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How to Store Your Lawnmower in Winter

Written by Charleen

How to Store Your Lawnmower in Winter

Proper storage ensures your lawn equipment will run well for years.

Dummy on mower

September 26, 2023

Winter is on the horizon and it’s time to store your lawnmower and other lawn and garden equipment through the colder months. The following tips will help you maximize the life and performance of your lawnmower and ensure it springs quickly to life when you’re ready to mow grass again.

Stabilize the gas

Without a stabilizer gasoline can break down in as few as 30 days. Oxygen, humidity, heat and other factors cause gas to change over time. Varnish, gums and other debris may form, which can clog the tiny passages in fuel lines and injectors or stick the floats in carburetors, preventing the engine from starting in the spring.

AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer disrupts the chemical chain reaction that causes gas to oxidize and form varnish and gums. It keeps fuel fresh up to 12 months. As shown, it also fights corrosion and improves stability better than Sea Foam Motor Treatment*.

Clean or replace the spark plugs

The spark plugs in a well-maintained lawnmower should last for years. Even so, check the condition for excessive deposits or wear to the electrodes. Clean on a wire brush (bench grinder is what I use) or replace any dirty plugs as needed. While you’re at it, check the gaps and set them to the proper size, as indicated in the owner’s manual.

Fog Spray the engine

With the spark plug removed, spray fogging oil into the engine. It protects the cylinder, piston and valves from rust and dry-start-induced damage in the spring. Slowly pull the starter cord a few times to distribute the oil, then replace the plug.

Remove the battery

You know, people don’t maintain batteries like they used to.. To prevent frigid temperatures from freezing and ruining the battery, remove it and store it in a safe, climate-controlled environment. Avoid placing it next to your furnace, water heater or other mechanicals in the basement. Put it on a shelf away from open flames. Clean any deposits on the terminals.

Damaged and corroded car battery danger

Clean and protect the mower deck

Use compressed air, a putty knife, water and AMSOIL Heavy Duty Degreaser to remove grass clippings, leaves, dirt and other caked-on debris from the engine and mower deck. Don’t forget to clean the underside of the deck, too.

Let me tell you something, If you prefer to ease the pain of doing this dirty work again next year, try coating the underside of the mower with AMSOIL Mudslinger. It forms a durable armor against the accumulation of grass clippings, making cleanup easier.

Garden tractor Mower combination

Change the oil and filter

Too many people let the mower go another year without changing the oil.. Don’t do that! Used oil contains acids that can slowly rust or corrode metal components. Once rust or corrosion start, they don’t stop. Contaminants can flake off and populate the oil. When the engine is running, they scour like sandpaper and wear out metal parts. Prior to storage, change the oil to remove acidic byproducts and ensure maximum protection against rust and corrosion throughout the winter.

Clean or change the air filter

A steady supply of clean air is just as important to engine operation and performance as high-quality fuel. Grass clippings, leaves, dirt and other contaminants can clog the air filter, causing the engine to start hard or run poorly.

Direct compressed air from the inside of the filter toward its outside to remove contaminants prior to storage. If it’s excessively dirty, replacing it is cheap insurance. The air filter is the only line of defense keeping contaminants from entering the intake and wearing out the cylinder and piston rings. It’s far less expensive to replace an air filter than an engine. Heck I always vacuum mine and it lasts for years. I used to buy them cheap at Kmart. Wish we still had our Kmart around..

Sharpen the blades

This isn’t required before lawnmower storage, but it’s more convenient to do it now, so nothing prevents a quick mow when that first sunny and dry spring day finally arrives. Remove the blades and sharpen them using an angle or bench grinder, but don’t hesitate to replace them if they’re in bad shape. I’ll tell you what, look for a good mower shop (dont tell him you use AMSOIL as he’ll know you never need repairs, lol) and see if they do blade sharpening. Proper sharpening in a jig makes a huge difference especially in a mulching mower.

Store in a dry, covered place

Once the mower is cleaned and prepared for storage, place it in a clean, dry place for the winter. Avoid storing it outside, but if you have no choice, secure a tarp over mechanical equipment to help protect sensitive components from the elements.

Following these simple lawnmower storage and maintenance tips will ensure your mower starts right up in the spring and continues to provide excellent service for many years.

