Oil changes are to be done after the first 5 hours of use but are not required again until the end of the year or at 50 hours of use. However, we suggest checking your engine oil after every 5 hours of use to ensure it’s at the right level and not getting too dirty.
Spark plugs need to be replaced once per season, or after 100 hours of use. It’s a good idea to check your spark plug every 20-30 hours of use and check its gap. It should be tan colored or slightly darker. If it’s black and sooty looking, the engine is running too rich (too much fuel) . Make sure you are running with the choke control set to “off” to prevent this problem. If the spark plug is black, change the spark plug. Don’t bother cleaning it, replace it. Most sand paper has aluminum oxide in it and this will short the plug out and cause it to misfire or not fire at all. The same goes for a wire brush! Always hand thread your spark plug in for the first few turns before using a wrench to prevent cross-threading the spark plug hole!
Fuel stabilizer should be added to the tank continuously throughout the season and at the end of each season to preserve the gas left in the tank. This will make for an easier start the following season when you wheel it out of the garage and gas it up. Some swear by an alternative to stabilizer which is to run the engine until the tank, lines, and carburetor are dry and the engine shuts off. This method can be hit or miss. It allows for the small amount of fuel remaining in the bottom of the carburetor bowl to dry and cause the float valve to stick to the bottom of the bowl. This will be apparent when you gas up in the fall and your fuel starts running out of the carburetor all over the floor! My best suggestion for a reliable start in the fall is running the machine dry then adding half a quart of Ethanol free fuel to the tank , run it for a few minutes to purge the old fuel then letting it sit for the summer with Ethanol free fuel in the machine.