Maintenance; Recommended Maintenance Schedule - Toro 20033 Operator's Manual

If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory, try one or
more of the following:
Sharpen the blade.
Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
Raise the cutting height on your lawn mower.
Cut the grass more frequently.
Overlap cutting swaths instead of cutting a full swath
with each pass.
Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch
lower than the rear wheels. For example, set the front
wheels at 2 inches (51 mm) and the rear wheels at
2-1/2 inches (64 mm).

Maintenance

Note: Determine the left and right sides of the machine from the normal operating position.

Recommended Maintenance Schedule

Maintenance Service
Interval
Each Use
5 Hours
25 Hours
50 Hours
100 Hours
Storage
1
Change the engine oil after the first 5 operating hours.
2
Change the engine oil after every 25 operating hours in dusty conditions or in high temperatures.
Important
Refer to your engine operator's manual for additional maintenance procedures.
Maintenance Procedure
Check the engine oil level. Refer to Checking the Engine Oil Level on page 12.
Check the stopping time of the blade brake. The blade must stop within
3 seconds of releasing the bail; if it does not, contact an Authorized Service
Dealer for repair.
Remove grass clippings and dirt from under the housing. Refer to Cleaning the
Underside of the Housing on page 12.
Check the blade and the engine mounting fasteners. Tighten them if they are
loose.
Replace the air filter; replace it more frequently in dusty or dirty operating
conditions. Refer to Replacing the Air Filter on page 12.
Inspect the spark plug and replace it if necessary. Refer to Servicing the Spark
Plug on page 13.
1,2
Change the engine oil.
Sharpen or replace the blade; maintain it more frequently if the edge dulls quickly
in rough or in sandy conditions. Refer to Maintaining the Blade on page 14.
Check for leaks in the fuel system and/or a deteriorating fuel hose. Replace parts
if necessary.
Clean the cooling system. Refer to Cleaning the Cooling System on page 15.
Empty the fuel tank before repairs as directed or before storage. Refer to
Emptying the Fuel Tank on page 15.
Cutting Leaves
After cutting the lawn, ensure that half of the lawn
shows through the cut leaf cover. You may need to
make more than one pass over the leaves.
For light leaf coverage, set all the wheels at the same
cutting height setting.
If there are more than 5 inches (12.7 cm) of leaves on
the lawn, set the front cutting height one or 2 notches
higher than the rear cutting height. This makes it easier
to feed the leaves under the lawn mower deck.
Slow down your mowing speed if the lawn mower does
not cut the leaves finely enough.
If you mow over oak leaves, you can add lime to the
grass in the spring to reduce the acidity of the oak
leaves.
Refer to Changing the Engine Oil on page 13.
11