Tractors are impressive machines. They make farming and lawn maintenance so much easier by speeding up tasks that would have taken you hours to complete. But then, to quote a fictional character, with great power comes great responsibility. Tractors can perform a lot of work, but they have heavy-duty moving parts you need to maintain if you want to enjoy their performance.
Sometimes, cleaning and replacing parts is all you need to do to keep your tractor up and running again. We’ll discuss three common tractor maintenance points that every tractor owner can handle themselves.
The blades
If you own and use your lawn tractor regularly, the blades are going to get blunt. The more often you use them, the quicker they’ll dull. Thankfully, sharpening a tractor’s blades is something you can handle yourself. If you own a small tractor with a single blade, you can remove it and sharpen it with a file. You just have to adhere to simple safety tips like ensuring you don’t cut yourself. If you own a larger machine, you may be better off handing over the sharpening to maintenance service.
The fuel system
Fuel system problems are very a common cause of decreased output and efficiency in all vehicles. If you observe that your tractor’s engine performance isn’t what it used to be, you need to do a proper check of its systems. There are many components that channel the fuel to the engine. Each of these components has the potential to reduce the machine’s overall function.
One particularly important piece of the puzzle is the fuel injector. It’s responsible for atomizing the fuel and delivering it into the engine. A dirty or clogged up injector can cause the tractor to misfire, among other things. The injector can also break, causing fuel to leak over the engine. When you discover the problem, you can either clean and repair the injector, or get a new one at Goldfarb Inc’s injection pump catalog.
The spark plug
Common signs that your spark plug needs replacing include:
- Slow acceleration: If you notice a decrease in your tractor’s acceleration, it could be due to a fault in any part of the ignition system. While you can have the tractor reviewed by your mechanic, the problem may just boil down to a worn-out spark plug. That’s why you should check it before going to the mechanic’s shop.
- Engine misfire: An engine misfire is also a sign of a problem from the car’s ignition system. One of the first things people do when they experience this problem is they check the spark plug to see if it’s loose or worn out.
- Poor fuel economy: While a faulty injector and bad air filters can cause poor fuel economy, faulty plugs are also to blame. A good spark plug helps to burn fuel efficiently in the engine’s combustion cycle. The reserve is also true.
- Hard start: A hard start is also a classic sign that there’s a problem with the car’s spark plug.
Spark plugs are readily available in any department store, and as a tractor owner, you should get acquainted with changing them. It also helps to have one or two extra ones handy because that will keep you from running around when you need it the most.
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