(NAPSA)—Three little words - ae is = es will help to steer you in the right direction before you take your riding mower out for a spin on your lawn. The words are: Keep it maintained. It all boils down to cleaning, inspecting, lubricating and servicing the fuel system and battery, say experts at Murray. But the first thing to do when working on your moweris to disconnect the spark plug to prevent accidents. Remove Dirt And Grime Step one is a thorough cleaning: Removing dirt and grime makes it easier to find problems such as a worn fuel line or a chafed electrical cable. After you have checked the blade for excess wear and cracks, sharpen it on a grinder or with a file. If it needs more than light sharpening, make sureit’s balanced before remounting it. Also, level the deck for good cutting performance. Drain The Fuel System Manufacturers generally recommend that you drain the fuel system or treat fuel with a stabilizer. To help prevent corrosion on the piston and cylinder walls, some manufacturers suggest removing the spark plug and squirting motor or fogging oil into the spark plug hole. Although this won’t do any harm,it probably is not necessary. BEFORE YOU START THE ENGINE— You'll be doing your riding lawn mower a good turn if you keepit clean, lubricated and serviced. ChangeThe Oil If you haven’t changed theoil recently, do it now. In fact, it’s a good idea to changethe oil and oil filter at the beginning of each mowing season. Then, check the belts andairfilter. If the air filter is dirty, clean it. Finally, check the tire pressure. Also, when storing, the battery can be left in place with the negative cable removed or connected to an automatic trickle charger, but the best choice is to remove it, fully charge it and store it in a cool, dry place. For more tips on mower maintenance, visit www.murray.com.
