Bolens 123E898E190 User Manual

OUTDOOR PRODUCTS
OWNER’S GUIDE
21"
ELECTRIC START
6 SPEED
CONVERTIBLE
ROTARY MOWER
Model No.

Thank you for purchasing an American-built product.

WARNING: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved for
est-covered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator.
In the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have similar laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized service dealer or contact the Sen/ice Department of White Outdoor Products, P.O. Box 361131, Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO. 770-8380H

IMPORTANT

THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE
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ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE YOUR LAWN MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL
INJURY. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL— ^
Your lawn mower was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As
DANGER:
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TRAINING

1. Read this owner’s guide carefully in its entirety before attempt ing to assemble or operate this machine. Be compietely famil iar with the controls and the proper use of this machine before operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.
2. Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equipment,
not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a power mower. Children 14 years old and over should only operate mower under close parental supervision. Only persons well acquainted with these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use your mower.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of ail persons, particularly small children and pets. Stop engine when they are in the vicinity of your mower to help prevent blade contact or thrown object injury. Although the area of operation should be com pletely cleared of foreign objects, an object may have been overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in the area.

PREPARATION

1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones and other foreign objects which could be picked up and thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in the area. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads, sidewalks,
bystanders and the like.
2. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during operation or while performing an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects that may be thrown from the machine in any
direction.
3. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks
and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, or sneakers.
4. Before working with gasoline, extinguish all cigarettes, cigars,
pipes and other sources of ignition. Check the fuel level before starting the engine. Gasoline is an extremely flammable fuel.
Do not fill the gasoline tank indoors, while the engine is run ning, or until engine has been allowed to cool for at least two minutes after running. Replace gasoline cap securely and wipe a
off any spilled gasoline before starting the engine as it may AA i. Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent inter cause a fire or explosion. rnr nmnor tinhtnoQc Akn in^nprt hkHn fnr riam-
Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or drive clutch on
5.
units so equipped before starting the engine.
6. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt to
bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device inoper ative and may result in personal injury through contact with the
rotating blade. The blade control handle must operate easily in both directions and automatically return to the disengaged position when released.
7. Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment while the engine is running.
8. Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold on the handle and walk, never run. Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light.
with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious
injury. If you violate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
HEED ITS WARNING.
9. For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this

OPERATION

1.
2.
3.
4. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove the wire
5.
6.
7.
10.
11.
12.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
2. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equipment
3. Never store the mower with gasoline in the tank or gas con
4. To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves and
5. Check the grass catcher bag frequently for wear or deteriora
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manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly area. It the slope is greater than 15° as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this unit on that area or serious injury could result.
Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed the engine. Excessive engine speeds are dangerous. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep clear of the discharge opening at all times as the rotating blade can cause injury. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.
from the spark plug, and thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Repair the damage before restarting and operating the mower. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is gen erally a warning of trouble. Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a com plete stop before removing the grass catcher or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in the blade area until you are sure the blade has stopped rotat ing. Before cleaning, repairing or inspecting, make certain the blade and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire away from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting. Do not run the engine indoors. Never cut grass by pulling mower toward you. Mow across the face of slopes, never up-and-down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. Do not mow excessively steep slopes. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. Never operate mower without proper guards, plates or other safety protective devices in place. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not touch. Do not operate this mower with the chute door open, unless the complete grass catcher or chute deflector is properly mounted on the mower.
vals for proper tightness. Also visually inspect blade for dam age (e.g. bent, cracked). Replace with blade which meets origi nal equipment specifications.
is in safe working condition. tainers inside of a building where fumes may reach an open
flame or spark (e.g. gas hot water heater). Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.
excessive oil. tion. Replace a worn or damaged bag immediately. For safety
protection, replace only with new bag meeting original equip
ment specifications.
SET-UP INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT: This unit is shipped WITHOUT GASOLINE or OIL in the engine. Be certain to ser vice engine with gasoline and oil before operating your mower.
NOTE: Reference to right or left hand side of the mower is observed from the operating position.

