Last time, while we were making note of the best ways to approach a lawn mower not starting, it gave us an idea that we should really also cover servicing of mowers. It’s a common reason that leads to issues with starting up, and as with many machines, a mower really benefits from a good schedule of maintenance. You can of course take your mower to a local specialist as you would with your car, but as you’ll see in this video, many people will have the tools, ability and inclination to do the job themselves!
Have a look at what’s involved before making any decisions…
So – that’s how to remove the mower’s spark plug, replace the air filter, check and replace the cutting blades, change the oil for the engine and refit the spark plug. In the video, you’ve seen a Hyundai, but the process is broadly similar regardless of the make and model of petrol lawn mower you’ve got.
Pay particular advice to their safety tip and remove the spark plug at the beginning of the servicing procedure to prevent the engine from starting up unexpectedly, and make sure that replacing it in its socket is the final stage. That way you’re minimising the chances of accidents with an exposed mower blade spinning dangerously or flying off during the process of removing or replacing.
Similarly, the gloves may seem unnecessary, but although the blade may not look sharp, you can easily cause yourself an injury, particularly if you need to use a bit of force to unscrew and release the blade.
An extra tip is to take photos as you remove the blade from the bottom of the mower on your phone, as you can use those to refer back to later to see what order the washers and separators need to put back onto the mower.
Happy servicing!