" Reliable performance of your riding mower depends on maintaining it with regular service. Here's how. For most mowers, the regular points and maintenance are changing the oil and filter, inspecting and replacing the spark plug, replacing or cleaning the air filters, and lubricating the grease fittings. Engine oil should be changed after 50 hours of tractor operation. Run the engine long enough for it to warm up. The warm oil would drain faster and carry away more engine sentiment than if the oil is cold. Remove the oil filler cap and set it aside. Referring to your manual, locate the oil drain plug. It will be near the bottom of the engine. Place a container to catch the oil under the drain. Make sure that you use a container that's large enough to hold all the engine's oil. Dispose of the waste oil responsibly. If available for your mower, slide the oil drain hose over the oil drain valve and direct the other end into the waste oil container. Push the drain valve in slightly and rotate it counterclockwise, pulling it outward to begin draining the oil into the collection container. Various engines have different ways to drain the oil so check your manual for specifics on your mower. After the oil has drained from the engine, remove the hose, close, and tighten the valve by turning it clockwise, and replace the protective cap. Next, we'll replace the oil filter. There's a special tool called an oil filter wrench that slides over the oil filter and tightens around the filter when you pull on the handle. Slide the wrench over the oil filter and unscrew the old filter by turning it counter clockwise. Once the oil filter is loose, you can unscrew it by hand. The filter will be filled to the top with oil so handle the filter carefully. Allow the oil filtered to drain completely, and then dispose of the oil filter responsibly. Using the end of your finger, apply a drop of waste oil to the gasket of the new oil filter. The oil will help to seal the connection between the rubber gasket and the engine. Turning clockwise, screw the new oil filter by hand until the rubber gasket makes contact with the base. And then, using the oil filter wrench, turn the filter a half turn more. Check with the manual that came with your mower to determine the oil capacity of your engine. It's very important not to overfill the engine with oil. If you do not have a manual, stop to check the level of the oil with the dip stick as you go. Use a high-quality detergent oil. For temperate climates, a 10-30 weight oil is typical. When you add the correct amount of oil, the oil level will just touch the full mark. Do not overfill. Replace the oil filler cap and start the tractor engine. Allow the engine to run for 30 seconds, then stop the engine and remove the key. Check the oil level and add more oil, if necessary. This is not unusual as the new oil filter has to fill up with oil. Also, check the drain plug in the oil filter to make sure that no oil is leaking. Now it's time to move on to the air filter. Remove the air cleaner cover. Often inside, you'll find a foam pre-cleaner. Set it aside for now. Remove the paper air filter and inspect it for dirt. Paper air filter should be replaced at least every season, or every 100 hours, or whenever it's dirty. Insert the replacement filter. Make sure no dust or dirt falls into the carburetor. Remove the old foam pre-cleaner and set it aside. Pour a few tablespoons of motor oil onto the surface of the new foam pre-cleaner and work the oil thoroughly through the foam. Insert the new oil foam pre-cleaner into the cover and replace the air cleaner cover."

" When the spark plug is loose, finish by unscrewing the spark plug by hand. Replace the old spark plug with exactly the same new plug. Using a spark plug gauge, measure the gap of the new spark plug. This tractor requires a 30,000ths of an inch spark gap. If the gap needs adjusting, gently tap or spread the tip until the gap is exact. Start threading the spark plug by hand. It's important to do this so that you don't accidentally damage the threads. When you're sure that the spark plug is properly threaded, tighten it with a ratchet by turning it clockwise until snug. Replace the rubber boot by pressing the cap firmly onto the tip of the spark plug. Often, you'll feel the click into place. When the engine maintenance is complete, it's time to lubricate the grease fittings. Clean each fitting with a rag to remove the dirt and old grease. And then, using a grease gun and number 2 multi-purpose grease, apply sufficient grease to lubricate each fitting. You'll need to refer to your manual to locate each fitting. With new filters, new oil, and newly grease fitting, your lawn tractor is ready for another season."