With proper upkeep, a good lawnmower should last for many years. Keeping up with regular maintenance and addressing problem quickly if something goes wrong with your lawnmower will help keep it running smoothly.
Whether you choose to complete the maintenance and repair yourself or take it to a professional, you will probably end up working with a service department. If you are not comfortable diagnosing and repairing your mower’s problem, or if you simply don’t have the time, trained service technicians will be able to correct the issue or perform routine maintenance. On the other hand, if you want to do repairs and maintenance yourself, a competent service department can help you locate the correct replacement parts and provide advice for completing repairs.
In this article, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about lawnmower maintenance and repair. If you would like more help, Richardson Saw & Lawnmower’s service department will be able to answer questions like the ones listed in this article, locate replacement parts, and perform maintenance that can’t be done at home.
Where is the model number on a lawnmower?
Often, maintenance instructions for a mower will tell you to check your owner’s manual to see if it contains specific instructions for how to take care of your mower. Many mowers no longer come with printed instruction manuals, though; you need to look them up online. If you lose the information about how to access your online owner’s manual or misplace a printed copy, you can look the manual up online. For that, though, you’ll need the model number. This number also makes it much easier to order the correct parts for your mower.
Mowers have two model numbers. One is for the engine and the other is for the mower. Depending on the type of maintenance you’re doing or the information you want to look up, you may need just one or both numbers.
Engine model numbers are typically stamped into the metal of the engine. Look over the engine carefully to find these numbers. They’re usually located near the spark plug, by the recoil starter, under the engine shroud, or near the muffler.
Mower model numbers are typically located on a label stuck somewhere on the mower. For walk-behind mowers, you can often find this label on the mower’s deck or under a mower guard. For walk-behind mowers, check under the seat, on the frame, or near the engine. Zero-turn mowers might have the label under the footplate.
How often should I clean a lawnmower deck?
Regularly cleaning the mower deck is essential for maintaining the smooth operation of your mower. It is recommended to clean the deck after each use to prevent clippings from building up, which can block airflow and trap moisture and fertilizers, leading to rust. You can easily remove fresh clippings by spraying them off with a garden hose or scraping them off using a hard plastic scraper. It is also important to clean the fans and intake screens to prevent overheating and potential damage to the engine.
Some mowers, such as Toro’s walk-behind Recycler and mowers in the eXmark Quest S-Series, are equipped with convenient wash-out ports. These ports allow you to attach a garden hose directly to the mower deck, enabling efficient cleaning. By directing the water in a specific way, the wash-out ports ensure thorough deck cleaning.
One of the most frequent maintenance tasks for your mower will be cleaning. With dirt and dried grass accumulating quickly during yard work, it’s crucial to regularly brush off the debris from the discharge chute and cutting deck. Neglecting this can lead to clogs and hinder the mower’s performance.
In addition to debris buildup, it’s important to prevent the engine from being compromised. Keep intake screens and fans clear of dirt and grass by brushing them off after each use. If these components become clogged, the engine can overheat, resulting in serious problems.
While cleaning the cutting deck is a less frequent task, it remains significant. Use a wire brush or putty knife to remove caked grass, and then rinse the deck with a hose. Some larger mowers offer the convenience of a washing port, allowing you to easily remove clippings by connecting a garden hose directly to the deck. Remember to always disconnect the spark plug before working on the mower deck to avoid accidental starting.
How often should I sharpen blades
For most homeowners, sharpening blades is a yearly maintenance task that’s great for spring. If you use your mowers for professional lawn care, you’ll likely need to sharpen blades more frequently to maintain a good edge. Remember to disconnect the spark plug before removing the blade. Sharpen the blade using a metal file, sharpening stone, or motorized grinder.
Check your owner’s manual for instructions on removing blades. For most push-type mowers, you can simply tip the mower on its side to get at the cutting deck. For larger mowers, you’ll have to raise the mower so you can reach under the deck and remove blades. Exercise caution when raising mowers for removing blades and for cleaning the deck. Never crawl under the mower deck if there’s any chance the mower could roll or fall.
