How often should I maintain my mower?

So you purchased a lawn mower and plunked down a pile of cash to get a decent one. Now your goal should be to keep that investment running it’s best for as long as it can. The manufacturer’s instructions will tell you how often to check and maintain your mower, however if you want the best from your mower then you should give it the best.  Landscapers and gardeners rely on their machines running in top form for their income, and will have a set mower maintenance schedule; from daily and weekly tasks to monthly, seasonal jobs. Homeowners can get the most out of their investment also. Make your machine last longer and get better performance out of it by adhering to a few simple maintenance routines

Everyday maintenance – Every time you take the mower out to cut.

Note: Before you start doing any work or inspections on your mower – always disconnect the spark plug.
The first step in any maintenance program is taking proper care of your mower with each use. You should have cleaned all the grass and debris off the mower before you put it away last time. If you didn’t, then tilt the mower over on its side and give it a good, thorough cleaning. All that leftover grass under the deck will bind up and make your engine run harder, your blades dull and cost you more money in fuel. An old wooden doorstop or piece of scrap wood is ideal as it will not scratch the underside of the deck. Make sure the chute is clear of grass too.

The next step is to inspect the blade. Have a good look at the blade, there should be a clean, sharp pair of cutting edges without too many chips. If there are many dings in the edge and they are larger than the size of your small fingernail then you should stop mowing stones and get it replaced. Make sure the blade is straight and flat, a bend or curve in the blade will affect the cut and possibly damage the mower. Blades take the more abuse than of any part of your mower. Inspect them often and re-set or replace them as needed, your local mower shop can help.

If you have a cylinder mower, make sure there are no tangled bits of grass or string wrapped round the moving cylinder, belts and spindle.

If you need to adjust a cylinder mower, tighten or loosen a little at a time until you can hear a smooth cutting noise, if you hold a piece of paper and carefully rotate the cylinder (keep fingers out of the way), the cut should be as clean as it would be with a pair of scissors. The cylinder is now set for a fine luxury lawn or putting green, if the grass sward is not this good, loosen off the blade a touch but not too much.

Fuel and oil are the life’s blood of your mower.

Check the fuel, and top up with fresh fuel (not when the mower is on the lawn). That rusty old can lurking in the back of the garage is no good. The fuel went stale months ago and you definitely do not want those rusty bits of tin can working their way through your mower’s engine. There are fuel conditioners you can add to fresh fuel which can make it last longer in the can.

By now the oil should have settled in the bottom of the engine, which means you can now check it. The oil should be checked every time you use the mower and changed about every 25 hours of run time. As every lawn is different, working out when to change oil can be a bit tricky. If it takes you an hour to mow and you mow every week, you should change your oil at least every 6 months.  Pull out the dipstick wipe it on a clean cloth, then replace the dipstick making sure you go all the way down into the bottom of the engine’s crank case before you take the measurement. The oil should be of a nice solid colour like good quality cooking oil or dark brown like an espresso, but definitely not frothy like custard. If you do have frothy custard on the stick, don’t use the mower.  Take it down to your local mower repair shop and explain the problem.  They may need to replace the cylinder head gasket.

Keep your mower breathing easy

Because the engine is so close to the action the air filter always gets clogged up with grass dust and debris. A commercial landscaper would check the filter every week or so, especially if the weather has been dry and dusty. Most of the dirt should be easy to remove, with a blow or a tap. If the filter is caked in with a lot of dirt and grime then it is time to replace it with a new one. Be sure to note both your model number and the engine model number so you can locate the correct part for your unit.

Spark Plugs

Generally the spark plug is checked at the start, middle and end of the mowing season. Use the correct spark plug socket to loosen the plug, then with your fingers carefully remove the plug by unscrewing it. A little black is okay but caked in coke and soot is bad, use a wire brush gently to remove the coke. DO NOT USE WATER. If you must use something to clean it, a cupful of gas will do. Make sure the ground electrode is nice and clean and the gap between the center electrode and the ground is as the manufacturer specifies. Sticking your fingernail in the gap is not good enough, use a feeler gauge, they are cheap enough and they make your engine run sweet.

When the electrodes are worn down, replace them with a new plug, this is usually done when the oil has a full change, about 25 hours or annually depending on use. Carefully replace the spark plug, and tighten as required.

Cables

Now it’s time to check the cables, is the throttle and choke moving well? Are any tangled cables put back in their retaining clips? Plug the spark plug back in and slowly pull out the start cord, remember, you are not firing up the engine, you are checking the cord for nicks tares and damage.  The last check is that the bolts holding the handles are nicely tightened, and perhaps you might want to dust over the mower with a cloth.

If all is good, push the little primer bubble two or three times and fire up the engine and check the brake and emergency stop. If all is well, fit the grass box and you’re ready to fire it up and get going

Finishing up

Remember as you finish up and put the mower away, to clean out the grass box, the under the deck, chute and drip a little oil on the spindle or shaft, not forgetting to wipe off any moisture to reduce rusting. A mower that has stood idle for many months, especially over the colder damp winter months could have seized up, so make sure you free the engine up by giving the blade a turn before you start it up.

Keeping up with these tasks will keep your mower in prime condition, extend its lifespan and give you a much better return on your investment.