Craftsman 247282820 Owner’s Manual

Operator's nual

CRAFTSMAN°

21 SteeJ Blade Dethatcher

Model No. 247.282820

For answers to your questions about this product, call 1-800-4MY-HOME.

CAUTION: Before using this product, read this manual and

follow aJl safety ruJes and operating

instructions.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179, U.S.A.

Visit our website: www.sears.com/craftsman

,, SAFETY ,, ASSEMBLY ,, OPERATION ,, MAINTENANCE ,, PARTS LIST ,, ESPAI_OL R 30

FormNo.769-04612

(May4,2009)

Warranty Statement ....................................................... 2

Safety instructions ......................................................... 3

Slope Guide .................................................................... 6

Safety Labels ................................................................. 7

Assembly ........................................................................ 8

Operation ..................................................................... 10

Service and Maintenance ........................................... 13

Off-Season Storage ..................................................... 18

Troubleshooting ........................................................... 19

Parts List ...................................................................... 20

Espa_ol ......................................................................... 30

Service Numbers ..................................................... Back

Cover

CRAFTSMAN FULL WARRANTY

IfthisCraftsmanproductfailsduetoa defectinmaterialor workmanshipwithintwoyearsfromthedateof purchase,returnittoanySears store,Parts& RepairServiceCenter,orotherCraftsmanoutletintheUnitedStatesforfreerepair(or replacementif repairprovesimpos- sible),

Thiswarrantyappliesforonly90daysif thisproductis everusedforcommercialorrentalpurposes.

ThiswarrantycoversONLYdefectsinmaterialandworkmanship.SearswillNOTpayfor:

• Expendableitemsthatcanwear outfromnormalusewithinthewarrantyperiod,suchasbelts,filters,sparkplugsordethatching blades,

• Repairsnecessarybecauseof accident,suchas abentcrankshaft,orfailuretooperateormaintaintheproductaccordingtoall suppliedinstructions,

• Preventivemaintenance,or repairsnecessaryduetoimproperfuel mixture,contaminatedorstalefuel,

Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegal rights,andyoumayalsohaveotherrightswhichvaryfromstateto state.

Sears, Roebuckand Co., HoffmanEstates,IL60179

EngineOil: 10W-30 Fuel: UnleadedGasoline

SparkPlug: TorchF6RTC SparkPlugGap: .020"-.030"

ModelNumber Serial Number

Dateof Purchase

Recordthemodelnumber,serialnumber,

anddateofpurchaseabove.

©SearsBrands,LLC 2

tionswhich,ifnotfollowed,couldendangerthe

__IL Thissymbolpointsoutimportantsafetyinstruc-

personalsafetyand/orpropertyofyourselfand others.Readandfollowallinstructionsinthis

manualbeforeattemptingtooperatethismachine.Failureto complywiththeseinstructionsmayresultin personalinjury.When yousee thissymbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

Thismachinewasbuilttobeoperatedaccordingtothe rulesfor safeoperationinthismanual.Aswithanytypeof powerequip- ment,carelessnessorerroronthepartoftheoperatorcanresult in seriousinjury.Thismachineiscapableof amputatinghandsand feetandthrowingobjects.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety instructionscouldresultin seriousinjuryordeath.

Your Responsibility: Restricttheuseof this powermachineto personswhoread,understand,andfollowthewarningsand instruc-

tionsinthis manualandonthemachine.

CHILDREN

,, Tragicaccidentscanoccurifoperatorisnotalert to presenceof

children.Childrenareoften attractedtooutdoorpowerequipment. Theydo notunderstandthedangers.Neverassumethatchildrenwill

remainwhereyoulast sawthem.

,, Keepchildrenoutofthe workareaand underwatchfulcareofa

responsibleadult otherthanthe operator.

,, Be alert andturndethatcheroffif achild entersthe area. ,, Beforeandwhile movingbackwards,lookbehindanddownfor small

children.

,, Useextremecare whenapproachingblindcorners,doorways,shrubs,

trees,orotherobjectsthat mayobscureyourvisionofa childwho may runinto thedethatcher.

,, Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycansuffer

burnsfrom a hotmuffler.

,, Neverallow childrenunder 14yearsoldto operatethedethatcher.

Children14years oldand overshouldreadand understandoperation instructionsandsafetyrulesin this manualand shouldbetrainedand supervisedbyanadult.

GENERAL OPERATION

• Readthisoperator'smanualcarefullyin itsentirety beforeattempt- ingto assemblethismachine.Read,understand,andfollow all instructionsonthe machineandinthe manual(s)beforeoperation. Becompletelyfamiliarwiththe controlsandthe properuseofthis

machinebeforeoperatingit. Keepthis manualin a safeplacefor futureand regularreferenceandfororderingreplacementparts.

