How to Tune Up Your Lawn Mower | Ask This Old House
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares his top five tips for keeping your lawn mower running smoothly. (See below for the shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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Shopping List for How to Tune Up Your Lawn Mower:
- Motor oil
- Air filter
- Spark plug
- Gasoline
- Fuel stabilizer
Tools for How to Tune Up Your Lawn Mower:
- Oil container, for collecting old, dirty oil
- Sockets and ratchet wrench, for changing spark plug and removing blade
- Metal file or right-angle grinder, to sharpen blade
- Blade balancer, for balancing blade after sharpening
Steps for How to Tune Up Your Lawn Mower:
1. Check the mower’s oil level before every use. Be sure the mower is on level ground when checking the oil.
2. If the oil is low, add fresh oil to raise the level to the “full” line on the dipstick.
3. If the oil is dirty, change it by tipping the mower onto its side and draining the dirty oil into a container with a tight-fitting lid.
4. Recycle the old, dirty oil at a service station, auto shop, or local transfer station.
5. Add new oil a little at a time, stopping frequently to check the dipstick to avoid over-filling the crankcase.
6. Replace the air filter with a new filter every mowing season, or sooner if the mowing conditions are very dusty.
7. Change the spark plug once a year, or when the engine starts running rough.
8. Remove the old spark plug with a deep socket and ratchet wrench.
9. When installing the new spark plug, hand-thread it into place, then tighten it with the socket and ratchet. However, be careful not to over-tighten the spark plug or it will be difficult to remove next year.
10. Sharpen the blade every mowing season to ensure that it cuts the grass quickly and cleanly.
11. Disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent accidental starting, then tip up the mower to gain access to the blade.
12. Use a ratchet wrench and socket to loosen the nuts that hold the blade in place.
13. Sharpen each end of the blade with a metal file or right-angle grinder. Be sure to maintain the blade’s original bevel angle, and remove the same amount of material from each end.
14. After sharpening, use a balancer to confirm that the blade is perfectly balanced.
15. If the blade is out of balance, file or grind the heavy end of the blade and then recheck it with the balancer.
16. To keep the mower running smoothly, always use fresh gasoline. Stale gas can damage the engine.
17. Buy only enough gas to last one month.
18. To extend the life of gasoline, add a fuel stabilizer.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Tune Up Your Lawn Mower | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse
Who cares if its a repost not everyone has seen every video. People act like TOH owes them new content but this is a free youtube channel.
Roger Dodger -- exactly what we home moaners need -- a crisp no nonsense tutorial from an experienced pleasant professional.. thanks....
I haven't done any of these in five years. I better get on it! Good info.
Did you do them yet?
I sent it out to have it done. lol
"A duhrty aiya filtah makes your engine work hardah."
clam chowdaaa! just kidding love these videos wicked accent
"Dont fugget to get mah pry bah outta mah cah!!"
Yuh gahs are great man thanks hahhaha
🤣🤣🤣🤣👍🏻👍🏻
😂
It definitely pays to do these things. I had a Lawn Boy mower my fil bought in 1964. Starting to show its age, but still runs. Passed it on to my son when he bought his home.
Shoppin' the blade!
Roger is the best.
I have a 30 year old Honda mower that's still going like new today. it really pays to keep them in good shape
I love Honda push mowers.
Great lawn mower tune up video! And the fuel stabilizer in this video is our 360 Marine product. This will keep fuel fresh up to 12 months and is also a great fuel system cleaner (1oz treats 10 gallons). If you are looking for longer storage, our red Storage product will keep fuel fresh up to 24 months (1oz treats 2.5 gallons). And if anyone has any questions, let us know if you have any questions - we are more than happy to help! Have a great mowing season!
You have help me on so many projects....thanks for your videos!!
Still snowing in Chicago and it’s almost May but one day I’ll start my mower up again!
Good to know about balancing the blade!
c fluke I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
Goodness! So professional so simple , thank you for this videos Bro..👍👍👍👍
The way this is shot reminds me of Charlie's Kitten Mittens commercial from Always Sunny
I miss ole Roger boy!
Great tips
Forgot to mention to clean the underbody of the mower housing with tool like a 1" putty knife. It is especially important if your mower is a recycling mower. Caked up debris can make your recycling mower less efficient. Also, suggest using premium gas. Your mower will perform much better with it.
Premium gas itself is useless money burner for a mower. However, ethanol free gasoline will be highly beneficial. So try to find that, if it's available where you are. Harder to find these days.
Don’t run your mower out of gas in the winter, the tank and hoses will get dry and get cracked up, so use a stabilizer in the winter
Thanks so much!! Excellent tutorial
That thumbnail hitting us with some blue steel
Haha, I didn't even know my lawn mower had an air filter until watching this..
Next time read the manual
+H Santiago nah, that's no fun.
@@JacobRoberts1 shoppin' the blade and change the spock plug and get that prah bah outta mah cah!
That’s sad
Jacob I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
After 15 years with my Craftsman Briggs & Stratton mower, I decided to jump on the electrification band wagon and got a Snapper Briggs & Stratton 82V Electric Lawn Mower. So far, I'm super impressed. Quiet, no gas, no oil, no fumes, easy starts, and no maintenance (other than oiling the wheels and sharpening the blade). Electric Lawn Mowers are totally the future.
Is it still working?
