get close to your friends
compressor, assuming you mean his unit at home and not the shop unit,
which can sometimes be a monster.
I'd ask him what the PSI he was regulated at when you used his blow
gun, assuming it served your purpose. My guess is around 100psi,
which is doable with a pancake compressor. A pancake compressor will
fit your bill nicely, and you may come to love all the other pneumatic
accessories you can run off of it as well. Most can be rented if you
won't use them often enough to justify buying.
I'd suggest something like the Porter Cable 150psi 6 gallon 2HP
pancake. 34lbs, electric, great unit, very portable and 150psi is
plenty for most uses. I borrowed one for a couple weeks and it was
great. That same unit is still taking a beating, being left out in
and used in the rain, and running jobs daily for my friends
construction crews and it's a few years old now.