lawn mower that’s easy to start and keeps on running. The key to making that happen may be as simple as doing a mowertune-up. Why Tune Up? According to the engine experts at Briggs & Stratton Corporation, a tune-up: Helps a lawn mower start moreeasily and run smoother; * Can extend mower life because of proper maintenance; * Reduces engine emissions, which is easier on the environment; * Delivers a small savings in the amount of gasoline used over the course of a season. It’s Easy to Tune Up There are just four simple steps to complete a lawn mower tune-up: Change the oil, air filter and spark plug, and add fuel preservative to the gas tank to keep the gasoline fresh longer. Gasoline goes stale in aslittle as 30 days andstale gas is one of the top reasonsfor poor starting. Riding mowers mayalso require changing the oil and fuel fil- ters, which should take only a few additional minutes. Help Tuning Up Briggs & Stratton has tune-up kits with everything needed for a lawn mower engine tune-up, including exactly the right amount of oil, a new spark plug, air filter and fuel preservative. The kits are at dealers, home improvement stores and online at www.mowertuneup.com. A lawn mower tune-up is something just about anyone can do—andit does a lot for the environment. Yearly maintenance can make a big difference in how well your lawn mower operates and how long it will ultimately last. After Tuning Up Participating dealers also have an environmentally correct way to dispose of the used mower engine oil for free. It’s important to dispose of oil properly because a single quart of oil poured down a storm drain can contaminate a million gallons of water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. If poured on the ground, oil contaminates the environment and eventually enters the groundwater as a pollutant. Find a participating dealer at www.recyclemoweroil.com, then drop off the used lawn moweroil in any closed container. Thesite also offers a useful “how to” video on oil changing.