BTW I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
That grinder shield is 180* backwards
I still remember seeing Roger repairing a rewind on a mower and him telling you to bend the tabs so you could take it apart. I wanted to pull him through the tv screen and slap him up because you never ever do that!!
Thank you sir
Though, if you have an old Lawn-Boy two-stroke engine, you have to make sure your gas mix is good
The "additives" that treat and extend the life of gasoline are called fuel stabilizers.
Same 14 years😮
I wish I had a lawn to call my own.
Ricardo I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No, thanks.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
thx alot
I got myself an electric mower. Much less maintenance because I don't have any gas or engine to worry about!
I turned my mower on the wrong side. The oil ran out through the carburetor(?) and dribbled out the casing for the air filter. Can't remove that filter casing to clean behind it. Can I just let it sit over night?
Ya mowah is shot now.. Tho it in da gahbidge.
The thumbnail of this video looks like I just caught Roger crouched over the body of his latest victim
being a commercial landscaper I have to do these things every few days on my equipment Not an easy job if you have 10 lawnmowers.
Alex I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
Whatever you do, DON'T use ethanol gas. I went through three mowers before I learned that. I have used Gum-Out to bring one back to life. Premium gas does not have ethanol in it (at least for now).
I would agree to avoid ethanol fuel for these small engines. The carbs that utilize 1950s technology in these machines react very adversely to ethanol deposits. Even adding a fuel stabilizer such as Stabil will only buy you limited additional time. If you do not have ethanol free at the pump, you can try looking at the mower parts row at a big box store and they sell liter sized cans of ethanol free, stabilized, fuel.
How do you rebalance the blade if it is no longer balanced?
It's super simple, take a little material off the end that's heavy. To do it smoothly have a quick look on TH-cam for the technique :)
With our old lawn mower we didn’t change the oil ONCE and it lasted for 20 YEARS.
colorado I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
Shaaap blade
My dad has a 20 year old Craftsman mower that still runs like new.
Salty I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
❤
Oil color doesn't mean it's bad or not.
dirty is abrasive
correct! I would be changing oil in my diesel pickup every week if that was the case. plus your little push mower oil is going to look dirty quickly because you cannot get all the oil out of it the way they make you drain it now.
Correct, but usually these small engines will have a milky color that shows evidence of sludge.
If I have gas in the mower how can I tip if to get the oil out? I have to take the gas out first?
Beth Murrow remove the gas cap, take a piece of plastic grocery bag and fold it over a few times and place it over the gas cap hole, then tighten the gas cap over that nice and snug. It shouldn’t leak for the 20-30 seconds you have it tipped over. Be mindful though that some new mowers have an overflow spout that shoots fuel on to the air filter. If your mower has one then yes you wed to drain it before tipping.
Adding to what Artem said, there is also most likely a drain plug underneath the mower behind the blade. It is there on most push mowers. It usually takes a 3/8" ratchet (not a socket) to loosen and tighten.
Good tips, but I didn't realize my mower also had a spawk plug...
0:52 You overfilled your engine with oil...
MowAh
If you live in Texas, every gas station has at least 10% ethanol in its fuel tanks...
You can find liter sized bottles of ethanol free stabilized fuel at places they sell mower parts. Not something to use all the time but when you plan to put your mower into longer inactive periods, I'd definitely pay the extra money for it.
You can also use it to kill zombies!
But only when they are first coming out of the ground, easier that way.
don't mow over rocks
YeSir.2.That...
Rus I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.
@@flat-earther🤡🤡🤡
Clean the carb!
"shahpin the blade"
I rather buy a new blade thank you!!
Hahahhahaha
1:40 "with the spark plug disconnected..."
Shows him doing it with spark plug connected lmao
These guys are great and for everyone to nit pick everything on every single video they do is pathetic.
Dont fuggett to shoppin' the blade and change the spock plug 0n your lawnmower!
I could do all that, or just have an electric mower.
That sounds like a hellish alternative.
I was going to say: steps to electric mower maintenance: sharpen blade. End of list.
Not great for large yards where you need the range. Or for very small yards where a reel mower would be a better alternative. But they're perfect for that sweet middle spot that a lot of suburban yards fall in to.
We used to have an electric Black & Decker mower long before I was born. Now we have a Honda Harmony II with Quad-Cut blades, and we've had that for ten years, not to mention it was a housewarming gift.
You-ehhh like ahh fathaaah givin' advice.
1:28 First the air filter had dust fall from the cover. And old Roga is gonna use a mower that's that green underneath? Bro at least it up for the demo. XD
I asked the shop for a SPAAAAK plug and they kicked me out for talking like a fruitcake
Go away
Heh-heh, I liked it.
Howard James don't make fun of roger like that
Step 1. Get an Ego mower. Step 2. Sharpen the blade every -4 months with a drill bit attachment. 3. Never have do any of the instructions in this video ever again....
Don't tell people how to do this it's taking business away from me
Matt Sprayberry Welcome to the new world. Either adapt or sink.
How much?
Who uses a grinder like that.
This guy hates standing up.
This is a re-post... disappointing.
the entire channel is reposting
+gtasandman This is the second time they've re-post this from the original... so that's now three times.
o
First time I've seen it, if you know it's a repost why do you keep watching it???
They want to remind us all!!!
As far as the blade is concerned, I just rather buy a new one!!
Go electric.
AGolstonT I suggest watch a 13 part series called _What on earth happened_ by Ewaranon to learn that the earth is not a globe. Link in my about tab.