Leaf blower to dry car?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
I have been using a leaf blower since 1999. I love it! I use a craftsman 210 MPH electric leaf blower. I was told not to use a gas powered one since they can sometimes spit out gas. Not sure if it's true though. I go over the whole car, black t bar first then work my way down. I would recommend doing it in the shade. After it's dry just wipe it down with Zaino. Just a word of advice the more polish you have the better the leaf blower works.
I use my gas leaf blower and air from my compressor. BTW here is a good read http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-De...Drying/#drying
Another 
for the leaf blower. Mine is gas powered and I have used it for several years on all my cars. There have even been club 'get togethers' at members homes where water hoses, rags, and leaf blowers are provided. It really gets rid of the water in the cracks and crevices that never come out until you drive off.
for the leaf blower. Mine is gas powered and I have used it for several years on all my cars. There have even been club 'get togethers' at members homes where water hoses, rags, and leaf blowers are provided. It really gets rid of the water in the cracks and crevices that never come out until you drive off.To all you guys driving your car and wiping it down, please stop. You're wiping fresh dirt into the paint and that will create marring and swirls. Just look at the rear bumper after 2 blocks
Also do NOT use a gas powered one. You WILL get oil/gas on the car. Someone did a writeup on it, on the detail forums and the amount of stuff coming out of it was shocking. Bottom line, use electric. Another good idea is to use it in the same spot as where you washed, when the ground is still wet, that way less chance of blowing dirt up onto the car.
To all you guys driving your car and wiping it down, please stop. You're wiping fresh dirt into the paint and that will create marring and swirls. Just look at the rear bumper after 2 blocks
Also do NOT use a gas powered one. You WILL get oil/gas on the car. Someone did a writeup on it, on the detail forums and the amount of stuff coming out of it was shocking. Bottom line, use electric. Another good idea is to use it in the same spot as where you washed, when the ground is still wet, that way less chance of blowing dirt up onto the car.
Also do NOT use a gas powered one. You WILL get oil/gas on the car. Someone did a writeup on it, on the detail forums and the amount of stuff coming out of it was shocking. Bottom line, use electric. Another good idea is to use it in the same spot as where you washed, when the ground is still wet, that way less chance of blowing dirt up onto the car.
I use a Metro Blaster SideKick to dry. I like the ability to get into small places with it, and it works great on wheels.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
To all you guys driving your car and wiping it down, please stop. You're wiping fresh dirt into the paint and that will create marring and swirls. Just look at the rear bumper after 2 blocks
Also do NOT use a gas powered one. You WILL get oil/gas on the car. Someone did a writeup on it, on the detail forums and the amount of stuff coming out of it was shocking. Bottom line, use electric. Another good idea is to use it in the same spot as where you washed, when the ground is still wet, that way less chance of blowing dirt up onto the car.
Also do NOT use a gas powered one. You WILL get oil/gas on the car. Someone did a writeup on it, on the detail forums and the amount of stuff coming out of it was shocking. Bottom line, use electric. Another good idea is to use it in the same spot as where you washed, when the ground is still wet, that way less chance of blowing dirt up onto the car.
http://www.shindaiwa.com/can/en/prod...02_eb802rt.php
I don't know how the hell they would spit out gas and all kinds of other crap. They are two different compartments. Now maybe a cheapo wally world, or something homeowner edition one will. Hell I use my back pack to blow off all the grass etc from myself when I'm done. I put it on the ground, rev it up and yes, I'll say, blow myself off! LOL. I've never got gas or anything on myself from doing this. SO I'm interested in seeing this writeup. Not to mention, even if it does spit out an ever so small amount of gas particles, it can't be any worse than driving down the highway and having crap from other cars spewed on my car.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,911
Likes: 675
From: Western North Carolina
No gas or debris coming out of mine either, nothing that has detracted from the appearance whatsover over several years. I have the show trophies to prove it. Another internet myth??
