My dad told me 50+ years ago "if you don't do anything else for an internal combustion engine, change and check the oil REGULARLY." It's not that hard folks. I have a 2005 Troy-Bilt lawn mower, still going strong after all these years. Why? I change the oil and air filter EVERY year, whether it needs it or not. Oil and filters are cheap, engines are not.
Yes another great video. For me the most common problems I see from customers is carburetor plugged, belts, dead battery, and lack of maintenance. Remember that just because you buy a battery powered mower does not mean no maintenance!!!
Sir, once my world and existence was maintenance...scheduled, performed, inspected and enforced. I was the enforcer. But 100s of days at sea made me yearn for the grass and the machines that tamed it. I found my way home and men like you lead the way. Great show.
I use pretty much your exact cleaning regimen. Every time I mow, I also use my leaf blower, so the mower gets blown off too. I almost never spray with water, unless there's a need for doing a repair. I also clean the air filter once a year with compressed air unless it gets fouled with gas & oil, which doesn't happen if it gets cleaned every year. My yearly maintenance is an oil change, an air filter cleaning, and adjusting the drive cable. The plug generally will last for years. Other maintenance, like lubing axles, is done on an as-needed basis. I use ethanol-free gas. This, IMO, is not excessive, and it's kept my Toro running for over 10 yrs now.
If I didn’t know how to work on my own, I’d bring it to you because of the pride you take in your work. I know I would have had the best repair possible
Never had a stand up mower. I did however just get a killer deal on a used 22in Toro Recycler fws self propelled. Started up first pull just needed a bit of oil topping off but runs like a dream. Same model new at home depot is $449
Cleaned my gas tank and carburetor last season. Put old mower away for the winter in the dark shed by lifting the handle up long enough over the bicycle handle in the way to dump all the oil in the sump thru the intake valve then the carb. The rest oil emptied into the gas tank. Won't do that again. Great drill instruction video on mower hygiene ideas, thank you😁
I always blow everything off with the leaf blower when I’m done cutting the grass with my own mower. When I get a mower in for service I do the same as you; take the engine and drive covers off, thorough cleaning, check flywheel key, sharpen & balance blade, change oil, clean / lubricate wheels (if they have metal sleeves only), wash & wax mower deck. That’s on top of repairing the actual problem first of course.
I always blow my mower off and clean under the deck with my blower when I'm done cutting, then at the end of the season I wash the whole mower like you just did. After I've done that I change oil/ drain the gas and install new plug and air filter. That's one great looking Toro.
I change the oil on my equipment every year, regardless of if it’s dirty or not. I also sharpen the blades with a flap disc and an angle grinder. I replace the air filters whenever they are dirty, and then I tend to replace the spark plug and fuel filter every 3 years or so. I see a lot of people go out and buy the “home maintenance kits” for their equipment every year and waste tons of money, you don’t need to be changing your spark plug, fuel filter, and air filter every time you do an oil change. John Deere and several other manufacturers recommend this but I feel like it’s to sell more of those kits. After all, you don’t change your cars spark plugs every year.
Bought that mower years ago Brand new at home depot, it lost compression in less than a year💩, I bought a used craftsman with less bells and whistles, has ran like a top ever since, both were very well maintained
This is a good video. I do simple maintenance on my mower by checking and replacing the oil, air filter, and spark plug. I don't like where the spark plug is recessed where you have to use an extension on a ratchet to reach the spark plug. I'm a believer in the kiss concept of keep it simple stupid. Keep it simple by putting the spark plug location in the front of the mower where it's reachable by hand rather than recessing it. As for keeping the mower clean, I use a spray bottle with water and clean rags to clean it rather than dragging a garden hose to an outside faucet. It cleans the mower just as good.
