With the onset of autumn, it is time to store your petrol lawnmower until the start of spring. To ensure optimal performance from your petrol mower we recommend the following:
Drain the petrol - When petrol is left in storage for an extended period of time, either in a can or in the lawnmower, it goes stale. To prevent this from occurring drain the petrol from your lawnmower. Stale petrol can damage both the engine and carburettor.
Always disconnect the spark plug first! Once you have drained the petrol, reconnect the spark plug, start the mower and let it run until all the petrol inside the engine has burnt out.
It is also good practice after use to turn the petrol off and then let the mower burn out the petrol inside the carburettor.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
Annual Service for Your Petrol Lawnmower
When Spring arrives it’s time to start up your lawnmower after a months of hibernation! The following should always be carried out as part of your annual servicing. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Air Filter – If your petrol lawnmower has an air filter then we recommend changing it once a year. The engine needs to breath and if the filter gets clogged up then you could damage you garden mower.
Fuel Filter – Some older and smaller engines do not have a fuel filter. If your petrol lawnmower does then we recommend it is changed annually. The fuel filter is found inside the fuel pipe between the petrol tank and the carburettor. Generally the fuel filter is ‘off white’ or black.
Oil Change – A full oil change once a year is recommended. On most petrol lawnmowers a drainage plug can be found under the deck of the lawnmower.
If your lawnmower has a two-stroke engine then you can ignore this step as the oil is already mixed with the petrol.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when changing the oil & dispose of the oil correctly.
Monthly Maintenance for Your Petrol Lawnmower
The blade on your lawnmower can take a lot of abuse, not just from the grass but stones, sticks and anything else you may happen to mow over. For health and safety reasons we recommend that you regularly check the blade for stone chips and fatigue.
To remove strain from the engine, improve the cut and conserve petrol we recommend that blades should be sharpened once a month during regular use.