,, Be familiarwithall controlsandtheir properoperation.Knowhowto

stopthe machineanddisengagethemquickly.

,, Do notstart enginewith bladesengaged. ,, Thismachineis a precisionpieceof powerequipment,nota plaything.

Therefore,exerciseextremecautionat all times.Yourunithasbeen designedto performonejob: to dethatchgrass.Do notuseit forany otherpurpose.

,, Neverallow childrenunder 14yearsoldto operatethismachine.

Children14years oldand overshouldreadand understandthe instructionsinthis manualand shouldbetrainedand supervisedbya parent.

,, Onlyresponsibleindividualswhoarefamiliarwiththese rulesof safe

operationshouldbe allowedto usethis machine.

,, Thoroughlyinspectthe areawherethe equipmentisto beused.

Removeall stones,sticks,wire,bones,toysandotherforeign objects whichcouldbe tripped overor pickedupandthrownbythe det-

hatcher'sblades.Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.

,, Tohelpavoidbladecontactinjury,stayin operatorzonebehindbail

andkeepchildren,bystanders,helpers,andpetsat least75feet from dethatcherwhile it isinoperation.Stop machineifanyoneentersarea.

EngineExhaust,someofitsconstituents,andcertainvehicle [componentscontainor emitchemicalsknownto Stateof California [to causecancerand birthdefectsor otherreproductiveharm.

,, Alwayswear safetyglassesor safetygogglesduringoperationand

whileperforminganadjustmentor repairtoprotectyour eyes.Thrown objectswhichricochetcancauseseriousinjurytothe eyes.

,, Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesand close-fittingslacksand

shirts.Shirts andpantsthat coverthe armsand legsandsteel-toed shoesare recommended.Neveroperatethismachineinshorts,bare feet,sandals,slippery or lightweight(e.g.canvas)shoes.

,, Do notput handsorfeet nearor underbladehousingasblades

protrudebelowbottomof housing. Contactwith bladecanamputate handsand feet. Keephandsand feetwayfromall rotatingparts.

,, Injury canoccur if thedethatcherispulledoverthe foot duringa fall

causedby slippingortripping.Do notholdon tothedethatcherif you arefalling; releasethebail immediately.

,, Neverpullthe dethatcherbacktowardyou whileyou arewalking.If

youmustbackthe dethatcherawayfroma wallor obstructionfirstlook downandbehindtoavoidtrippingandthen followthesesteps:

,, Step backfromdethatcherto fullyextendyourarms. ,, Be sure youarewell balancedwithsurefooting.

,, Pull backslowly,nomorethan halfwaytowardsyou. ,, Repeatthesestepsas needed. ,, Do notoperatedethatcherwhileunderthe influenceof alcoholor

drugs.

,, Raisedethatcherto highestcut positionbeforestartingengine. ,, Do notengagethe bladeswhilestartingengine.

,, The bladecontrolbailisa safetydevice.Neverattemptto bypassits

operation.Doingso makesthesafetydeviceinoperativeandmay resultinpersonalinjurythroughcontactwiththe rotatingblade.The

bladecontrolbail mustoperateeasilyin bothdirectionsandautomati- callyreturntothe disengagedpositionwhenreleased.

,, Neveroperatethe dethatcherin wetgrass.Alwaysbe sureofyour

footing. A slipandfall can causeseriouspersonalinjury.Ifyoufeel youare losingyourfooting, releasethe bladecontrolbail immediately

andthe bladeswill stoprotating. ,, Dethatchonly in daylightor goodartificiallight.Walk,neverrun. ,, Stopthe bladeswhencrossinggraveldrives,walksor roads. ,, If the equipmentshouldstartto vibrateabnormally,stopthe engine

andcheck immediatelyforthecause.Vibrationis generallyawarning

oftrouble. ,, Shutthe engineoffandwait untilthe bladescomestoa completestop

beforeremovingor uncloggingdebrisfrom underthe bladehousing.

Thecutting bladesmaycontinueto rotatefor a few secondsafterthe

engineisshutoff. Neverplaceany partofthe bodyinthe bladearea

untilyouaresure the bladeshasstoppedrotating. ,, Neveroperatedethatcherwithoutthe properbladecontrolbail,guards

andother safetyprotectivedevicesin placeandworking.Never

operatedethatcherwithdamagedsafetydevices.Failuretodosocan

resultinpersonalinjury.

• Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancauseaburn.Donottouch.