TO REMOVE MOWER FROM CARTON

Remove the carton inserts (if any). Remove the loose parts which are in the carton, lift the mower from the carton, or cut the corners of the carton and roll the mower out.

HOW TO SET-UP YOUR LAWN MOWER

(Refer to Figure 1)
1. Disconnect the spark plug wire and move it away from the spark plug.
2. Remove any cardboard pieces which may be
between the upper and lower handles for shipping purposes. If there is any packaging (plastic or
cardboard) around the upper handle, remove it.
3. For shipping purposes your mower is set with the wheels in the lowest cutting height position. Raise
the mower to the highest setting for assembly of handle.
4. Remove the hairpin clips which are in the weld pins on the handle mounting brackets.
5. Lift the handle assembly. Attach the handle by placing the bottom holes in the lower handle over the weld pins on the handle mounting brackets.
Make certain the lower handle is seated securely into the handle mounting brackets.
6. Pull up on the upper handle to raise it into the operating position. Tighten the hand knobs on
each side of the handle.
NOTE: Your mower is shipped with the handle in the higher height position. If you wish to lower the height of the handle, refer to the Adjustment Section at this time.
7. Secure the handle assembly by placing the hair pin clips in the inner hole on weld pins.
8. Make certain all nuts and bolts are tightened securely.
Upper
Handle
Handle
Blade
Control
Handle
Lower
Handle
Mounting
Bracket
Rear
Discharge
Chute
Hand Knob
Lower
Handle
Hairpin
Clip in
Inner Hole
Weld
Pin
Handle
Mounting
Bracket
Spark
Plug
FIGURE 1.

TO AHACH BAG TO MOWER

1. Hold the chute door on the catcher panel open as shown in figure 2.
2. Slide the frame of the grass catcher down into the channels on each side of the mower. The hooks on the frame go over the panel on the discharge
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chute. See figure 2.
To remove the grass catcher, lift the grass catcher straight up.

TO CONVERT MOWER TO SIDE DISCHARGE

To convert your mower to a side discharge unit, pro ceed as follows.
1. Remove the rear discharge chute assembly by removing two wing nuts. Lift up on the two bottom corners of the discharge chute assembly, and slide it off the deck.
2. Attach the side chute deflector by first placing it over the rear bolt in the side of the deck. Then slide the notch in the top of the deflector around
the shoulder bolt on top of the deck. Slide the
notch in the side of the deflector around the front
------
bolt in the side of the deck. See figure 3.
3. Secure the front of the chute deflector to the bolt
on the side of the deck with one wing nut. See fig
ure 3. Secure the back of the chute deflector in
— the same manner. See figure 4.

TO CONVERT MOWER TO A MULCHER

To use your mower as a mulcher, proceed as follows.
1. Remove either the rear discharge chute assembly or the side chute deflector from the mower as instructed previously.
- 2. Attach the mulching plug by first placing it over the rear bolt in the side of the deck. Then slide the notch in the top of the mulching plug around the shoulder bolt on top of the deck. Slide the notch in the side of the mulching plug around the
front bolt in side of the deck. Secure using two
wing nuts. See figure 5.
Rear
Discharge
Chute
Assembly
^ Shoulder
Bolt
Ribs
Rear
Panel

REPLACING THE REAR DISCHARGE CHUTE

To replace the rear discharge chute assembly, pro ceed as follows.
Slide the ribs on the discharge chute assembly under the flange on rear panel as you insert the side of the
-discharge chute under the two tabs. See figure 6. The edge of the discharge chute assembly goes
under the shoulder bolt on deck. Push down on the chute assembly, and slide the bottom corner slots over the bolts on side of deck.
Press down on the discharge chute assembly and secure with wing nuts. Make certain wing nuts are seated properly.
WARNING: Never operate your unit with out either the side chute deflector,
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mulching plug or entire rear discharge chute and grass catcher assembly in place.
CONTROLS
Blade