Hey IHG I do a thorough cleaning before I put them away in Nov. I change the oil every spring, lube wheels, grease, sharpen the blades every spring. Clean or replace the air filter as needed, blow it off with a leaf blower after every mow and clean underneath after every cutting of morning dew wet grass and/or at least once per month when dry. Sometimes my OCD can be a good thing. Cheers
THAT is a NEW looking rig, sure! NICE! I use a leaf blower depending on how much stuff is on a mower BUT always blow it off every other mowing anyway. The Stihl folds up like that one as Sweetie cleaned it out already but the zero turn will have to be hung from the hoist by the front wheel frame to get under it. The max height on the deck is 4 inches and maybe ba dab more but that's not in my job description. I'd like to get a set of mulcher blades like on the hand mower you're working for the zero turn and probably will one day. The double edged jobs just don't grind clippings up like the regular gators, least wise here anyway, and they always wear good but I try and keep them out of rocks and dirt as much as I can. And I usually just replace parts except for oil changes as needed BUT I'd never let an air filter get even close to that bad. Thanks for another good one and Blessings 2 U!
well for me in general a garden hose is a good optional ideal for cleaning and degreasing off the grass and dirt build up and the way i do it is lovely and also having compressed air and a leaf blower makes very good common sense when i want them to dry off well enough to fire back up etc.
Just the couple days ago, I went into the local Home Depot to pick up a couple bags of bug shield granules. The way the store is set up, you naturally walk past where all the outdoor power equipment is stored and displayed. There was no gas powered equipment of any kind. Mowers, line trimmers, chain saws, leaf blowers, power washers, etc., all were battery powered. Out front that had riding mowers are on display. There were both gas powered and battery powered of those items. First thing that jumped out at me was, there was a 54 inch zero turn Cub Cadet gas mower with a price of $4699. Right next to that was a Ryobi electric with a 42 inch deck. It was priced at $6999.99! Insane.
After I completely fixed my Al-Ko mower (replaced the chassis, blade and transmission, modified the chassis with epoxy glued steel plates in the places the old one developed fatigue fractures), I clean it on every mow (so every 2 weeks), with garden hose (especially below, to remove all the grass deposits). Then let the engine run for 5 minutes to get hot and dry, then let it under the balcony at top height of the wheels to let it dry everywhere, and put it back in the garage the day after. :) Of course new oil and filter every around 2 years (but oil level check on every use). But ok, I'm a bit fixated: when I bought my 0km Alfa Giulia (that was new but with 3 years from the manufacturing date), I replaced engine oil, oil filter, cooling liquid of both the engine and turbo/water-air intercooler circuits, accessory belt... I like my engines to be healthy :)
The mowers that will be for sale are always washed with my garden hose, after any dust or grass is blown off with an air hose. My personal equipment gets the air hose after each use, and a thorough cleaning at the end of the season.
Sup man, got the Mcculloch 310 running (still cant pick up gasoline from the tank, because the of course it cant, its an old piece of yard equipment and carbs suck) It runs super nice, wouldnt think that it was abandoned for over a decade in an open air shed
I guess some folks have small storage buildings or simply limited storage space. Our Honda has the folding handles and is flat on the floor. But I am fortunate to have a 28 x 32 building which is the multitasking shop. Stores all outdoor equipment and tools.
I bought a gallon of degreaser from HF. I put it in a spray bottle and dilute it with hot water. Works great and is very inexpensive. I scrape the underside of the deck when necessary. It rarely needs it because I do not cut wet grass. Stop cutting wet grass and you'll be amazed at how clean the deck stays. After washing, I use a leaf blower to dry off the deck. I also blow off the entire mower including around the wheels after each use.
Great comment on when to use water and when to use the blower!!! I have a 5 year old Honda HRX217 with hydrostatic trans. Do you recommend changing the fluid if it is running fun as it is? Thank you!!!
Leaf blower for me with a once a year wash and wax. It's 20 years old. 18horse Craftsman rider with a Briggs. Let's see...in 20 years, 1 drive belt, 1 deck belt, 1 tire, 2 starters, 3 or 4 batteries, and unfortunately in the 19th year had to change broken cam thingy (doohickey that releases compression allowing engine to start was broken). Mowed 1 1/2 acres for 19 years. New house now with only 1/2 acre. I feel a little silly since all my neighbors use push mowers...but oh well.
Hello. I’ve learned a lot from your videos. I enjoy watching your videos every week. I was wondering, though, where do you get your degreaser that you use? Thank you for all your videos.
I use both methods. I thought this was a good vid. I might have missed it but would like to see an end of season maintenance vid that covers both 2&4 cycle machines. I know what I do but would like to hear what you think.
