10 Tips on Lawn Mower Prep for Winter

Avoiding trouble before it starts - that’s exactly what you are doing when you take a few extra minutes this fall to prepare your mower or tractor engine for its winter lay-up. Idleness can sometimes cause more damage to an engine than constant use. But if you follow the few simple suggestions below, we can almost guarantee that your engine will start right off next spring. Fall care will add to the life of your machine.

• Thoroughly clean your mower. Even though it is kept reasonably clean throughout the mowing season, all clippings, dirt and grime should be removed.
• A steel brush will be necessary to remove some of the heavy accumulation of clippings on the blades - rotary or reel mowers. Also use the brush on the base blade.
• Apply a generous coating of oil to all exposed metal. Aerosol oil does a good penetrating job; wiping with an oily cloth will also suffice.
• Oil all bearings and other places, “2. such as the chain, as indicated on the machine. Check your operating manual to make sure you catch all of them.
• Clean the oil filter. No doubt it will have clippings and other dirt in it after a season’s operation. Rinse in gasoline and add clean oil to the cup if your mower requires it.
• Remove all gasoline from tank. If there is no drain valve, syphon it out. Gasoline left in the tank will evaporate and leave a gummy residue.
• Start the engine to use up all remaining gasoline in tank, fuel line and carburetor. This will prevent gum from forming in these parts of engine.
• Drain crankcase oil and add new. Follow the manufacturer’s directions as to grade. Drain oil while engine is still warm to remove all sediment.
• Remove spark plug and pour in one ounce of number 20 grade oil on the cylinder. This prevents the cylinder from freezing due to rusting.
• Cover the engine and mower with a plastic or other waterproof material to keep moisture and dust off machine. A plastic tablecloth should work fine.

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