We’ve had a fairly wet year so far, so most lawns grew well this season. In fact, your mower may be getting quite a workout. And that’s all the more reason to catch up on lawn mower maintenance.
Start your engines
If your gasoline-powered lawn mower is idle for a while, it may be a little more difficult to get it started, according to Ed Saccocio of Bellbrook, Ohio-based BladePro, a company that performs lawn-mower maintenance and repairs. Saccocio says it takes a lot less effort to start a bulky mower if you “wake up” the engine first.
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When a lawn mower is idle, its oil sinks to the bottom of the engine. Saccocio said oil has four main functions in a lawn mower engine: It lubricates, seals the combustion chamber to increase efficiency, cools the engine and carries away carbon and other combustion residue that can gum up the works.
Spreading oil through the engine makes starting much easier. Saccocio suggests leaving the speed controls where they were when the machine was last used, then holding the safety bar and gently pulling the start cord five to 10 times. You’ll notice each pull gets easier as lubrication spreads through the engine.
Now follow the manufacturer’s starting directions–prime the engine, set the choke, etc.–and the mower should start with one or two moderate pulls on the start cord.
Of course, your mower will always be easier to start and will run better if you keep it properly maintained. That means sharpening the blade, changing the oil, checking the spark plug, cleaning or replacing the air filter and doing other maintenance tasks your owner’s manual suggests.
To determine if it may be time to sharpen your lawn mower blade, bend down and take a close look at the grass blades immediately after running the mower. The grass blades should be cut cleanly and all at the same height. If many of the blades appear ragged as if they’ve been ripped or if many blades are bent but not cut, it’s time to sharpen the blade.
Blades should be sharpened after about 25 hours of use, but that can vary greatly from one mower to another.
Remove the blade from the lawn mower by turning the bolt that holds it to the drive shaft. Your owner’s manual should tell you how to proceed.
Shops that sell and repair lawn equipment usually charge a few dollars to sharpen and balance a blade. You can use a rotary grinding tool to sharpen a blade yourself, but it’s sometimes hard to keep the weight of the blade balanced after grinding.
If the blade has lots of dings or chips from hitting obstructions while mowing, it probably makes more sense to buy a new blade.
Other maintenance
It’s usually easier to change the oil in your machine if you do it after removing the blade for sharpening. Most mowers have a drain plug on the inside of the mower housing right under the engine, and it’s easier to access with the blade out of the way.
Every time you use your mower, allow it to cool and then check the oil. Add oil if the level is low but don’t overfill.
When the oil loses its original golden color, it’s time for a change. As with sharpening the blade, you’re probably going to be changing the oil after each 25 hours of use.
Remove the drain plug and catch the waste oil in a suitable container. Call a few oil-change shops in your community, and you will probably find one that will accept your waste oil for disposal. Your owner’s manual will tell you what kind of replacement oil you need to put in the mower.
Spark plugs have a long life, but sometimes they need to be cleaned to remove deposits. Before removing a spark plug for inspection, disconnect the spark plug lead wire and clean the area around the plug to avoid getting debris in the combustion chamber.
Most socket wrench sets have a plug socket that will make removing the spark plug easy. You can clean away deposits on the spark plug with a wire brush and a spray spark plug cleaner.
If the plug has stubborn deposits, cracked porcelain or burned electrodes, replace it. Lawn mowers take special spark plugs that are sold wherever lawn equipment is sold or repaired, and the plugs are standardized for most models.
If you have an older lawn mower, it may have a sponge-type air filter mounted above the carburetor. Clean it according to manufacturer’s directions.
Newer models usually have paper air filters. A few standard filters fit most machines, so taking your old filter along when shopping for a replacement should insure you get the correct one.