Is it all right to use fuel with ethanol in it?
Most fuel that you purchase from a gas station will contain ethanol. Some stations sell fuel that doesn’t contain ethanol specifically for boats and power equipment, but that’s more difficult to find. Since ethanol attracts moisture from the air, ethanol-containing fuel can damage power equipment engines if you’re not careful.
Never use fuel containing more than 10% ethanol. Also, be sure to store fuel in containers with self-sealing spouts. Don’t purchase more fuel than you can use up within 30 days. If you won’t be using the fuel within 30 days, you can add a fuel stabilizer at the pump. This will extend the life of ethanol-containing fuel by slowing down the process of going stale. It will not reverse this process, however. That means you should add stabilizer immediately after pumping fuel.
If you’re planning to store a mower without running it for more than 30 days, make sure you don’t leave non-stabilized ethanol-containing fuel in the mower. It will gum up the engine and damage the carburetor. You can either use stabilized fuel or drain the mower before storage.
How often should I change the oil?
For mowers with a 4-cycle engine (typically found in riding mowers), change the oil every 25 to 50 operating hours. How often you change the oil depends on the workload. For infrequently used mowers, you can change the oil about once a year, but mowers that are used on a daily or near-daily basis should have the oil changed every 25 hours. Using mowers during unusually hot weather or to pull heavy loads using a wagon or cargo carrier attachment will also result in oil that needs to be changed more frequently.
How often should I check the spark plug?
As a general guide, spark plugs last for about 25 hours of use. For homeowners, this often means you only need to check and replace the spark plug once every mowing season. In professional lawn care, keeping track of how much each mower is used and checking spark plugs every 25 hours helps keep the engine running well.
When checking spark plugs, you can remove carbon build-up with a wire brush. If the spark plug is damaged, you’ll need to replace it with an identical plug. Spark plugs have a limited lifespan and they’re relatively inexpensive. Therefore, many people choose to replace them at least once a year rather than bother trying to clean them.
Can I clean filters, and when should I replace filters?
Air filters can clog up with debris quickly. It’s a good idea to check it every few days if you use the mower all the time or every few weeks if you’re only mowing about once a week. This is also one of the things that you’ll want to check the owner’s manual for. Manufacturers tend to recommend replacing air filters every 25, 50, or 100 hours of use.
Typically, it’s a good practice to clean the air filter regularly and replace it at the beginning of each mowing season. To clean, simply tap the filter against a hard surface to loosen the dust. You can wash foam air filters with warm soapy water for a more thorough cleaning. You can blow air filters out with compressed air but be careful—too high of air pressure can damage the filters.
What about other parts that might need to be replaced, like cutting blades?
Worn-down cutting blades are one of the most common reasons your mower might not be cutting as well as it used to. Dull blades can be sharpened and reused, but some retailers and service departments recommend replacing blades every year, or at least every other year. A blade will also need to be replaced instead of sharpened if it has been damaged in some way.
Belts, fuel filters, and other parts will need to be replaced when they become damaged or worn out. If you have a riding mower, for example, a broken belt under the mower deck is a fairly common problem.
You can learn how to replace the belt, fuel filter, and other components yourself or take the mower into a service department. If you do try any of the repairs or replacements on your own, disconnect the spark plug before you do anything. You don’t want the engine accidentally starting while you’re working on the mower.
When should I bring the mower to a service department?
Bring your mower into a service department when you don’t have the time for maintenance tasks, or the maintenance is more complicated than you want to try on your own. It is also useful to get a professional tune-up near the beginning of the mowing season. Tune-ups can also help if the mower starts running rougher than usual and cleaning it out doesn’t seem to help.
Here at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower, we service every type of lawnmower that we sell. We also have parts available either in stock or by placing an order. With the post-pandemic supply chain issues, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for routine maintenance. This includes purchasing or, if they’re out of stock, ordering spark plugs and filters that you know you’ll need to replace eventually. If an unexpected issue comes up, we’ll work with you to complete repairs as quickly as possible. Contact us today if you have any questions or if you’re shopping for a new lawnmower.
