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Push Mower Maintenance Tips to Improve Life Expectancy

April 28, 2015

Four simple steps can keep your engine running longer and save you money

MILWAUKEE, April 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The lawnmower is the workhorse of your outdoor power equipment and you need it to work through the season to keep your lawn looking great. The engine experts at Briggs & Stratton (NYSE: BGG) want to help you make sure the engine on your lawnmower runs at its peak, whenever you need it. Performing an annual engine tune-up will ensure your mower starts easily, increase fuel efficiency, and reduce emissions up to 50 percent.

From combating the dangers of ethanol-blended fuel to making sure that your mower's oil, air filter and spark plug are fresh, a few simple steps now can save you time, and money, in the future. A Briggs & Stratton tune-up kit for push mowers costs roughly $15, and includes everything you need to get the job done.

4 Easy Mower Engine Maintenance Tips
You can tune up your push mower engine in under 30 minutes, in four simple steps:

Change the mower oil, a task that is easier than ever with an oil removal kit. With the oil removal kit, you no longer need to tip your mower over to drain the oil, making this step mess-free.
Replace the air filter.
Replace the spark plug.
Fill a gas can with fresh gas from the pump, and add fuel treatment and stabilizer to the gas can.

Step-by-step video instructions are available online at http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/videos.

The Importance of Fuel Treatment and Stabilizer
Gas begins to degrade and oxidize after 30 days. Oxidized gas can cause carburetor jets to plug, resulting in an engine that doesn't start, and can cost a significant amount to fix.

Another contributor to engines not starting is ethanol. Ethanol attracts moisture that can cause rust and corrosion inside the engine. With 90 percent of gas in the U.S. containing up to 10 percent ethanol, it's important to protect your engine.

Briggs & Stratton's Advanced Formula Fuel Treatment & Stabilizer is a proprietary 5-in-1 formula, created by engine experts, to stabilize fuel for up to three years, as well as protect against ethanol found in today's fuel. This super-concentrated formula contains:

Triple anti-oxidants to stabilize fuel
Corrosion inhibitors and metal de-activators to protect the metal engine components from rust and corrosion
A powerful detergent that cleans while the engine runs, preventing gumming and varnishing within the fuel system.

Briggs & Stratton's Advanced Formula Fuel Treatment & Stabilizer is also alcohol-free, which is important when combating the effects of gasoline that already contains up to 10 percent alcohol. "Just like looking at a nutritional label, people need to review the ingredients in fuel treatments," said Carissa Gingras, director of marketing for consumer engine and service at Briggs & Stratton. "Alcohol can be listed under many names, including glycol ether, or isopropyl alcohol, so mower owners need to be aware of what they are buying. Briggs & Stratton does not recommend adding more alcohol for us in its engines."

Disposing of Used Engine Oil
Once mower owners have successfully tuned up their mower engines, they will need to dispose of the used oil. Participating Briggs & Stratton dealers nationwide make recycling oil easy. Simply drop off your used oil in a closed container and let your dealer take care of the rest. Find a lawn dealer, and part information below:
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/dealerlocator
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/shop/parts-and-accessories/tune-up-kits.

Briggs & Stratton Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the world's largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include North America's number one marketer of portable generators and pressure washers, and it is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Simplicity®, Snapper®, Ferris®, Murray®, Allmand™, Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on six continents. For more information, visit http://www.basco.com or http://www.briggsandstratton.com.