How's Your Engine Been Breathing Lately? Air Filters and Engine Maintenance Tips for Lawnmowers to Live By!

An often neglected part of lawn mower maintenance is preventing airborne abrasives from entering the engine. In fact it is one of the most beneficial and cost effective engine maintenance tips for lawnmower engines you can habitually abide by. Lawn mowers are designed with an air filter to capture harmful particles that could damage the engine.

It's essential to understand that combustion engines function essentially as air pumps. Air enters through the intake and is expelled after combustion through the exhaust. If dirt and debris, even if invisible, enter the engine, it can cause scratches to the cylinder walls, piston rings, bearing surfaces, etc.

Preventing this is crucial because seals between moving parts are necessary for optimal engine function, and if these sealing surfaces are damaged, engine performance suffers.

Repairing internal engine damage is often time-consuming and costly. Therefore, it's crucial to maintain your engine air filter. Regularly inspect and service it according to the manufacturer's recommended interval, typically every 25 hours of operation, or sooner if operating conditions are dusty or involve mowing tall grass.

It's important to distinguish between a foam and a paper filter.

For foam filters, clean them with dish soap, dry them, saturate with clean engine oil, and squeeze out the excess by hand. For paper filters, do not use this cleaning method; instead, replace them when they no longer allow sunlight to pass through easily. Do not use compressed air to clean them; replace them within the manufacturer's suggested interval.

This is an example of a foam style air filter; it can be serviced and reused

Avoid unintentionally contaminating your air filter by improperly tilting your mower the wrong way. Learn how here: How to Properly Tilt Your Lawn Mower On Its Side: Your Probably Doing It Wrong!

Never operate your lawn mower without a clean air filter installed! Avoid costly repairs or premature replacement!

lawn mower well maintained

Never the Norm!