How Tune Up a Lawn Mower In 3 Steps

The lawn mower is particularly a significant tool for lawn care. Unless you prefer crouching on the ground and cutting the grass manually with a pair of giant scissors, the mower helps you achieve a healthy and green lawn without tiring you too much. And in return for helping you keep the lawn trim and healthy, you should also take good care of the mower. Don't grumble about how to do it because it's actually very simple. All you need to do is know how to tune up the mower, and tune it up only once a year. Not that hard, right?

There are only three steps to tuning a lawn mower. All you have to do is change the oil first, then change the spark plug, and finally change or clean the air filter in the machine. Before doing any of these, however, you'll have to do some preparations. For one, you have to make sure that there's no gas left in the lawn mower. Start it up and run it until it runs out of gas. When this is accomplished, disconnect the spark plug wire to make sure the engine won't start accidentally.

Step 1 - Change the Oil

This is the first step, and it's also quite a messy task. Make sure that you have the right replacement oil, and that you've cleaned the upper part of the oil tank. Then unscrew and remove the dipstick of the oil tank. Then locate the lower side of the oil tank and find the plug that's on the underside of the machine. Unscrew this plug and you can start draining out the old oil. Make sure you have a pan or any container ready to catch the old oil. Also make it a point to wear something you're okay getting dirty with. This is oil, and it's old and it's very dirty. You do not want to wear your good clothes when doing this.

After all the old oil has been poured out, screw the plug back on. Do not overtighten. If your machine has an oil filter, make sure to replace it and to clean the gasket that comes with it. After all these, it's time to fill in the tank with the new oil. Replace the cap and the dipstick then. The last task for this step is to fill the mower with gas, reconnect the spark plug, start the mower and then check for oil leaks.

Step 2 - Changing the Spark Plug

The next step in the lawn mower tune-up is to change the spark plug. Disconnect the spark plug wire first, then clean the part around the old spark plug. Get a socket wrench and remove the old spark plug. Then check your new spark plug if it is the right measurement and if it is gapped correctly. If it is not, then take the time to alter it. If it is correct, then screw it on without overtightening it.

Step 3 - Changing or Cleaning the Air Filter

The final step is to either change or clean the air filter of the machine. If you are only using a paper air filter, then replace it with a new one. Unscrew the cover, exchange filters, then screw the cover back on. If you're using a foam air filter, then unscrew the cover and remove the air filter unit. Discard the old foam and clean the air filter with kerosene. Soak a new piece of foam in the engine oil, in the end cleaning it and squeezing out the excess oil with a clean rag. Insert the new foam in the air filter afterwards, with the lip protruding over the edge. Screw the cover back on and then reconnect the spark plug wire.

After the last step, you're all done! It's just simple, isn't it? Dirty, yes. Tiring, yes. But doable. And you'll only be doing it once a year. You can at least do that once a year for the benefits the lawn mower gives to Boise lawn care.