 LAWN MOWER CARE How many times have you gone to start your lawn mower and it turns into the battle of the century? Well, winterize it now and maybe you can avoid a moody mower come spring. If you still have your owner's manual, refer to that for instructions as well. If not, follow these guidelines: Steps to Winterize Lawn mower |
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Drain the gas out of the
tank, using a baster to get the final drops. To be sure you've
drained it completely, run the mower until all the gas is
completely gone. |
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Remove the spark plug (figure
A). |
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Turn the mower over on
its side and remove the blade. Use a ratchet, crescent, monkey or
double-ended wrench (according to the model of your mower) to
remove the blade while you're holding one end of the blade with
your gloved hand (figure B). It's a good idea to take the
blade to a professional to have it sharpened and balanced.
Depending on where you live, it should cost no more than $5 to
$10. |
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Clean off debris using a
putty knife. |
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Set the mower up on
cinder blocks to drain the oil into a pan. Remove the oil plug (figure
C) on the bottom of the mower and have the pan right under it
because the oil will gush. |
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While the oil is
draining, check the air filter (figure D). Some are simply
replaced and others can be cleaned. Check your manual if you're
not sure. |
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When the oil is
completely drained, screw the plug back into place. |
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Now it's time to gap the
spark plug (if you aren't replacing it). There is a space between
the electrodes (figure E) that must be a certain distance,
which you can determine with a gapping tool (figure F).
This tool not only determines the thickness of the gap, but it
also can adjust the space between the electrodes. |
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Squirt some oil down
where the spark plug is going, and screw the plug back in. Be sure to start the mower and run it a little before you store it. This will distribute the oil that was applied and keep the cylinder from rusting during the winter. |