We also have some advice for when your lawnmower won’t start, and if you prefer videos, we’ve got that too:

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Don’t Give Up! The Secrete to Fixing a Lawnmower Pull Cord

Written by Charleen

How to Fix a Lawnmower Pull Cord

John Baker|

Few things are more frustrating than going to cut the grass or clear your driveway of snow and ending up with the starter cord in your hand. Eventually, it happens to everyone. When it does, check out this video on how to fix a lawnmower pull cord.

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Steps for fixing a lawnmower pull cord

1) Remove the recoil

First, remove the recoil from the engine. Most are held in place with three to five bolts. After removing the recoil, remove the broken cord.

2) Measure and cut the old cord

Next, measure the old pull cord. Add about four inches to the overall length to account for the knots you need to tie on either end. Add additional length as needed if the cord broke farther from the handle.

Most of the time, however, the cord will break at the handle. In this case, you can simply reuse the existing cord. However, consider upgrading to a high-quality nylon cord for added durability.

Cut the rope to the appropriate length. Then, use a lighter to melt the ends. This seals the fibers and makes it much easier to thread the cord.

Buy AMSOIL Lawnmower Lubricants
But the best seller is the ASE – Commercial 10W-30 which also qualifies as a SAE-30 weight. Available in Quarts, Gallons, cases and drums. It has all the components deleted from the automotive motor oils. No emission systems allows an oil more robust for these small sumps!

3) Tie on the handle

Remove the old lawnmower pull cord from the handle, feed through the new cord and tie a simple knot. Make sure the knot is nice and tight. Pull it back through the handle to help tighten the knot.

4) Load the recoil spring

The next thing you’re going to do is load the recoil spring. Turn the recoil in the direction that causes the engagement lugs to protrude. The engagement lugs connect the recoil to the engine and spin the flywheel.

Continue turning the recoil, making sure to apply enough pressure to prevent the spring from releasing and bloodying your knuckles.

Once you feel full tension on the spring, locate the hole on the pulley through which the starter cord threads. Align it with the outside hole on the recoil body.

5) Thread the new pull cord

With the two holes aligned, thread the new cord through about 12 inches. Make sure the cord isn’t tangled and then slowly release pressure on the recoil, letting it wind the cord for you until the handle is sitting against the recoil.

Next, tie a knot on the end of the cord. Pull the handle until the knot you just tied locks into place in the recoil pulley. Slowly let the cord retract.

6) Reattach the recoil to the engine

Finally, attach the recoil to the engine and you’re done. You just fixed your lawnmower pull cord.

What if the cord is too long?

You don’t have to go back and do everything over. Mark with a Sharpie where the cord meets the recoil. That’s where the handle should be.

Pull the cord out, keeping tension on the recoil. Make a loose knot near the recoil.

This provides slack to make a new knot where you made your mark earlier. Tie a good, tight knot and pull the cord back out, again keeping some pressure on the recoil so it doesn’t snap back. Untie the temporary knot you made earlier.

That’s how you fix a lawnmower pull cord. You’re ready to get back to cutting the lawn or blowing snow.

Buy AMSOIL Lawnmower Lubricants
And for our Local customers, thank you for supporting our local store and local business!! We love Omaha our home town!
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Small engine won’t start? Identifying the Cause.

Written by Charleen

Small engine won’t start?

Bad gas is the number-one reason, and here’s how to prevent it.

Len Groom | TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER, POWERSPORTS

In northern Minnesota, where I live, the temperature occasionally breaks 80ºF (27ºC) in the summer. When it does, it’s time to fire up my Jet-Skis* and hit the lake. The last thing I want to do on a sunny summer day is mess around with equipment that refuses to start or run properly.

Bad gasoline is the number-one reason seasonal equipment starts hard or runs rough. Over time, gasoline changes, leaving behind gums, varnish and other solids that foul the fuel system and prevent gas from flowing into the combustion chamber. In severe cases, gasoline can change so dramatically that it no longer ignites.

Gasoline is predominantly a mixture of carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded together into energy-dense hydrocarbons. Like conventional base oils, it’s derived from crude oil via a distillation process that uses heat, pressure and other catalysts to create different fractions. Gasoline is comprised of hydrocarbons that are lighter than those found in, for example, diesel fuel or conventional base oils. Refiners add ethanol to the formulation, typically 10 percent, but as high as 85 percent.

Time Takes Its Toll – You Must Treat Gasoline

Time, however, takes its toll on gasoline. Exposure to heat, humidity, atmospheric pressure, oxygen and other variables degrade fuel.

