Routine Maintenance of a John Deere Lawn Mower

Service Lubrication

• All of the moving parts on the mower need a minimum amount of friction to work properly. The front axle pivot, the front axle wheel spindle and bearings, the seat, and all of the pivot points on the mower deck require regular lubrication. John Deere recommends using their own brand of grease or any all-purpose grease that has an NLGI grade number 2 rating. This grease needs to be applied with a grease gun according to your model's service specifications.

Service Engine

• While an amateur shouldn't perform most engine adjustments, they do, however, need to service the engine oil regularly. The oil viscosity used for your mower will depend on the ambient operating temperatures expected. Oil levels need to be checked before each use and every four hours of operation. Add oil if the reading falls below the mark on the dipstick. Oil changes should be performed every season or every 50 hours operation and the oil filter needs changing at this time as well.

Service Air Elements

• The air elements need to be free of obstructions for the mower to work properly. The air filter element sits underneath the hood and needs cleaning every 10 to 15 hours of operation. Make sure no debris falls into the carburetor intake while the air filter is removed, otherwise the carburetor will need cleaning. The precleaner element of the filter can be washed in a mild detergent, however, the paper element shouldn't be washed.

Service Spark Plug

• The spark plug ignites the fuel inside the combustion chamber. However, a small amount of carbon covers the tip, eventually causing the plug to fail. When replacing the spark plug, use only the spark plug designated for your model John Deere. Before removing the plugs, make sure all plug wires are disconnected, as some models may have more than one. Once removed, inspect the condition of the plug and replace it if it's damaged in any way.