Shift Lever

BLADE CONTROL HANDLE

WARNING: This control mechanism is a safety device. Never attempt to bypass
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The blade control handle is located on the upper han
dle of the mower. See figure 7. The blade control han dle must be depressed in order to operate the unit. Release the blade control handle to stop the engine and blade.
Its operations.
WARNING: The blade will be rotating whenever the engine is running.
Control
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THROHLE CONTROL

The throttle control is located on the left side of the upper handle. It is used to regulate the engine speed.
WARNING: The throttle control cannot be
used to stop the engine.
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IGNITION SWITCH

The ignition switch is located on the left side of the handle panel. It is used for starting only. See figure 7.

DRIVE CLUTCH CONTROL

Squeezing the drive clutch control engages the drive mechanism to the rear wheels. Releasing the clutch control stops the rear wheels from driving. Release the drive clutch control to slow down when negotiating an obstacle, making a turn or stopping. See figure 7.
SHIFT LEVER
The six speed shift lever is located on the drive clutch control housing on the upper handle. See figure 7. This lever is used to select the operating speed of the mower. Release the drive clutch control when chang ing speeds.
IMPORTANT: Move the shift lever ONLY when the engine is running. Shifting the speeds with the engine off can cause damage to the unit.
OPERATION
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY. DO NOT OPERATE MOWER UNLESS REAR TRAILING SHIELD AND THIS GUARD OR ENTIRE GRASS CATCHER IS IN ITS PROPER PLACE.
FIGURE 8.
Keep hands and feet away from the chute area on cutting deck. See figure 8.
The operation of any lawn mower can result in for eign objects being thrown into the eyes, which
can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields. We recommend wide vision safety mask for over spectacles or standard safety glasses.
NOTE: For best results raise the cutting position until
it is determined which height is best for your lawn. See cutting height adjustment section.

GAS AND OIL FILL-UP

Service the engine with gasoline and oil as
instructed in the separate engine manual packed with
your mower. Read instructions carefully.
1. Charging Instructions: Charge battery for 16
hours before initial use. DO NOT CHARGE
LONGER THAN 20 HOURS. IMPORTANT: Use only the battery charger sup
plied with this mower. To charge the battery, first remove the protective
cap from the end of the battery pack lead. Always plug charger lead into battery pack lead before inserting battery charger plug into 120 volt stan dard household outlet.
After charging, disconnect battery charger plug from household outlet first, then disconnect charger lead from battery pack lead.
WARNING: Do not remove the battery pack from the handle panel for any rea
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2. Before each use, check for proper drive clutch
son other than replacement. When replacing the battery pack, refer to Instructions in Maintenance section.
operation by performing the following before start ing the engine:
With the drive clutch control released, push mower fonvard. It should move freely. Pull mower backward. It should move with only a small amount of resistance.
If it does not and the rear wheels tend to lock up, the clutch may not be releasing completely. Do not start the engine until corrections have been made. Check the control cable for severe bend, kinks and binding, or grass build-up around the belt. Correct and adjust as required. Refer to instructions under “Drive Clutch Control Adjustment” in Adjustment Section for loosening the drive belt.
WARNING: Never fill fuel tank indoors, with engine running or until the engine
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has been allowed to cool for at least two minutes after running.

BEFORE STARTING

WARNING: The battery contains corro sive fluid and toxic material—HANDLE
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WITH CARE. Keep away from children. Do not puncture, disassemble, mutilate or incinerate. Explosive gases could be vented during charging or discharging. Use in a well-ventilated area, away from sources of ignition.
3. Attach spark plug wire to spark plug. Make cer tain the metal loop on the end of the spark plug wire (inside the rubber boot) is fastened securely over the metal tip on the spark plug. See figure 9.
Metal Loop
on Spark
Plug Wire
Rubber Boot
FIGURE 9.
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