Getting ready to go

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jhellwig

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Ottumwa, Iowa
Well it is getting close to time for the mowers to come out. What kinds of maintenance do you need to do this spring?

I gotta clean the deck and sharpen blades for my 318 and take the snow blower off of it. I don't need to change the oil as I changed it this winter to 5w-30 when I got my snowblower in January. I don't plan on changing the hydro filter because it didn't get many hours put on it last year.

My Hi vac pushmower needs a new drain plug cause there is a big puddle where it was sitting. It was seeping some last year but not bad.

Other than that I just have to put fuel in the two stroke stuff and hope my newly seeded grass takes off.

How about you?
 
OIl changes for the briggs motors , new blades this year and fresh plugs and filters for everything both 2 and 4 stroke equipment.

And you should service your gen sets and run them, Illinois has a mock tornado drill March 1st Spring is in the air even though march is coming in like a lion with 4 - 6 inches of snow tonight,,,,,,
 
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Deere L110. Gas and go. Maybe change the oil too.

jhellwig- I am thinking you work at a dealer? Do you have or know of any sources for used hydros? I got a project mower for free- a Snapper GT180 with a bum Eaton 851 hydro. I may try Motion Industries in Ankeny for parts if they're still available, but it would be nice to just bolt a working unit in place.
 
i probably shouldn't say this, but--fresh fuel, plug, priming bulb(?) and I get to see if my little Mantis tiller lives again--hasn't failed yet and I got it around 1986. Other than plugs all it has ever needed was the primer bulbs and a couple of air filters. Still has same starter rope. Rite of Spring. Everything else just the routine.
 
I have the itch as well but it is still Winter here and too cold in MN. Until the temp hits 45 degree, I'm hibernating.
 
Ugh, don't want to think about mowing lawns now. The #1 thing I like about winter is getting a vacation from yard work.

I always do all the maintenance on the mowers before I put them away for the winter. In the spring, I fill up with gas, check the oil, check tire pressure, check belt tension, reinstall battery, and go. This year, I'll definitely need a new battery for the tractor. It was totally dead in the fall and I had to jump start it several times.
 
Gravely ProTurn 52 w/FS691 (only has 40hrs on it)
- Oil still has 60hrs of it's interval (Amsoil Small Engine 30/10w30)
- Hydros still have 35hrs to first change interval
- battery has been in the garage on a tender, so that should be good
- super dosed the gas, stored with a full tank
- needs new spark plugs as I fogged and oiled the cylinders in the fall
- Probably should sharpen the blades to get in the routine at the beginning of the season
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Ugh, don't want to think about mowing lawns now. The #1 thing I like about winter is getting a vacation from yard work.



My sentiments exactly! A local OPE shop picks up my two ZTRs, services them, and returns them- so I'm good to go.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Deere L110. Gas and go. Maybe change the oil too.

jhellwig- I am thinking you work at a dealer? Do you have or know of any sources for used hydros? I got a project mower for free- a Snapper GT180 with a bum Eaton 851 hydro. I may try Motion Industries in Ankeny for parts if they're still available, but it would be nice to just bolt a working unit in place.


Nah, I am an electrician at the John Deere factory in ottumwa. I like messing with small engines though. I dunno where you could get a new hydro other than find another junk mower to rob one.
 
Originally Posted By: racer12306
Gravely ProTurn 52 w/FS691 (only has 40hrs on it)
- Oil still has 60hrs of it's interval (Amsoil Small Engine 30/10w30)
- Hydros still have 35hrs to first change interval
- battery has been in the garage on a tender, so that should be good
- super dosed the gas, stored with a full tank
- needs new spark plugs as I fogged and oiled the cylinders in the fall
- Probably should sharpen the blades to get in the routine at the beginning of the season


Run the engine with the old plug once before changing the plug because the fogging oil will slightly foul the plug.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
Originally Posted By: racer12306
Gravely ProTurn 52 w/FS691 (only has 40hrs on it)
- Oil still has 60hrs of it's interval (Amsoil Small Engine 30/10w30)
- Hydros still have 35hrs to first change interval
- battery has been in the garage on a tender, so that should be good
- super dosed the gas, stored with a full tank
- needs new spark plugs as I fogged and oiled the cylinders in the fall
- Probably should sharpen the blades to get in the routine at the beginning of the season


Run the engine with the old plug once before changing the plug because the fogging oil will slightly foul the plug.


That was the plan, just didn't think to mention it. Probably run it the first mow then change the plug.
 
I change my oil after the last fall mowing so everything is ready to go there. We never had enough snow here to even need the snowblower. I changed the oil in it back in January when we had a warm spell. Oil was from the winter of 2014-2015.

Other than that I have two generators to mess with. They were both filled with fresh gas in the fall for storage. I typically rotate fresh gas in the tanks every spring, mid summer and fall if they don't get used for an emergency. The biggest (7kw) needs an AVR adjustment but that's no big deal.
 
I usually change the oil and sharpen the blade on my toro self propelled every mid march.
 
Going to do some carb work on the Honda, along with an oil change and spark plug. Not a bad mower for "free." My Stihl trimmer is ready to go; it fired up a couple weeks ago on old gas and ran like a champ. Some fresh fuel and Klotz oil and it will be set.

Not quite ready yet, but mid April I'll put the snow blower up. It's only got 5hrs on the oil change and a heavy dose of Stabil Marine. I'll start it up sometime in July just to make sure the carb isn't gunked. Although it will be getting a replacement before next season. I've tinkered with the old carb twice and it still runs like crud.
 
I'll top up the gas tank on the old dear and pull the cord.
If she won't start after a few good yanks, I'll give her a shot of either.
Probably change the oil after the first cut.
May remove the spark plug and replace it if it looks heavily built up with deposits.
OPE engines aren't usually picky about maintenance, but then most engines aren't.
 
I have three in for service already. Don't understand it. March in Nebraska means one or two more snows. Will have to burn up some diesel in the heater if the freaky warm weather doesn't hold up. I see a very early changeover from blowers to mowers coming this year. I kind of appreciate global warming even if my great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren won't see it that way. Might need to add a few more greats. I don't, however, appreciate people who get their mowers tuned this early and are put off when they're hard to start when it's 15 degrees outside. Patience!
 
3 Craftsman YTS 3000, 42" cut riders
-Oil Changes
-Fuel Filters
-New Blades
-Grease front spindles and blade spindles
1 Mid-90's Murray 22" cut pusher
-Oil Change and sharpen blade
 
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