1.Max revs all the time. Provides max cooling and max oil lubrication. Never idle down.
2.Change the oil every mow for the first 5 mows. Get all that break in metal out. Oil is cheap. Walmart Supertech SAE 30 is SG rated. Full of zinc for extreme wear help..
3.Leave the air filter ALONE until she starts to run poorly. As in she needs a coupe extra revolutions to fire off. Little low on power output. THEN change the air filter.
4.If you have or can get, install a foam pre air filter and oil it up. Do everything you can to stop any grit from getting inside the engine.
5.Never shake out the air filter or blow out with compressed air. Leave it alone until she gets low on power. Why? Once you remove the filter you break the sub par seal. None seal 100%. On some I grease the outer edge to stop grit from getting inside into the rings.
6.Keep the blades sharp and balanced.
7.Yearly, in yours and every other engine manual out there, clean the cooling fins and check valve clearance. Both of these only take a couple minutes in the fall or early spring.
8.No power washing. Clean her with a leaf blower or compressed air. Used paint brush, what ever......
9.Tire pressure check is a must for level cutting.
10.Pull the battery in the fall. Take inside and connect a Battery Tender. Reinstall in the spring after all freezing is gone. Battery will last a whole lot longer.
11.Turtle wax the paint.
12.Slather your used engine oil to the under side of the deck in the fall, done for the season. Keep the deck from rotting out.
13.Download the mower and engine manuals for your machine. READ them several times.