I have a question: Does that hose connection for cleaning under the deck really work well enough or is it more efficient to just tip it and hose it off from underneath?
if the build up has been there for years.. then the wash port will be useless. Best to tip the mower and clean it manually. But once it's can you can then use the wash port. It's meant to be used after each and every mow.
I scrape the bottom off and get rid of as much grass as possible every time I mow.. Sometimes hose it and if your going to do that clean the top of the deck.
Hey I had a quick question about a toro time master 30 and I’d like your input engine runs completely fine but when the blades are fully engaged it has a absurdly slow blade speed which is baffling me. Thank you in advance!!
Hey bro what's up? This mower looks brand new after the light cleaning you did to it. After cleaning the air filter and sharpening the blade, I'll say it's good to go again. My question here is what was wrong with this mower?
So I got this earthquake tiller that I picked up and want to put it on a little four wheeler kids thing. I tried to get it running threw gas down the cylinder and nothing, it's got compression and spark and everything it needs but still nothing. Any idea what's wrong with it
I know you said it had compression, but I'd like to get a reading from a tester to see just how much it has. It may not be enough to get the engine, to run.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE It has compression but I took the cylinder off and it turns out both rings where stuck. Their was also a chip in the head and it was scored on the exhaust side. So I'm assuming when that peice broke off it grinded the piston and got the ring stuck. I just got it unstuck so I'm going to see if it will run
Interesting mower feature. No I don't let my mowers or any engines get wet or rained on and I definitely don't deliberately hose them. They look filthy; they function well. Mostly all original except for pull cords and primer bulbs every several years.
Maintenance on gas powered equipment is simple enough that basic common sense should make it easy to keep track of. I keep a small spiral note book in the top drawer of the tool chest with all my maintenance records written down.
We never did a thing to my mowers. And they lasted 18 years 😄. Unlike kids that require certain skills to stay alive. Which yours won’t be getting now. 😊✝️🚌👮🏿♀️. 😘.
My dad told me 50+ years ago "if you don't do anything else for an internal combustion engine, change and check the oil REGULARLY." It's not that hard folks. I have a 2005 Troy-Bilt lawn mower, still going strong after all these years. Why? I change the oil and air filter EVERY year, whether it needs it or not. Oil and filters are cheap, engines are not.
wow very nicely done and that mower is going to be with you for a long time.
that looks great! glad to see someone cleaning off with a hose like me 🙂
You and me both!
Yes another great video. For me the most common problems I see from customers is carburetor plugged, belts, dead battery, and lack of maintenance. Remember that just because you buy a battery powered mower does not mean no maintenance!!!
you are correct
Sir, once my world and existence was maintenance...scheduled, performed, inspected and enforced. I was the enforcer. But 100s of days at sea made me yearn for the grass and the machines that tamed it. I found my way home and men like you lead the way. Great show.
I appreciate that
I use pretty much your exact cleaning regimen. Every time I mow, I also use my leaf blower, so the mower gets blown off too. I almost never spray with water, unless there's a need for doing a repair. I also clean the air filter once a year with compressed air unless it gets fouled with gas & oil, which doesn't happen if it gets cleaned every year.
My yearly maintenance is an oil change, an air filter cleaning, and adjusting the drive cable. The plug generally will last for years. Other maintenance, like lubing axles, is done on an as-needed basis. I use ethanol-free gas. This, IMO, is not excessive, and it's kept my Toro running for over 10 yrs now.
wow very nice and thorough!
If I didn’t know how to work on my own, I’d bring it to you because of the pride you take in your work. I know I would have had the best repair possible
you're a very wise person!
Never had a stand up mower. I did however just get a killer deal on a used 22in Toro Recycler fws self propelled. Started up first pull just needed a bit of oil topping off but runs like a dream. Same model new at home depot is $449
wow very nice mower you got there.
