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Winterizing your Lawn Mower
With snow on the way, it's time to think about winterizing your mower and putting it to bed. So it's important to give it the right treatment to minimize problems next spring.
You should consult the owner’s manual for specific safety and maintenance instructions to your mower. Here is the general maintenance requirements for a typical mower:
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Empty the fuel tank by simply to starting the mower and let it run until it runs out of gas. Leave it empty until you're ready to use it again next spring.
***-----> Let engine cool down and remove spark plug wire before next step!
- Empty the oil from engine crankcase (On most mowers there’s a drain plug).
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Turn the machine on it’s side (ONLY after all the fluids have been completely drained) and clean the deck with a stick or scraper.
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Remove the blade and sharpen or replace accordingly (seek professional help if needed)
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Check air filter. Paper filters should be replaced if dirty. Foam filters can be washed with soap and water
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Replace spark plug
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Refill engine with oil (make sure to use proper oil and correct amount). Leave gas tank empty and start with fresh gas next spring.
- Lubricate all moving parts and store mower in a safe & dry place.
Have a safe winter!
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WATCH VIDEO:How To Replace Snowblower Auger Shear Bolts
You may find that during a snowstorm the snowblower auger (s) stops turning all of a sudden.
This may be due to broken auger shear bolts. Luckily it's a simple and inexpensive fix.The purpose of auger pins or bolts are to act as a safety mechanism to prevent any severe damage due to overload. So, if you were to go thru heavy snow or catch something in the auger, the bolts 'shear' to prevent any damage to the auger differential gears.
When you break a shear pin, make sure to replace it with the proper bolts or pin made for your machine. Don't use any ordinary bolt or nail because they may not break under heavy load and can cause major damage. It's always a good idea to keep couple of spares in case you need them .
Other causes of snowblower not throwing snow:
- Loose/worn Auger belt
- Worn impeller bearing
- Broken impeller bolts
- Worn differential gears
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WATCH VIDEO: How to Fix: Snow Blower Difficult Starting
Check your snow blower and look out for bad gas!
Fall is the time to pull the snow blower out of storage and give it some attention to avoid frustration during cold winter. Start off by doing a general inspection of your snow blower and look for any visible signs of damage that may have been caused while in storage. Check engine oil and change if needed (should be done annually)
Common problem after long period of storage is the engine not starting due to bad gas. Gasoline that is more than about one month old loses its proper combustion properties. This means that it loses its 'spark' and thus causes engine starting problems. It can block the fuel system as it turns in to varnish.
One way to avoid this problem is to mix fuel stabilizer with the gas and run the engine. This must be done BEFORE storage. However, in the fall you should still start the engine just to see the gas was treated properly and it will start easy. Because if it doesn't start now, it most likely won't start in the winter!
If you had forgotten to treat the gas before storage (most people do) then you will likely have trouble starting the engine or it will not run very smooth. Simple step you can take is to drain all the old gas out of the tank, put in some fresh gas, and try starting the engine. If you still have trouble starting, then the carburetor is probably gummed-up and would have to be flushed and cleaned.
Useful snow blower preparation tips:
Replace spark plug
Check Tire pressure and look for slow leak
Check auger shear pins and always keep spares
Check the belts for wear and cracks
Lubricate all moving parts
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