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Lawnmower Maintenance
Lawn Mower Maintenance Start Up Check List
We put together a basic lawnmower maintenance check list to get your mower in shape for spring start up and throughout the cutting season. We've included this thorough and easy to understand video that confirms our teachings.
Lawn Mower Spark Plug
A new spark plug should be a routine procedure at the beginning of the season. A clean, dry spark plug means you're getting a good spark to ignite the gas which pushes the piston and get things running.
If you're having lawn mower starting trouble, checking your spark plug is a good starting place to investigate. If the plug is black from carbon build up or wet, it's time to change it.
Changing The Lawn Mower Spark Plug
Start by disconnecting the wire attached to the end of the spark plug. Use the appropriate sized wrench or rachet/sprocket to remove the plug.
Take the old plug with you to the store to be sure you purchase the right sized replacement. Some older lawn mowers might have spark plugs that are no longer manufactured according to the manual specifications. In those cases, a catalog will cross reference you to a newer plug that will work in your older lawn mower model.
Check Lawn Mower Oil and Fuel Levels
Make sure that the mower has oil and that it's at the proper level. This is especially important if you just bought a new lawn mower, because it would have been shipped with no oil in it.
It's not a bad idea to check the oil in other outdoor equipment like your power washer or portable generator. Use the dip stick, only when the engine is cool, wipe it off and then dip it back in for an accurate reading. Add oil if needed.
For all your outdoor power equipment, you should change the oil as part of your regular maintenance schedule. This should be done after every 20 - 30 hours of use, and more often if you use your equipment when it's hot, dry, and dusty.
Similar thinking goes for gas in your lawn mower. If you stored the lawn mower at the end of last season without putting in fuel stabilizer, it's best to replace the gas. If you drained the gas before storing it at the end of the season, you'll need to fill the tank with new gas now.
Make sure that the fuel line switch is in the 'on' position. You might need to check the carburetor and fuel line to be sure the gas is getting through.
If you disconnect the fuel hose from the carburetor temporarily, you can see if gas pours out. If it does, all is good, and you just need to reconnect the hose. If it doesn't check the fuel line to be sure it's not gummed up or that the fuel filter is not clogged.
Lawn Mower Air Filter and Carburetor
As part of your routine lawnmower maintenance in the spring, you should check that the air filter is clean and replace it if it looks at all to be oily or dusty.
Cleaning the lawn mower carburetor requires some dis-assembly and cleaning. Look for a nut on the underside of the carburetor that you'll need to remove. This allows you to pull the carburetor off to clean the inside lower portion.
Make sure that the float valve, a small plastic object that hangs down, is moving up and down easily before putting it back in place.
Mower Blade Sharpening
Be sure to
sharpen the mower blade
as part of your lawnmower maintenance to ensure a clean cut to the grass with less stress on the mower itself.
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