Cleaned my gas tank and carburetor last season. Put old mower away for the winter in the dark shed by lifting the handle up long enough over the bicycle handle in the way to dump all the oil in the sump thru the intake valve then the carb. The rest oil emptied into the gas tank. Won't do that again. Great drill instruction video on mower hygiene ideas, thank you😁
it happens even to me! and thank you
I always blow everything off with the leaf blower when I’m done cutting the grass with my own mower. When I get a mower in for service I do the same as you; take the engine and drive covers off, thorough cleaning, check flywheel key, sharpen & balance blade, change oil, clean / lubricate wheels (if they have metal sleeves only), wash & wax mower deck. That’s on top of repairing the actual problem first of course.
you and I are on the same page! nice!
I always blow my mower off and clean under the deck with my blower when I'm done cutting, then at the end of the season I wash the whole mower like you just did. After I've done that I change oil/ drain the gas and install new plug and air filter. That's one great looking Toro.
nice and very good work!
I change the oil on my equipment every year, regardless of if it’s dirty or not. I also sharpen the blades with a flap disc and an angle grinder. I replace the air filters whenever they are dirty, and then I tend to replace the spark plug and fuel filter every 3 years or so. I see a lot of people go out and buy the “home maintenance kits” for their equipment every year and waste tons of money, you don’t need to be changing your spark plug, fuel filter, and air filter every time you do an oil change. John Deere and several other manufacturers recommend this but I feel like it’s to sell more of those kits. After all, you don’t change your cars spark plugs every year.
you and me both !
I do exactly the same. Just that simple to do for sure.
We have this mower at my work, the front-wheel drive is not great, too slow, but at least its lightweight.
I can agree with that
A plastic carburetor that didn't need the main jet cleaned? This must be a RUclips first! 😅
it was a working mower to begin with so yeah I guess so.
Thanks for the video. It is a little late for the top cover decal on mine. I popped a hole in mine to get at the front release clip. Keep em coming.
thank you!
this is unexpectedly satisfying
thank you
Bought that mower years ago Brand new at home depot, it lost compression in less than a year💩, I bought a used craftsman with less bells and whistles, has ran like a top ever since, both were very well maintained
interesting, I'd like to find out what happened to the first mower? I have a good idea though
This is a good video. I do simple maintenance on my mower by checking and replacing the oil, air filter, and spark plug. I don't like where the spark plug is recessed where you have to use an extension on a ratchet to reach the spark plug. I'm a believer in the kiss concept of keep it simple stupid. Keep it simple by putting the spark plug location in the front of the mower where it's reachable by hand rather than recessing it. As for keeping the mower clean, I use a spray bottle with water and clean rags to clean it rather than dragging a garden hose to an outside faucet. It cleans the mower just as good.
nice, thank you for sharing that
Hey IHG
I do a thorough cleaning before I put them away in Nov. I change the oil every spring, lube wheels, grease, sharpen the blades every spring. Clean or replace the air filter as needed, blow it off with a leaf blower after every mow and clean underneath after every cutting of morning dew wet grass and/or at least once per month when dry. Sometimes my OCD can be a good thing.
Cheers
nothing wrong with what you're doing, and your mower's going to last for a long time.
That is not an OCD. You are simply doing what it take to keep your equipment in the same condition it was when you purchased it.
Awesome 👍
I just bought a $60 used weed eater in good condition with plenty of compression
nice, what brand?
THAT is a NEW looking rig, sure! NICE! I use a leaf blower depending on how much stuff is on a mower BUT always blow it off every other mowing anyway. The Stihl folds up like that one as Sweetie cleaned it out already but the zero turn will have to be hung from the hoist by the front wheel frame to get under it. The max height on the deck is 4 inches and maybe ba dab more but that's not in my job description. I'd like to get a set of mulcher blades like on the hand mower you're working for the zero turn and probably will one day. The double edged jobs just don't grind clippings up like the regular gators, least wise here anyway, and they always wear good but I try and keep them out of rocks and dirt as much as I can. And I usually just replace parts except for oil changes as needed BUT I'd never let an air filter get even close to that bad. Thanks for another good one and Blessings 2 U!
very nice, and thank you for sharing
You too! I used the Echo to blow the Craftsman off after mowing yesterday. Fired right up. Good old Tru-fuel!@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE
well for me in general a garden hose is a good optional ideal for cleaning and degreasing off the grass and dirt build up and the way i do it is lovely and also having compressed air and a leaf blower makes very good common sense when i want them to dry off well enough to fire back up etc.
nicely done with the compressed air!
