How to Use Less Gasoline in Your Riding Lawnmower Tractor

Increased weight reduces the fuel efficiency of your mower. One rider rather than two will save gasoline.

Riding lawnmowers make maintaining a large yard a breeze by allowing you to ride rather than walk or push a mower. While riding mowers are a convenience, they require more gas than their walk-behind counterparts. With gas prices soaring, reducing the amount of gasoline used for all household tasks is a priority. Kevin Hale, owner of RazurSharp, a Northern California outdoor power equipment sales and repair store, says there are a few simple tips to reduce the amount of gasoline your riding mower uses. "You can reduce the amount of gas your riding mower uses by following the same suggestions for reducing your car's gas consumption," Hale stated.

Instructions

1. Take your riding mower in for regular maintenance. Hale recommends that all riding mowers be taken in for a tuneup after 10 hours of use and for subsequent yearly tuneups. Regular maintenance will ensure that your mower is performing at its top potential and gas isn't being wasted because of undiagnosed mechanical problems.

2. Mow your yard less often. Lower the level of your mower deck so that you cut your lawn shorter, allowing you to extend the amount of time between mows. The fewer times you run your mower, the more gas you will be saving.

3. Mulch your yard instead of bagging the clippings. Hale says that the additional weight of a bagging system on your riding mower makes the engine work harder, therefore decreasing its fuel efficiency. Most riding mowers mulch the grass by default, meaning that there are no additional accessories needed and no additional weight put on the mower. A bonus of mulching your yard is that the mulched lawn clippings act as a natural fertilizer to your grass and improve its appearance.

4. Turn your mower off when not in motion instead of leaving it to idle. "Besides being a safety concern, an idling mower is just wasting gas. It takes less gas to restart it than it does to leave it running," Hale said.

5. Drive your riding mower at a lower speed. The faster you go, the more gas your mower uses. A slower mowing speed increases your fuel efficiency.

References

• Kevin Hale; Owner; RazurSharp Outdoor Power Equipment Store; Eureka California; July 2011
• Fueleconomy.gov: Driving More Efficiently