Mower Maintenance Tips

By observing the following basic maintenance procedures you will increase your chances of keeping your mowers operating smoothly and out of the repair shop:

Symptom: Lawn mower engine won’t start or run properly.
Solution: Replace the gasoline. Always begin the new season with a fresh container of gas. A plastic fuel container is recommended, as metal containers can rust, contaminating the fuel with particles. Buy only the amount of gas that can be used in 30 days. After that amount of time, oxygenated fuel (gasohol and other blends) become stale and lose the volatility needed to start a small engine. Before putting up the mower for winter, run the tank dry. Also, pour any leftover gas in the fuel container into your car’s fuel tank so it is not wasted and is not sitting around over the winter.

Symptom: Hard starting or poor running engine.
Solution: Replace the air filter. The filter provides engine protection, but when clogged prevents the engine from breathing. Air filters are relatively inexpensive and often easy to replace. Keep a spare handy and replace the filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Symptom: Poor Cutting.
Solution: Sharpen or replace the blades. It’s important to start with a sharp blade. Lawnmower blades do the grunt work of mowing. A dull blade tears the grass instead of cutting it.

Tearing the grass may damage the roots. Due to the design and curvature of the blade, mulching blades should be replaced rather than sharpened. The blade is designed with two sides; one side lifts the grass, while the other side cuts it. The "lift" side of the blade wears out just like the cutting edge. The blade’s cutting side can be sharp, while the lift side is worn, thus affecting the quality of the cut.

Always clear the mowing area of debris and obstacles. Make sure the underside of the mower deck is clear of grass buildup. Use a scraper to remove the caked-on grass.

Symptom: Hard Starting or Poor Running Engine.
Solution: Replace the spark plug. The spark plug determines how easy your mower starts and operates. Most spark plugs need replacing due to poor fuel quality (stale) or improper air filter maintenance. Replace the spark plug every season. Not all spark plugs are alike. Check the owner’s manual for the plug’s specifications.

Symptom: Poor running.
Solution: Get a tune-up. To keep the mower running in peak condition, a thorough tune-up, which includes an oil change, is recommended at the beginning or end of each season. Most maintenance intervals are measured in hours of use. Compare your usage against the maintenance intervals in the owner’s manual.