I like using the air hose thank you for the video
No problem 👍
Just the couple days ago, I went into the local Home Depot to pick up a couple bags of bug shield granules. The way the store is set up, you naturally walk past where all the outdoor power equipment is stored and displayed. There was no gas powered equipment of any kind. Mowers, line trimmers, chain saws, leaf blowers, power washers, etc., all were battery powered. Out front that had riding mowers are on display. There were both gas powered and battery powered of those items. First thing that jumped out at me was, there was a 54 inch zero turn Cub Cadet gas mower with a price of $4699. Right next to that was a Ryobi electric with a 42 inch deck. It was priced at $6999.99! Insane.
wow that's crazy!
After I completely fixed my Al-Ko mower (replaced the chassis, blade and transmission, modified the chassis with epoxy glued steel plates in the places the old one developed fatigue fractures), I clean it on every mow (so every 2 weeks), with garden hose (especially below, to remove all the grass deposits). Then let the engine run for 5 minutes to get hot and dry, then let it under the balcony at top height of the wheels to let it dry everywhere, and put it back in the garage the day after. :) Of course new oil and filter every around 2 years (but oil level check on every use).
But ok, I'm a bit fixated: when I bought my 0km Alfa Giulia (that was new but with 3 years from the manufacturing date), I replaced engine oil, oil filter, cooling liquid of both the engine and turbo/water-air intercooler circuits, accessory belt... I like my engines to be healthy :)
wow very nice, and nice car too.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE Thanks :)
The narrative on this video is hilarious... "Take care of your mower. Or not. I don't care." lol
LOL!!!
The mowers that will be for sale are always washed with my garden hose, after any dust or grass is blown off with an air hose. My personal equipment gets the air hose after each use, and a thorough cleaning at the end of the season.
nice!
Looks clean.
thanks and yes probably the nicest I've seen so far.
Sup man, got the Mcculloch 310 running (still cant pick up gasoline from the tank, because the of course it cant, its an old piece of yard equipment and carbs suck) It runs super nice, wouldnt think that it was abandoned for over a decade in an open air shed
I know parts are hard to find for them but have you looked into getting a new carb?
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE nah, not yet because the parts are just so rare and expensive to get here. Maybe in the future
I guess some folks have small storage buildings or simply limited storage space. Our Honda has the folding handles and is flat on the floor. But I am fortunate to have a 28 x 32 building which is the multitasking shop. Stores all outdoor equipment and tools.
that's nice to have
I like my stuff vibrant and shiny so I clean it when it looks dull, I'll even add ceramic coating once in awhile to make cleaning easier
hey I like that idea.
Degreaser & hose works. Just need to be careful.
yes you are correct
I bought a gallon of degreaser from HF. I put it in a spray bottle and dilute it with hot water. Works great and is very inexpensive. I scrape the underside of the deck when necessary. It rarely needs it because I do not cut wet grass. Stop cutting wet grass and you'll be amazed at how clean the deck stays. After washing, I use a leaf blower to dry off the deck. I also blow off the entire mower including around the wheels after each use.
Sence this mower is t stand up model do you have to drain the gas tank/.oil
I wouldn't say drain it, but I would think it would have to be less than 80% full
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE that is a great idea to keep the gas/. oil level down 👇👎
Great comment on when to use water and when to use the blower!!! I have a 5 year old Honda HRX217 with hydrostatic trans. Do you recommend changing the fluid if it is running fun as it is? Thank you!!!
no I don't recommend changing it, just checking it.
Leaf blower for me with a once a year wash and wax. It's 20 years old. 18horse Craftsman rider with a Briggs. Let's see...in 20 years, 1 drive belt, 1 deck belt, 1 tire, 2 starters, 3 or 4 batteries, and unfortunately in the 19th year had to change broken cam thingy (doohickey that releases compression allowing engine to start was broken). Mowed 1 1/2 acres for 19 years. New house now with only 1/2 acre. I feel a little silly since all my neighbors use push mowers...but oh well.
very nice!
