 Lawn Mower Maintenance |
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Trying to start your tractor after a long cold winter of inactivity can be a frustrating experience if you didn't perform some simple maintenance tasks last fall. But its not too late to do them nowbefore the grass starts growing: Wash and thoroughly dry the machine (a power blower can be effective in blowing standing water off the mower deck and in hard-to-access areas. If you have an air-cooled engine, use a wooden dowel or stick to remove any gunk from the cooling fins. If your machine is water cooled, check the condition of the coolant and top off the reservoir if necessary. Use a strong jet of water to clean the radiator's cooling fins. Drain the fuel tank and replace the gas filter; clean the air filter housing and air filter as well. Remove the spark plug(s) and inspect them for corrosion and wear. If they are showing some wear, don't try to clean them. It's cheap insurance to simply replace them with new plugs. Be sure to blow away any debris with compressed air before removing the plugs, and torque the new ones to specifications in your owner's manual. A few dabs of anti-seize compound will ensure easy removal next time. Clean and lubricate the choke and throttle linkages and apply grease to all the fittings, including the mower deck. If you removed your mower deck this item will be easy: scrape away any grass from underneath the deck and sharpen or replace the blades. Replacement is needed when there are any deep nicks or cuts in the blade's tempered surface. If you didn't remove your deck, now's the time! Inspect drive belts and tighten loose belts. If your inspection shows any deep cracks or ply separations, replace the belt. Charge the battery and clean/check the security of the terminals. Apply grease to the posts to retard corrosion. Last but not least, change the oil in the crankcase of the engine. Change the filter. Check the level of oil in the transaxle and top off if necessary. RELATED SUBJECTS: |
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