George Hilal

4/23/98

Lawnmower Maintenance

For approximately four months out of the Minnesota year, Minnesotans rake, mow, plant, water, seed and do just about anything to make their yards look beautiful, lush, and green. One of the biggest chores involved in maintaining a respectable yard is taking care of the grass. This involves continuous weed killing, fertilizing, and of course cutting the grass itself about once a week. Cutting the grass usually involves a lawnmower, trimmer, and if you are lucky a riding lawnmower. This equipment is prone to breakdowns due to the fact that an internal combustion engine powers almost all of the equipment. Although breakdowns are inevitable they can at least be lessened and partially prevented.

Common sense, regular tune-ups, and maintenance all play a role in extending the life of lawn equipment. This paper will briefly discuss the do's and don'ts of lawn mowers, how to take basic care of lawn equipment, and some tips on selecting the right type of lawnmower. This paper is written from the perspective of a small engine mechanic who has worked in the field for four years.

Common Sense

Lawnmowers need maintenance and attention similar to that of i.e. oil changes, lubes, tires rotated, fluids filled, etc. Engines used on lawn equipment need oil, gas, and some type of cooling system just like an automobile engine. If any of these are neglected the lawn equipment may not last very long or not work at all.

Engines for lawn equipment usually come in two different flavors a 2-cycle and a 4-cycle. The 2-cycle engine is advantageous for smaller engines used in trimmers and chainsaws because of the power they can produce for their size. They are also used in regular lawnmowers. The 4-cycle engines are mainly used on lawnmowers and riding lawnmowers. One of the differences between the two is that in a 2-cycle the oil needs to be mixed with the gas and in a 4-cycle the oil is separate and is not burned with gas.

It is important to know what type of engine is on the lawn equipment because this is where the first "common sense" error occurs. If a 2-cycle engine does not get oil put in the gas it will seize up and be ruined. If a 4-cycle engine gets oil mixed in with the gas the carburetor may need to be overhauled and the spark plug replaced. Each of the different types of engines has their advantages and disadvantages and what is good for one is usually not for the other.

Proper operation of lawn equipment is also a very important "common sense" item. It is usually not a good idea to run a lawnmower over a stump, a big root, or other objects. This causes either the blade to break or bend, bending of the crankshaft (what the blade is connected to), or the shearing of a key (a safety mechanism designed for a big hit). This happens a lot more than it should and the repair costs for this can be up in the $200+ range.

Common sense is very important in prolonging the life of lawn equipment. Most of the "common sense" errors can be avoided if the user manual is read for each and every piece of lawn equipment and care is taken with operation and maintenance of the equipment. The next section will discuss the do's and don'ts of taking care of lawn equipment.

Do's and Don'ts

Lawn equipment comes in all different shapes and sizes. Despite the differences there are fundamental do's and don'ts that apply to all lawn equipment and small engines. General maintenance tips will be outlined for the push mowers.

Push Mowers

As mentioned above there are two different types of engines 2-cycle and a 4-cycle. Both 4 and 2-cylce engines are used on lawnmowers. 2-cycle lawnmowers tend to cost less and require less maintenance, but when they need repair they can be expensive. A 4-cycle lawnmower is usually a little more expensive and takes more maintenance, but repairs tend to be cheaper. There are other differences that will be outlined in the next section. The items listed below are some of the best things you can do for lawn equipment

2-Cycle

· Check gas and oil mixture

Make sure that the oil and gas ratio is correct- they usually range from 30:1 to 50:1

which means x parts of gas to one part of oil, etc. Make sure 2-stroke oil is being used.

4-Cycle

· Check crankcase oil before each use

It is just like an automobile and if the oil is low there will be premature wear and tear

on engine components.

· Change oil once a season

Oil needs to be changed to get rid of the impurities and dirt that oil collects.

Common for all 2 and 4-cyle engines

· Clean or Replace the air filter

The air filter is used to filter the air that is used by the carburetor. The filter tends to

get clogged with a lot of dust and dirt. Depending on the type of filter it either needs to

be cleaned or replaced a couple times during the mowing season.

· Keep a sharp blade

A sharp blade helps keep the engine balanced. An unbalanced engine causes premature

engine wear an tear. A sharp blade will also cut the grass better and clear it from

underneath the deck faster.

 

· Grease self-propelled

If the machine is self propelled moving parts need to be greased. It is similar to a transmission on a automobile in that it needs to have some sort of lubrication between the gears so friction does cause to much heat.

· Wash underneath the deck often

Grass accumulates underneath the deck and it will start to mold and rot the metal of the

deck if it is not cleaned up

· Get a professional tune-up

A professional will give a lawn equipment a thorough cleaning and tune-up. This is important because most owners of equipment are not educated in all that is involved in taking care of the equipment.

· Properly store of the winter

Do not let gas sit in the gas tank untreated for the winter. Gas has a small shelf life and

will go rotten Treat it with gas stabilizer which can be purchased at any automobile

parts store.

· Read owners manual

Owner’s manuals will usually explain how to do all of the things mentioned above

 

The list above contains probably the most important things you can do for your lawnmower. The don’ts are basically not doing what is mentioned above and not using common sense. If these items above are not done than the life of your lawnmower and other equipment will not last very long. The next section will discuss in more detail the differences between the 2 and 4-cycle engine.

2 Vs 4

Some of the differences between 2 and 4-cycle mowers were mentioned above. In order to choose the best engine for the job, size, location, and must be considered. Some of the more subtle differences lie in noise, air, and land pollution. The criteria are outlined below.

Criteria

Size: -- This is a factor for choosing a lawnmower that is self propelled or not. The self

propelled would be very advantageous for a large yard because the mower is

pushing or pulling itself which means less work!

Location -- Plays a role because 4 cycle engines are not as good it cold weather.

2-cycle are not as good in higher altitude conditions.

Terrain – 2-cycles do better if there are steep hills because they tend to hold their power

better then the 4-cycles. A 4-cycle engine oil can shift to one side if going up

or down a steep hill which could cause lack of lubrication.

Pollution – 2-cycle engines are a lot nosier than 4-cycle engines.

Conclusion

Lawnmower maintenance should be taken seriously. A well maintained lawnmower should last a minimum of five years (industry benchmark). Regular maintenance is crucial to the life of the lawnmower. When purchasing a mower there are several factors mentioned above that need to be taken into consideration but one piece of advice is do not buy a "cheap" lawnmower because that will be exactly what it is. There is a difference between a $150 and $500 mower. Proper maintenance is the key to a healthy mower and a happy lawn!