Hello. I’ve learned a lot from your videos. I enjoy watching your videos every week. I was wondering, though, where do you get your degreaser that you use? Thank you for all your videos.
thanks, I use a degreaser from harbor freight, they only sell one
I use both methods. I thought this was a good vid. I might have missed it but would like to see an end of season maintenance vid that covers both 2&4 cycle machines. I know what I do but would like to hear what you think.
sure thing, you might have to give me a bit to get to it since I'm still working on customer stuff.
I have a question: Does that hose connection for cleaning under the deck really work well enough or is it more efficient to just tip it and hose it off from underneath?
if the build up has been there for years.. then the wash port will be useless. Best to tip the mower and clean it manually. But once it's can you can then use the wash port. It's meant to be used after each and every mow.
I scrape the bottom off and get rid of as much grass as possible every time I mow.. Sometimes hose it and if your going to do that clean the top of the deck.
very good choice
Hey man! Do you have an issue with the super clean degreaser you use taking off the clear coat finish off toro mower and lawn boy mowers
I'm just using the bottle and yes if you leave it on there too long it will strip the finish off.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE gotcha, thanks!
Hey I had a quick question about a toro time master 30 and I’d like your input engine runs completely fine but when the blades are fully engaged it has a absurdly slow blade speed which is baffling me. Thank you in advance!!
I'm guessing everything is running slowly, blades and engine then? sure, have you checked the all the pulleys spin freely?
Hey bro what's up? This mower looks brand new after the light cleaning you did to it. After cleaning the air filter and sharpening the blade, I'll say it's good to go again. My question here is what was wrong with this mower?
Lack of maintenance I'd say: that filter was filthy...
that's the big question and the answer is every mower need Maintenance done to it, otherwise it won't last. Most just wait for problems to fix it.
you are correct
So I got this earthquake tiller that I picked up and want to put it on a little four wheeler kids thing. I tried to get it running threw gas down the cylinder and nothing, it's got compression and spark and everything it needs but still nothing. Any idea what's wrong with it
I know you said it had compression, but I'd like to get a reading from a tester to see just how much it has. It may not be enough to get the engine, to run.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE It has compression but I took the cylinder off and it turns out both rings where stuck. Their was also a chip in the head and it was scored on the exhaust side. So I'm assuming when that peice broke off it grinded the piston and got the ring stuck. I just got it unstuck so I'm going to see if it will run
I blow it every time, but every once in a while I take WD40 and wipe my mower down with that. It really makes it shine.
yes it does
Interesting mower feature. No I don't let my mowers or any engines get wet or rained on and I definitely don't deliberately hose them. They look filthy; they function well. Mostly all original except for pull cords and primer bulbs every several years.
hey nothing wrong with with at all!, thank you!
Hi ,my lawn mover Toro same but the issue when engines stop after few seconds blade mke noise knock Please tell me the reason have noise Thanks
sure, tighten the blade bolt or the flywheel bolt
Thanks
What cleaner do you use? Thanks for videos.
I use the only degreaser Harbor Freight sells. It doesn't have a proper name for it and you'll understand when you see it.
@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE thank you!
What cleaner were you spraying on the mower?
I'm using Super Heavy Duty Degreaser from Harbor Freight
3:39 oil looks really thin , and it was over full . not familiar with this engine , but can carb overflow fuel into crankcase like rider engines do ?
yes it can but it would also be obvious because the fuel will not only leak into the engine but soon the outside too.
What cleaner spray are you using to wash this?
Super Heavy Duty Degreaser from Harbor Freight
sports injuries?
or any injury that would affect your pulling arm.
My man, I must confess that I have a mower fetish and that one is pretty sweet! If you got that for free I’m gonna mess myself! Great vid!
I wish, this one goes back to the owner after I get done with the maintenance.
Maintenance on gas powered equipment is simple enough that basic common sense should make it easy to keep track of. I keep a small spiral note book in the top drawer of the tool chest with all my maintenance records written down.
nice idea
TY for Sharing.
no problem
Hose them down after cutting .
nice!
Wash job after every use.
nice!
We never did a thing to my mowers. And they lasted 18 years 😄. Unlike kids that require certain skills to stay alive. Which yours won’t be getting now. 😊✝️🚌👮🏿♀️. 😘.
mowers from 2 decades ago where built to last. These newer ones.. yeah.. that's not happening.