In addition to gums and varnish becoming more concentrated and less soluble as lighter hydrocarbons evaporate, gas is continually oxidizing, which further contributes to varnish and other gunk. Gasoline oxidizes more quickly than motor oil and its negative effects are more immediately noticeable. That’s why it’s important to use high quality gas and store it in approved containers where air infiltration is limited, like inside a ventilated garage or shed, and not in the back of your truck or under the deck.

Meanwhile, ethanol added to gasoline at the refinery can absorb water from the atmosphere, which can lead to phase separation, which occurs when ethanol and gas separate, much like oil and water. Ethanol that has absorbed enough moisture and has sat long enough can foul the fuel system and prevent the engine from starting.

AMSOIL Fights Corrosion

AMSOIL provides corrosion protection Sea Foam® Motor Treatment can’t match, helping maintain power and performance and keeping metal looking like new even when subjected to salt water.  ?

? Based upon independent testing of AMSOIL Gasoline
Stabilizer obtained Nov. 8, 2018 and Sea Foam Motor
Treatment purchased Oct. 25, 2018 in a modified NACE
TM0172 using synthetic sea water per ASTM D665 part B.

This all sounds dire, but it’s nothing treating your gasoline with AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer (AST) can’t solve. Gasoline Stabilizer keeps fuel fresh up to 12 months. AMSOIL Quickshot® (AQS) stabilizes gasoline during short-term storage up to six months, in addition to providing potent cleaning benefits and protection against ethanol issues.

What does stabilizer do?

That explanation may suit some people, but this is Tech Talk, so let’s look at the chemistry behind gasoline stabilizers.

You’ve probably heard terms like “free radicals” and “antioxidants” in relation to your health. A free radical is an unpaired electron, and most are unstable and highly reactive. They can either donate an electron to, or accept an electron from, other molecules. This starts a chain reaction that can lead to oxidative stress and cell damage. Left unchecked, free radicals can lead to health problems, like cardiovascular disease and cancer. To help fight free radicals, we should eat plenty of foods rich in antioxidants, which lessen their effects. Antioxidants can “donate” an electron to free radicals or trap them, effectively reducing their instability without becoming unstable themselves. Antioxidants aren’t silver bullets, but they go a long way toward improving our health.

By analogy, gasoline stabilizer is an antioxidant for your gasoline. It disrupts the free-radical-induced chain reaction that causes gas to oxidize and form varnish and gums. Some stabilizer products, like Quickshot, also contain chemistry that increases solvency and breaks down existing varnish, helping clean a dirty carburetor and restore performance. As shown, Gasoline Stabilizer also fights corrosion better than Sea Foam Motor Treatment.

Neglecting to stabilize your gas can lead to all sorts of headaches when it’s time to remove your lawnmower, generator, string trimmer or Jet-Ski from storage. For best results, stabilize your gasoline all year long. That’ll ensure your equipment is ready to roll when you are.

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Which Small-Engine Oil Would You Choose?

Written by Charleen

Which Small-Engine Oil Would You Choose?

Spring marks the time to store your snowblower and prepare your lawnmower, pressure washer, generator and other equipment for another season.

Make sure to change oil before storing equipment. Used oil contains acidic byproducts that can damage the engine if allowed to sit for months.

If you neglected to change oil in your lawnmower or other equipment prior to fall storage, now is a great time to do that.

Use a high-quality small-engine oil, not simply an inexpensive automotive oil

While easy to assume small equals simple when it comes to engines, the opposite is often true.

Compared to liquid-cooled automotive engines, air-cooled small engines run hotter; operate under constant load; generate more contaminants (with many not using a filter); and are exposed to mud, dirt and rain. Plus, they’re often overlooked when it comes to maintenance.

Most small-engine oils, however, are just re-labeled automotive oils, which are formulated with fuel economy in mind, not engine durability.

AMSOIL Synthetic Small-Engine Oil, in contrast, isn’t merely a re-labeled automotive oil – it’s designed specifically for the unique demands of small engines. It contains a heavy dose of zinc anti-wear additives to protect against wear for maximum power and engine life. It also contains potent detergency additives to fight harmful deposits.