• Onlyusepartsandaccessoriesmadeforthismachinebythe manufacturer.Failuretodosocanresultinpersonalinjury.

• Whenstartingengine,pullcordslowlyuntilresistanceisfelt,thenpull rapidly.Rapidretractionofstartercord(kickback)willpullhandand

armtowardenginefasterthanyoucanletgo.Brokenbones,fractures, bruisesorsprainscouldresult.

• Ifsituationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,usecare andgoodjudgment.ContactyourAuthorizedServiceCenterfor

assistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedto slipandfall accidentswhichcanresultin severeinjury.Operationonslopesrequiresextracaution.Ifyoufeeluneasy

ona slope,donotdethatchit.Foryoursafety,usethe slopegaugeincluded aspartof this manualto measureslopesbeforeoperatingthis unitona slopedorhilly area.Ifthe slopeisgreaterthan15degrees,do notdethatch

it.

Do:

• Dethatchacrossthefaceof slopes;neverup anddown. Exercise extremecautionwhenchangingdirectionon slopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,rocks, hiddenobjects,or bumpswhich can causeyou toslipor trip.Tallgrasscan hideobstacles.

• Alwaysbe sureofyour footing.A slip andfall cancauseserious personalinjury.If youfeel youarelosingyourbalance,releasethe

bladecontrolbail immediately,andthe bladewillstop rotatingwithin severalseconds

Do Not:

• Do notdethatchneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments,whereyou couldloseyourfootingorbalance.

• Do notdethatchslopesgreaterthan 15degreesas shownonthe slopegauge.

• Do notdethatchwetgrass. Unstablefootingcouldcauseslipping.

SERVICE

Safe Handling Of Gasoline:

• Toavoidpersonalinjuryor propertydamageuseextreme carein handlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammableandthevapors

areexplosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccur whengasolineis spilledon yourselforyourclotheswhichcan ignite.Washyourskin andchangeclothesimmediately.

• Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

• Neverfill containersinsideavehicle oron atruckor trailerbedwith a plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainersonthe groundawayfromyour

vehiclebeforefilling.

• Removegas-poweredequipmentfromthetruck ortrailerand refuelit onthe ground.Ifthis is notpossible,thenrefuelsuchequipmentona trailerwitha portablecontainer,ratherthanfrom a gasolinedispenser

nozzle.

• Keepthe nozzleincontact withthe rimof thefueltank or container openingat alltimesuntil fueling iscomplete.Donot usea nozzle

lock-opendevice.

• Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars, pipesand othersourcesof ignition.

• Neverfuel machineindoorsbecauseflammablevaporswillaccumu- lateinthe area.

• Neverremovegascap oraddfuelwhileengineis hotor running. Allowengineto coolat leasttwominutesbeforerefueling.

• Neveroverfill fueltank. Filltankto redindicatorbar insidetank.

• Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

• If gasolineisspilled,wipe itoffthe engineandequipment.Moveunit toanotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingengine.

• Neverstorethe machineorfuel containernearanopen flame,spark or pilot lightas on awaterheater,spaceheater,furnace,clothesdryer, orother gasappliances.

• Toreducefire hazard,keepdethatcherfreeof grass,leaves,or other debrisbuild-up.Cleanupoil orfuel spillageandremoveanyfuel

soakeddebris.

• Allowdethatcherto coolat least5 minutesbeforestoring.

General Service:

• Neverrunanengineindoorsor in apoorlyventilatedarea.Engine

exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessanddeadlygas.

• Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertainthe bladesand all movingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthesparkplugwireand

groundagainstthe engineto preventunintendedstarting.

• Checkthe bladeand enginemountingfastenersat frequentintervals forpropertightness.Also,visuallyinspectbladesfor damage(e.g.,

bent,cracked,worn)Replacebladeswiththeoriginalequipment manufacture's(O.E.M.)bladeonly.Useof partswhich donot meetthe originalequipmentspecificationsmayleadtoimproperperformance andcompromisesafety!

• Dethatcherbladesmaybesharpandcan cut.Wrapthe bladeor wear gloves,anduseextracautionwhenservicingthem.

• Keepall nuts,bolts,and screwstightto besurethe equipmentis in safeworkingcondition.

• Nevertamperwithsafety devices.Checktheir properoperation regularly.

• Afterstrikinga foreignobject,stopthe engine,disconnectthespark plugwireandgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughlyinspectthe

dethatcherfor anydamage.Repairthedamagebeforestartingand operatingthedethatcher.

• Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheckcomponentsandreplaceim- mediatelywithoriginal equipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly.

Useof partswhichdo not meettheoriginalequipmentspecifications mayleadto improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!