Can you find me this write up? Like I said been using a commercial back pack blower for years. Similar to this.
http://www.shindaiwa.com/can/en/prod...02_eb802rt.php
I don't know how the hell they would spit out gas and all kinds of other crap. They are two different compartments. Now maybe a cheapo wally world, or something homeowner edition one will. Hell I use my back pack to blow off all the grass etc from myself when I'm done. I put it on the ground, rev it up and yes, I'll say, blow myself off! LOL. I've never got gas or anything on myself from doing this. SO I'm interested in seeing this writeup. Not to mention, even if it does spit out an ever so small amount of gas particles, it can't be any worse than driving down the highway and having crap from other cars spewed on my car.
http://www.shindaiwa.com/can/en/prod...02_eb802rt.php
I don't know how the hell they would spit out gas and all kinds of other crap. They are two different compartments. Now maybe a cheapo wally world, or something homeowner edition one will. Hell I use my back pack to blow off all the grass etc from myself when I'm done. I put it on the ground, rev it up and yes, I'll say, blow myself off! LOL. I've never got gas or anything on myself from doing this. SO I'm interested in seeing this writeup. Not to mention, even if it does spit out an ever so small amount of gas particles, it can't be any worse than driving down the highway and having crap from other cars spewed on my car.
I will try to find the writeup and post it.
Getting that gas/oil on the paint is likely to strip any protection wherever it sits, so yeah I'd say its worse than normal driving stuff on the highway.
Not to be **** about it, but judges at car shows rarely even notice things like holograms and swirlmarks. I've seen cars get trophies that I would have been embarrassed to drive. Definitely not a myth. Though I'm sure not all blowers are created equal, but the vast majority do this, and it just seems silly to take the risk. I will be on the lookout for the writeup so you can see.
TECH Junkie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,911
Likes: 675
From: Western North Carolina
Well GOFAST908Z, if you ever do find the write-up, I would be interested in reading it but make sure it isn't written by some environmental **** that feels every gas powered implement is going to destroy the world. That would have ZERO credibility. By the way, maybe the car shows you attend are presenting trophies to crappy cars but don't assume mine are. See my '95 911 below at an Atlanta car show. I've used a gas leaf blower on it for years. Does it look 'embarassing' to you??
Attachment 312783
Attachment 312783
Last edited by NC01TA; Oct 3, 2014 at 08:26 AM.
The key is how the blower vents its exhaust. If it has a muffler and vents out the back, then it is probably ok to use. Most 4 cycle blowers are set up this way. If it vents its exhaust down the blow tube, as a vast majority of the homeowner, 2 cycle models do, then you have a potential problem.
That's what I was leaning towards. I think it all depends on the blower, hence why I want to see the write up before I get to into this. I just know that mine does not. If it did, I wouldn't be blowing it at my face. Maybe the one used in the write up had a blown seal on the output shaft and was leaking into the blower cavity.
Well GOFAST908Z, if you ever do find the write-up, I would be interested in reading it but make sure it isn't written by some environmental **** that feels every gas powered implement is going to destroy the world. That would have ZERO credibility. By the way, maybe the car shows you attend are presenting trophies to crappy cars but don't assume mine are. See my '95 911 below at an Atlanta car show. I've used a gas leaf blower on it for years. Does it look 'embarassing' to you??
Attachment 312783
Attachment 312783
They and the judges often don't see anything wrong with that, nor do they see the massive swirls and marring they've created. All I'm saying is that car show judges rarely look at a car the way a detailer looks at a car.My work is "judged" all the time by my customers. If I used the typical judges eye, I'd have a lot of unhappy campers.
As for the leaf blower, no I'm pretty sure the guy isn't an enviro-nut. I've got some time this evening to look for the thread.
The key is how the blower vents its exhaust. If it has a muffler and vents out the back, then it is probably ok to use. Most 4 cycle blowers are set up this way. If it vents its exhaust down the blow tube, as a vast majority of the homeowner, 2 cycle models do, then you have a potential problem.
Actually the best way to dry your car is with water!!! and yes i ment to say that and it is true, look up a guy named junkman he has a few threads in here and he has numerouse youtube vidios and works for adams polishes, once you wash your car you take a water hose with no end to it and go over your car with the water to creat a SHEEN affect that will remove most the water on your car. then you take a ELECTIC leafe blower and blow out all the cracks. The saying is true the less that touches the paint the better, you would be suprissed to see the swirl marks in your car if you looked close enouph, also the 2 bucket method of washing will help ensure you dont get trash, and always use two different clothes for the top/sides and lower part of your car to wash since most dirt is on the bottom.