Following a regular service schedule for your small engine prolongs engine life, minimizes expenses, and ensures equipment availability when it is most needed. Outlined below are small engine preventative maintenance tasks that should be done on a consistent basis. We also list maintenance jobs that require regular attention.
Regular Small Engine Preventive Maintenance Tasks:
1. Change Oil and Filter.
Lack of quality lubrication can do major damage to your small engine, even cause engine failure. Rather than spend upwards of $1000 replacing your engine, take care of it by checking the oil level daily (or with every use). Change the oil within the first 10 hours of use, and then every 50 to 100 hours. Change the filter with every oil change.
2. Change Air Filters.
Clean air filters boost air circulation while reducing dirt infiltration. Follow the manufacturer recommendations on how frequently to change your air filters. When replacing a filter, purchase a few extra to ensure that you have some on hand.
3. Check Belt Condition.
Generally, replacement belts are less expensive than conducting repairs to an engine after a failed belt. Keep an extra belt or two on hand to reduce downtime. While checking the oil level on your small engine, take a look at the belts. Cracked belts will need replacement.
Additional Tasks for Small Engine Preventative Maintenance:
- Keep all bolts tight.
- Change out the spark plugs annually.
- Prepare the engine before storing it for an extended amount of time (90 days or more).
- Clean out the carburetor. Though small, the carburetor is an essential part of the engine. It mixes fuel and air and is crucial to engine function. Carburetors can stop operating due to a gummy coating of evaporated fuel. Over time, this coating builds up, and eventually it will restrict the needle and preventing fuel flow. Dirt and debris from the air intake can also impact carburetor function. For carburetor health, allow the engine to continue running until all of the fuel is burned out from the carburetor. This ensures that the excess fuel does not sit and become harmful. Make sure your carburetor is cleaned regularly.
These preventative small engine maintenance tasks will help extend the life of your machine. Plus, investing time in these small tasks will likely save you the headaches of dealing with future malfunctions.