A riding mower is a great tool for your lawn, but it’s important to take care of it.
Fuel filters are items that can easily be overlooked during maintenance, and they need to be changed periodically so you don’t have any issues with the engine.
How often do you need to change the riding mower fuel filter? It’s best if you change them every six months or at least once per season (if not more).
The service interval may vary depending on the make and model of the vehicle and the driving habits of the driver.
A fuel filter catches debris, rust, and other particles from the fuel system, and, if ignored, it can lead to engine damage or even a mower fire.
Not replacing a fuel filter with a maximum lifespan can also lead to increased fuel consumption.
Also, if you’re not maintaining the mower fuel filter, the fuel system can also get damaged, which includes the engine, injectors, fuel pump, and more.
Read this blog post for information about how often you need to change your riding mower’s fuel filter.
Table of Contents
How often should you change a fuel filter on a lawn mower?
Changing the fuel filter on a riding lawn mower is something that gets done often by most people with a riding lawn mower, but many people don’t know why.
They just assume it’s a good idea to change it every so often, as they would do with mower belt.
While the filter does need replacing periodically, you don’t have to do that as regularly as some people might think.
The fuel filter on a riding lawn mower is typically changed when more than 300 hours are put on the engine or if there’s any sign of debris in the fuel filter.
That’s when you’ll need to bring it in for a professional inspection and the fuel filter will be replaced if needed.
The other time is when there are signs of rust or corrosion on the outside of the gas tank, which might necessitate replacing that too as soon as possible.
In addition to the times listed above, if you use a gas additive like Stabil or Marvel Mystery Oil in your fuel, it will reduce internal clogging and the adverse effects on the filter.
If you do that and go longer than six months without changing out the filter after 300 hours of driving, then it’s time for another one.
In fact, you should change fuel filters more often if you have a lot of debris in the area where your mower is stored.
The filter might clog up and cause problems with other parts of the engine like valves not opening properly.
That’s something you want to avoid!
Where is the fuel filter on my lawn mower?
It’s no secret that most fuel-powered lawn equipment, such as gas powered riding mowers, rely on a fuel filter.
A fuel filter helps to keep your engine running clean and efficient.
It does this by cleaning the dirt, debris and other insoluble particles out of gasoline before it enters the carburetor.
When you have a lawn mowing company perform an annual tune-up on your riding lawnmower every year, they will routinely remove and inspect the fuel filter.
However, if you’re a DIY person who enjoys doing these things yourself, you’ll need to first find out where your fuel filter is located in order to do inspections of any kind.
The fuel filter will generally reside close to the fuel tank that has a connection running from it.
This connection can sometimes be found within easy viewing distance from the fuel line to the fuel pump on a riding lawn mower with one.
If the connection is not in plain sight, it’s likely located somewhere near the carburetor or other engine and gas components that are prone to collecting contaminants from combustion, like oil.
Another good place for this component is to always consult a diagram of your lawn mower engine in relation to all its components before attempting any work on it.
This information will usually also provide directions for how often you should change your filter.
What direction does a lawn mower fuel filter go?
In terms of installing lawn mower fuel filter, it is important to know the direction of flow of the fuel.
Most manufacturers provide an arrow on the filter that points to the direction of flow.
The arrow usually faces the carburetor.
The fuel will flow out of the filter in this direction.
This is a helpful tip for changing lawn mower fuel filters too.
You can easily tell which way to install new ones by looking at the arrow on your old one or simply flipping it over if you have not been able to find anything that resembles an arrow.
What kind of oil for lawn mower air filter?
Yard work makes up a large portion of most households’ budgets, as well as a huge portion of our time.
You want to make sure that you are getting the best bang for your buck, so it is important not to just pick any oil for your air filter.
That is why I have put together a list of the best oils for your air filter.
All these should work well, but some are better than others depending on what you need them to do:
Motor Oil – This type will protect against blowouts and serve as an anti-friction agent. It’s perfect if you are going to be using your mower in sandy and dusty areas, but it is more expensive.
Synthetic Oil – This type will serve as a protectant against dirt, sand, dust and other debris that might enter the air filter. It’s good for people who live near lots of farms or are popular with hunters looking for fresh game.
Plant Oil – This is great for people who want to go easy on their air filters and are environmentally conscious. It will do as much protection against the dirt, sand or dust but it won’t have adverse effects on your foam.
You may also need a new air filter if you have noticed that your engine stops running or performs poorly.
You might want to consider changing the air filter if:
- You notice your engine keeps stopping or is performing poorly.
- There’s a lot of dust in the area where you live, work or play.
- The color has changed from light tan and brownish colors to dark black with orange streaks on it meaning the filter is retaining oil and dirt.
- You notice a heavy buildup of sand, dust or other debris on the top side of your lawn mower engine compartment cover.
- Small pieces of grass are stuck to the underside of the air cleaner lid when you open it for maintenance.
Why does your lawn mower have oil in the air filter?
Ever get that feeling after you mow your lawn that you’ve forgotten to empty the air filter?
Or, maybe you just don’t have the time to do it?
Well, we live in a rush-rush world, and it’s hard to keep up with the lawn mower maintenance.
As with most of our fellow landscapers and homeowners, you may have recently purchased a new lawn mower.
You may also have noticed that sometimes, the machine air filter has some oil on it.
What causes oil to leak through the filter?
There are a few reasons for this, which include:
- Tilted lawnmower
- Overfilling in the crankcase
Should a lawn mower fuel filter be full?
I grew up on the countryside, and I know firsthand how mowers can transform a meadow of wild grass into a manicured, smooth-looking lawn.
That said, the grass grows back, and then you start all over again—it’s a never-ending process.
But one thing I often wondered, is if the fuel filter was supposed to be full with fuel., and if so, how often should it be changed?
The answer is yes —the fuel filter needs to be full with fuel. It’s a safety feature for the carburetor that ensures smooth start of the lawn mower and proper flow of gasoline for the engine.
This also means you’ll need to change your lawn mower fuel filter at least once a year or as needed depending on what type of fuel you use.
So, the next time you fire up your lawn mower for some fresh-cut grass action, make sure you check your fuel filter —it’s an important part of the lawn mower that needs to be properly cared for.
Conclusion
Changing your fuel filter is an important step in keeping your riding mower running at its best.
I recommend checking your owner’s manual for guidance as to when the filter should be changed, but I can provide some general guidelines.
If you use ethanol-free gas and change the oil regularly, then a good rule of thumb would be every season or 300 hours of usage depending on which one comes first.
However, if you run E85 (a blended type of gasoline that contains 85% ethanol), it will need more frequent changes because this type of fuel breaks down quickly and causes engine parts to wear out faster than regular unleaded fuels.
