You need to familiarize yourself with the parts of your lawn mower so that you can easily troubleshoot it when something isn't working properly. The first thing you have to know is that a rotary mower is usually powered by an internal combustion engine, although electric mowers are also popular. This engine can either be a two stroke or a four stroke cycle engine. Your mower usually needs to be activated via a pull crank.

Lawn Mower Spark PlugYour gas-powered mower also needs a spark plug to start. If your engine is having trouble starting, odds are, there is a problem with its spark plug. The problem could be a faulty spark plug, or having clogged air filters or stale fuel in your mower. These two things often affect the performance of your mower's spark plug.

The aforementioned air filter can also affect your mower's performance. This filter protects your engine. It is often located on the side or the top of your mower, depending on the manufacturer's model. Air filters are usually made out of paper. They need to be replaced once in a while because clogged filters prevent your engine from breathing.

The most important parts of your mower are the mower blades. The quality of your blades affects the quality of your lawn grass. If your grass looks like it was "chewed on" after mowing, this is a sign that your mower's blades are dull. Most mulching mower blades have 2 parts - the part that "lifts" the grass and the part that cuts it. If you think that the cutting edge of your mower blade is still sharp, but your grass clippings aren't cut with precision, your blade's lift side may be the one with the problem. If your blades are not sharp, you need to sharpen them with a sharpening tool. There are various tools on the market that can sharpen your blade but the most effective tool is the angle grinder.Angle Grinder

A vital part in familiarizing yourself with your lawn mower is to read the user's manual, especially before performing maintenance tasks. A good quality mower costs hundreds of dollars, and getting yourself acquainted with its parts can help you extend the lifetime of that investment.