How to Replace a Foam Air Filter in Your Push Mower

As a do-it-herself mom, I try to do as much maintenance and upkeep as I can around my home--including regular maintenance on equipment. Recently I had to replace the air filter on my push mower. This is an easy task that must be done to keep your lawn mower running well. Always check with the manufacturer of your mower for exact recommendations for maintenance and upkeep.

The first step is to determine the type of air filter your lawn mower requires. Air filters are either paper or foam. Foam air filters can be cleaned and reused but paper air filters should be cleaned (or blown out) with compressed air or discarded and replaced.

My lawn mower takes a foam air filter and I chose to replace it rather than clean it because it was excessively dirty and a new one is relatively inexpensive. Had I chosen to clean my foam air filter, I would have used dish washing liquid and water to wash it out then allow it to dry.

According to yardener.com, a lawn mower's air filter should be replaced every two years. The suggested time for this job is usually around February or March, before mowing season starts. Most manufacturer's suggest cleaning and adding oil to a foam air filter after 25 hours of use.

To install an air filter, you need to locate it on your lawn mower. On my push mower it is located to the right side of the engine and is encased in a black metal case with a long screw that goes down into the crankshaft. If your mower's carburetor is in a location that requires tilting or tipping the mower you should disconnect the spark plug and ground it as a safety precaution.

Once you have located the air filter you will need to remove the top of the casing to get to the actual filter on the carburetor. You should remove the screw or the wing nut that holds the air filter, then open the case to remove--and discard--the old filter.

Before putting the new filter in place, saturate it thoroughly with engine oil. Squeeze it to remove any excess oil. Put the new air filter into the case then replace the lid and screw it back into the carburetor. You are now ready to reconnect the spark plug wire and put your lawn mower back into use.

Sources:
http://www.lawnmowerman.tv/Troubleshooting.asp
http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/maintenance-how-to-change-air-filter-spark-plug-lawnmower-craftsman/