Air compressor for carbs etc

aussieflash

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1,004
What strength compressor do I need for blowing out carbs etc.Just bought a 12 volt 36 Ltr per minute.....laughable...sending it back tomorrow.I'm thinking maybe 8 - 10 CFM/ 220 - 280 litres per min.What do you think?
 

ONERCBOATER

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
536
Re: Air compressor for carbs etc

if it has a tank on it, the Liters/CFM is of little issue... the PSI is the big animal... i like a compressor to go to at least 125PSI prefer 150PSI or better. the reason I say that if it has a tank the CFM is of little concern is that for carb cleaning... you use short blasts of air. however if you intend to run air tool, spray paint.... ect... than CFM is very important. :)

Sean sounds like you will be ok with what you chose for what you want to do.
 

Mi duckdown

Commander
Joined
Apr 14, 2007
Messages
2,575
Re: Air compressor for carbs etc

It doesn't take much air to clean out air passages on carbs.
some of them are hard or imposible to reach.
TIP. use heavy mono fishing line and probe each oriface.
Got that advice from my Merc tech/shop.
Works for ME on all the carbs I have rebuilt for people.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Air compressor for carbs etc

Ya, you don't need alot, I used the air in can before I had a compressor and it worked fine.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,097
Re: Air compressor for carbs etc

Those cans of Canned Air ....... the same ones I use on my computer are handy to help clean things off when I re-build carbs. ;) I guess 5150 and I are from the same school!

I would be careful not to use allot of pressure.
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: Air compressor for carbs etc

That $89 el-cheapo pancake compressor from Harbor Freight is plenty of air(115PSI) for most casual shop use...when it tears up(4 or 5 years) buy a new one! You don't need a lot of air PSI to blow out a carb, use carb cleaner/pieces of wire, etc.to clean out passages and jets. Good Luck!
 
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