Lawn Care 101: Ready the Mower
Spring is here! Eager to get out there and mow the lawn? Hold off until you’ve serviced your mower, say the experts at Briggs & Stratton—operating it prematurely can affect its performance over the course of the season.
Your lawn mower tune-up should consist of the following steps. Change the oil. Changing the oil prevents engine damage and keeps your mower running efficiently. Engine oil needs to be changed annually for two reasons: oil is vulnerable to dirt and debris, which can cause wear on the internal components of the engine; and regular use of the engine causes the oil to break down. After removing old oil, add fresh oil as specified in the operator's manual, and recycle the old oil accordingly. Replace the air filter. The mower’s air filter collects dust and debris through regular use, and it must be replaced every three months, or after 25 hours of use. To determine which air filter your mower needs, reference the operator's manual. Replace the spark plug. An old spark plug can be problematic when starting your mower. It’s important to change the spark plug at the start of every mowing season, or after 100 hours of use. Fill with gasoline, fuel treatment and stabilizer. Gasoline can go stale after as little as 30 days. Stale fuel contributes to gummed-up internal components, which cause hard-starting. What’s more, ethanol-blended fuels (like E10) attract moisture, which leads to rust and corrosion over time. This can affect the carburetor, fuel line and overall performance of the engine. To prevent these issues, remember to treat your fuel when you fill your gas can. Source: Briggs & Stratton Corporation® |
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