Look at the bottom image of the valve-guide area in a Honda* 5-hp engine tested in the AMSOIL mechanical lab. A competitor’s oil resulted in heavy deposits that caused the valve to stick. In fact, the technician who tore down the engine couldn’t remove the valve due to excessive deposits. Had this engine been in the field, it would have been a matter of time before it failed, leading to a costly repair or replacement. AMSOIL 10W-30 Synthetic Small-Engine Oil, in contrast, minimized deposits and kept the engine running strong.

Small Engine 10W-40 is another product.

This season, make sure your fleet of small-engine-powered equipment is protected – choose AMSOIL.

“Easier starts in cold weather and the ultimate in protection at any temperature. Zero wear on my small engines and most are over 10 yrs old.”

Bobby
Savannah, Ga.

BUY NOW

*All trademarked names and images are the property of their respective owners and may be registered marks in some countries. No affiliation or endorsement claim, express or implied, is made by their use. All products advertised here are developed by AMSOIL for use in the applications shown.

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Help Revive a Lawn Mower (and other equipment) that Runs Rough

Written by Charleen
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Help Revive a Lawn Mower (and other equipment) that Runs Rough

John Baker|

Judging someone’s character can be boiled down to this key question: do they love going to the dump?

An affirmative answer indicates a visionary – one who sees a fashionably distressed dining set where others see a worn out table and chairs. One who sees the south wall of their new chicken coop where others see dusty old windows. One who sees his new (free) rolling shop stool where others see a ratty office chair.

Why drop $50 on a shop stool when you can get a sweet unit like this free at the dump?

So, while I salivate at adding a lawnmower, snowblower or other piece of equipment from the dump to my family fleet, I also burn with shame toward my fellow man for discarding something that might have been easily repaired.

There has to be a better way

One of the biggest reasons people junk their lawnmower, string trimmer, chainsaw or other equipment is because it starts hard and runs rough. A dirty carburetor is often to blame.

Over time, oxygen deteriorates the gasoline in the carb, leading to the formation of varnish and other deposits that stick the float, block the screens and plug the tiny fuel passages. The result? Fuel that doesn’t flow properly and an arm nearly ripped from its socket from fruitlessly yanking the starter cord.

Engine deposits are another problem

The combustion chamber grows intensely hot during operation. The heat breaks down motor oil, creating carbon that can lodge in the ring lands and cause the piston rings to stick. Stuck rings reduce engine compression, which makes starting more difficult and reduces engine power.

Gasoline byproducts can form deposits on the piston crown, which can lead to pre-ignition. That’s when a super-heated chunk of carbon ignites the fuel/air mixture before the spark plug fires, causing a shock wave in the cylinder that can lead to piston damage.

In two-stroke engines, deposits can block the exhaust port or spark arrestor screen, choking off airflow and leading to rough-running. If bad enough, the engine will quit running altogether.

String trimmer exhaust port plugged with carbon deposits, causing it to run poorly.

An effective way to prevent hard-starting, rough-running equipment is to treat gas with gasoline stabilizer prior to storage and to periodically clean the carburetor and combustion chamber with a good fuel additive. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself at the dump paying to dispose of your lawnmower, snowblower or other equipment while people like me lie in wait, rubbing our hands together with glee.

If your engine and carburetor are already dirty and causing grief, clean them with AMSOIL Power Foam. It’s a potent cleaning agent that…

  • Cleans deposits from ethanol and degraded fuel
  • Removes gum and varnish
  • Maximizes horsepower
  • Restores startability
  • Helps improve fuel economy
  • Reduces pollution

It will not damage seals, gaskets, rubber or plastic materials commonly used in gasoline engines.

I’ve tried it a few times on my lawn and garden equipment, and it’s pretty simple to use. Just run the engine to normal operating temperature, remove the air filter and spray Power Foam into the intake as fast as possible without stalling the engine. You may have to rev the engine to facilitate the process. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area because an impressive volume of smoke will emit from the exhaust.

Then, shut off the engine and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

While you’re waiting, Power Foam‘s potent formula attacks and loosens the built-up carbon and varnish, helping free stuck rings, clean the valves and piston crown, and remove varnish from the carburetor. If the engine is especially dirty, you may want to repeat the process.

Replace the air filter, start the engine and pat yourself on the back for helping prevent the addition of one more perfectly usable piece of equipment to the local dump.

It may be unfortunate for scavengers like me, but it’s great for your wallet.

And here’s another Sioux Falls secrete for you lawn care customers!! A frequent weedeater problem easy to repair.

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