Winter Maintenance Tips for Petrol Lawn Mowers
If you have invested in a petrol lawn mower for your garden,
the chances are you will want to look after your investment. Instead of
wheeling the mower into the shed and forgetting about it until spring, there a
few simple jobs you can do now to hopefully ensure the mower will be ready to
mow in springtime.
Always read your owner’s manual before you start any
maintenance on your lawnmower and get any tools or equipment ready at
hand.
Book in for a service
Our workshop gets really busy from February onwards and
there could be a back-log of weeks. If you book it in before Christmas, you
won’t be stuck without a mower and grass up to your knees.
If your lawn mower is under warranty, you will need to have
it serviced annually by an authorised dealer like ourselves to validate the manufacturer’s
warranty.
Remove the fuel
In our workshop, the most common issue we have with petrol
engines is stale fuel. Fuel contains ethanol and this causes the petrol to
deteriorate after a few weeks. If fuel is left in the engine it can wreak havoc
with your carburettor and cause starting problems. Adding a fuel
stabiliser can extend petrol’s shelf life by up to 3 years, the stabiliser
is mixed with fresh petrol and stops the fuel deteriorating. After adding the
stabiliser, run the engine for 5 minutes to make sure the treated petrol works
sufficiently through to the carburettor. If you haven’t used a stabiliser it is
important to drain all of the fuel out of the engine before it’s put into
storage.
If you know you are coming to the end of the season, put
smaller amounts of fuel in to the tank and avoid filling to maximum levels. Run
the mower on full throttle until it stops to make sure there isn’t any fuel
left in the carburettor. We sell Briggs
& Stratton UltraCare Carburettor Cleaner if you want to ensure your
carburettor is fully cleaned through.
Change the oil
Domestic lawnmowers need oil changes once a year, this would
be included your service.
If you are maintaining your lawnmower yourself, refer to
your owner’s manual for notes on how to change the oil.
We sell the Briggs and Stratton oil removal pump, these are
handy for draining the oil out of your engine ready for an oil change.
We do not recommend you turn a petrol mower on its side! There
is usually a bolt at the bottom of the oil sump that will need removing and the
oil will drain into a tray. Once the oil is drained, re-tighten the bolt and add
fresh oil. The dipstick will guide you on how much oil has been added and refer
to your owner’s manual for correct quantities.
Used oil can be taken to your local recycling centre for
disposal.
Clean or replace the Blade
A sharp blade is vital for maintaining a healthy lawn. Always
wear protective gloves when cleaning or removing the mowers blade and have all
the tools you need at hand.
To clean your mower blade use a wire brush and remove any
debris from the surface.
If replacing the blade we recommend you tip the mower
backwards towards the handles so you can clearly see the blade and have
complete access to the underneath of the mower. Remove the blade bolt using a
suitable socket and rachet and wash the mower before replacing with a new or
re-sharpened blade. Blades will need to be tightened to a suitable tension,
please refer to a manual or the internet for exact guides.
Washing the mower
While you have the mower tipped you can check for any damage
and clean it thoroughly. As well as cleaning the deck and underneath the mower,
it is important to wash the grass box and vents, this will ensure the mower
will collect with maximum efficiently. We sell Briggs
& Stratton UltraCare Bio Cleaning Spray and Briggs
& Stratton UltraCare Dirt Protector, these sprays make cleaning and
protecting your deck and engine parts easy and ensures they are well protected
against rust.
Clean or change the spark plug
You will need the correct socket to remove the spark plug.
If your spark plug looks in good condition clean it with a wire brush, if not
replace it with a new one.
Clean or change the air filter
If the air filter is in good condition you can clean and
reuse it. If your mower has a paper filter giving a gentle tap on a hard
surface should dislodge dust and small particles. If it a sponge filter washing
it in petrol may be sufficient. Please refer to your owners’ manual for the
correct procedure for replacing your air filter.
Grease it!
Lubricate any moving parts to prevent rusting and prolong
the parts working life. We sell John Deere
Grease-Gard Premium Multi Purpose Grease or a WD-40 type spray will be
sufficient.
These few steps can be completed within a day and undercover
in the garage if there’s space. Winter mower maintenance will keep your petrol
lawnmower protected whilst in storage and ensure it’s ready for work again in
spring.
If you are in need of some further help and expert advice:
Please call us on: 01452 61 61 69
Or email us at: [email protected] | [email protected]