Filter Service: How often should I change filters?

John Deere Air Filter #M113621

The age old questions comes up all the time, especially since mowers go by hours of operation and not by miles like your car does as an indicator that you need to change oil. You might have a push mower that doesn't even have an hour meter on it. Many folks don't change their filters when the owner's manual suggests, they just do how they feel is best or think is best.  So the questions still remains, how do you know when it's time to change your filters?

Push mowers:

Huskee 22" Push Mower

My suggestion is to change your push mowers filters and oil every year before the season starts. While you are sharpening the blade and cleaning the old grass clippings from under the mower deck, this would be a great time to drain the oil from the mower. Also, I recommend that you replace the air filter at this time too. The cleaner the air filter the better your push mower is going to run and the better it runs the better your yard looks. Air filters for these mowers aren't very expensive, so purchasing one isn't going to break the bank.

Riding mowers:

John Deere Z-Track Z425

Riding mowers are a different animal altogether. Many do have hour meters so you can regulate the hours in between each oil change. My suggestion is that you change the oil at the beginning of the season and then again sometime during July. Of course you may need to do so more often if you are mowing a lot (commercial mowing) or less if you mowing less than an acre per week.

As far as the air filter, riding mowers have bigger motors with bigger air filters than push mowers. Many times a filter has a main element or paper element and a foam pre-filter. These filters can both be cleaned out and reused. The Paper filter can be blown out with an air compressor (Be careful not to blow a hole in your filter, because then it would be useless and a new one must be purchased). You should blow out the existing filter no more than 10 times, after that it time to purchase a replacement. The foam filter can be cleaned with soap and water and dried. Then a light film of oil (we use penetrating oil) is put on the foam help catch the real fine particles of dust. Once you have them cleaned you can put them back on and you are ready to fire it up. *I suggest that you have more than one foam pre-filter in stock so you can wash the last one and put a clean one on why the other dries, it helps to eliminate the down time of allowing the pre-filter to dry.

Cost:

John Deere Fuel Filter  #AM116304

Some of you may be saying to yourself that you can't afford to purchase filters every year for your stuff, and I say to you that's silly. One large particle of dirt that gets in your motor and you have to purchase a new mower you will wish you would have just opted to pay $10.00 for a new filter. Also, look around for deals, companies like Fram and Wix may make the same filter for your machine at a cheaper price. Also, look for sales at your local dealership. John Deere has filter sales every year in February and August. Lastly, ask if they offer a Home Maintenance Kit. These kit come with all the needed filters and sometimes the oil to do a complete service at home, and our offered at a cheaper price than buying individual filters.

Anyway, the key to keeping your mower running at peak efficiency is keep up the maintenance on your equipment. Your grass will look cleaner and your mower will cut better, taking less time to cut your grass and giving you more free time to relax.