Is Your Mower Ready For the Season?

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Is your mower ready for the season? A properly maintained mower makes for a better looking lawn and helps ensure your safety. The experts at Toro offer a few basic tips for the maintenance of your walk-behind mower.

The Engine.

• Safety first. Remove the plug wire from the spark plug so it doesn’t accidentally start when cleaning your mower, changing the blade or working on the engine.

• Drain any fuel from the system. Stale gas will result in your mower either not starting or running poorly. Store and dispose of the old fuel properly.

• Check the sparkplug to make sure it’s in good condition. If you have any doubt, replace it. They are inexpensive and it doesn’t hurt to have a spare. When choosing a replacement, purchase one that is pre-gapped for your engine (your owner’s manual should indicate the correct gap). When replacing the plug, apply a copper anti-seize lubricant to the threads to make future removal easy.

• Change the oil. Drain the old oil and discard it appropriately. Check your manual for what weight the manufacturer recommends. When tilting the mower to drain the oil or access the underside, place a plastic bag over the opening under the fuel cap to prevent leaking.

• Clean the engine’s cooling fins so they are free of debris. A small paintbrush or wooden dowel works well.

• Clean the engine air filter by tapping it on a hard surface and using a paintbrush to remove loose dirt. If the filter is worn or extremely dirty, it is best to replace it. Before reinstalling, make certain the housing and cover are free of dirt and debris as well.

Blade and Deck.

• Make sure the blade is sharp. A quality cut depends on the blade’s sharpness.

With the sparkplug wire still removed, lift the front of the deck and insert a wood block to keep the blade from turning as you apply pressure on the locking bolt to remove the blade.

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