How often do you check on your riding mower? In this post by Tarheel Synthetics in Sanford, we'll cover the essential maintenance tasks your small engine requires to ensure its best performance.

Getting the perfect lawn is hard work! It needs the right fertilizing, good weather, and enough watering. However, the main requirement to keep your lawn looking its best this season is an efficient riding mower, not to mention that having well-kept outdoor power equipment makes lawn care so much easier. To that end, here’s a guide with essential revisions and checks you can perform on your riding mower to keep it running smoothly.

Pre-Maintenance Tips

• First, keep in mind you’ll be completing maintenance tasks in a machine with sharp blades. For that reason, the safest way to work with your riding mower is to disconnect the spark plug wire completely. By doing this, you ensure that the small engine won’t accidentally start.
• Your riding mower has unique maintenance requirements and tech specs. To that end, refer to your operator’s manual before any revision.
• Follow the service and maintenance intervals recommended by the manufacturer. However, if keeping up with the indicated schedule is challenging for you, make sure to give your riding mower a thorough check once every season.
• The most optimal moment to check your riding mower is right after lawn care.
• Give your riding mower a general clean and revision before winterizing it.

Extend your small engine’s service life by giving it top-quality products like AMSOIL’s 10W-40 Synthetic Small Engine Oil. Explore AMSOIL’s online store to place an order, or call Tarheel Synthetics at (800) 781-8840 ext 1 to learn more about the best synthetic oil in Sanford.

Look Over Your Small Engine’s Main Fluids

Ensuring your small engine is lubricated and protected against friction and heat is essential to keep it in optimal performance. To that end, here are the fluids your riding mower needs to run efficiently:

• Engine oil: This fluid protects the engine's components against wear by lubricating its moving parts and gears; it also keeps the temperature at its operating range so your mower doesn't overheat. Some people call this oil the lifeblood of the machine since it's highly critical for its performance. Therefore, ensure its proper levels regularly and give it a change every 50 hours approximately.
• Coolant: This additive also circulates throughout the machine's moving parts to absorb heat and regulate the engine's temperature, not to mention that it contains a small concentration of corrosion inhibitors. On the whole, you must check your riding mower's coolant levels to keep them at the proper measure.
• Transmission oil: This fluid allows the transmission system to dissipate heat from its moving gear; therefore, it is essential for wear protection. To that end, make sure to keep its levels at the right measure.

Keep an Eye on The Air Filter

The air filter allows the engine to breathe correctly without getting choked by dust, bugs, or airborne debris. However, after mowing for a long time, the air filter can get clogged with accumulated dirt; because of this, you must inspect it after approximately 25 hours of use. If you notice your air filter is clogged, refer to your operator’s manual to learn whether you need to replace it or clean it.

Learn more about the benefits of getting a synthetic oil change in Sanford by speaking to an expert at Tarheel Synthetics. Call (800) 781-8840 ext 1 to place an order on the best synthetic oil products, or visit AMSOIL’s online store.

Check The Tires

Your riding mower's traction is key for a safe ride through the lawn, especially to mow across hilly surfaces. To that end, take the time to perform an in-depth tire inspection. First, grab your tire gauge and measure each tire's air pressure. Ensure all tires have the correct inflation since under or over-inflated tires cause engine stress, fuel waste, and traction problems. Then, spray the tires with soapy water to look for bubbles indicating air leaks. If the tires aren't in good shape, replace them before your next mowing.

Spark Plug

Since it ignites the oxygen-fuel combustion, this small piece gets burned each time you start your riding mower; therefore, you must check it frequently. To inspect it, remove it once the engine is cool. Then, clean it with a wire brush to look at its condition. If it's damaged or worn, you'll notice it has soot on the insulator or broken electrodes; in that case, make sure to replace it. If the spark plug is almost new and has no signs of damage, you can proceed to measure its gap to make sure it still has the millimeters pointed out in the operator's manual.

Give Your Riding Mower a Thorough Clean

Lastly, your riding mower routine maintenance wouldn't be complete without its cleaning! Needless to say, your mowing equipment has grass, dirt, mud, and moisture building up under its deck, so to avoid debris from getting corrosive, make sure to wash your mower before putting it away for the winter. Fortunately, most riding mowers have a water port to clean the underside of the deck; regardless of that, refer to your operator's manual to verify your mower's cleaning requirements.

Prolong your small engine's life and efficiency by giving it high-quality products like AMSOIL's 10W-40 Synthetic Small Engine Oil. To place an order for the most efficient synthetic oil in Sanford, visit AMSOIL's online store or call Tarheel Synthetics at (800) 781-8840 ext 1.