• Do notchangethe enginegovernorsettingor overspeedtheengine. Thegovernorcontrolsthe maximumsafeoperatingspeedofthe engine.Donotcrankenginewithsparkplugremoved.

• Checkfuelline,tank, cap,andfittingsfrequentlyfor cracksor leaks. Replaceif necessary.

• Maintainor replacesafetyand instructionlabels,asnecessary.

• Observeproperdisposallawsandregulations.Improperdisposalof fluidsand materialscanharmthe environment.

YourResponsibility:Restrictthe useofthis powermachineto personswhoread,understand,andfollowthe warningsandinstructionsinthis manualandonthe machine.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

Thispagedepictsanddescribessafetysymbolsthatmayappearonthis product.Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionson the machinebeforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate.

® =

READ THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL(S) Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble

and operate

WARNING-- ROTATING BLADES

Keep hands out of inlet and discharge openings while machine is running. There are rotating blades inside

BYSTANDERS Keep bystanders, pets, and children at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in operation.

Stop machine if anyone enters the area.

WARNING-- THROWN DEBRIS

Remove debris (i.e. rocks, sticks, wire) and other objects which can be thrown by the blades

EYEPROTECTION

Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles when operating this machine.

Usethispageasa guidetodetermineslopeswhereyoumaynotoperatesafely.Donot operatethedethatcheronsuchslopes.

-1-

z2r

o_,

Thissymbolpointsoutimportantsafetyinstructionswhich,ifnotfollowed,couldendangerthepersonalsafetyand/orpropertyof yourself andothers.Readandfollowallinstructionsin thismanualbeforeattemptingtooperatethis machine.Failureto complywiththeseinstruc- tionsmayresultin personalinjury.Whenyouseethis symbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

WARNING

Thissymbol points outimportant safety instructions which, ifnot followed,couldendanger the personal safety and/or propertyof yourself and others.Readand

follow allinstructionsin this manualbeforeattempting to operatethis machine.Failureto comply withthese

instructions mayresult in personalinjury.When you see this symbol HEED ITS WARNING!

Your Responsibility Restrictthe use ofthis power machineto personswho read, understand,and followthe warningsand instruc-

tions in this manualand onthe machine.

NOTE:Referencesto rightorleft sideof thedethatcherare determinedfrombehindtheunitintheoperatingposition(standing directlybehindthedethatcher,facingthehandlepanel).

REMOVING FROM CARTON

1. Cutthecornersofthecartonandlay the sidesflat onthe ground.Removeanddiscardall packinginserts.

2. Movethedethatcherout of the carton.

3. Makecertainthecartonhasbeencompletelyemptiedbefore discardingit.

ASSEMBLY

Positioning the Handle

1. Removeknobsfromhandles.

2. Placelowerhandleasshown.SeeFigure1.

4. Placeupperhandleon lowerhandle.

5. Insertknobsintotop holeofthelowerhandleandbottomhole oftheupperhandleandtighten.SeeFigure2.

Figure2

Figure1

Insertknobsintothe top notchof the baseofthedethatcher andbottomholeofthehandleandtighten.

Attaching Remote Pulley Starter Theropeguideisattachedtothe rightsideoftheupperhandle.

Loosenthenutwhichsecuresittotheupperhandle.SeeFigure3.

Figure3

a. Holdthe bladecontrolbailagainsttheupperhandle. b. Slowlypullstarterropeoutofengine.

c. Slipstarterropeintothe ropeguide. d. Tightenropeguidenut.

Securing Cables

Cablesareattachedtotheirrespectivecontrols,butareleft unat- tachedtothehandletoeaseassembly;however,theywillneedto besecuredtothelowerhandlebythe providedcabletie. See Figure4.

Adding oil

Theengineis shippedwithoutoil intheengine.Youmustfillthe enginewithoil beforeoperating.Runningtheenginewithinsuf-

ficientoilcancauseseriousenginedamageandvoid the product warranty.

1. Removetheoil fillercap/dipstickandwipethedipstickclean. SeeFigure5.

Figure4

Fuel recommendations

Useautomotivegasoline(unleadedor lowleadedtominimize combustionchamberdeposits)witha minimumof87octane. Gasolinewithupto 10%ethanolor 15%MTBE(MethylTertiary ButylEther)canbeused.Neverusean oil/gasolinemixtureordirty gasoline.Avoidgettingdirt,dust, orwaterin the fueltank.DONOT useE85gasoline.

• Refuelina well-ventilatedareawiththe enginestopped.Donot smokeorallowflamesor sparksintheareawheretheengineis refueledorwheregasolineis stored.

• Do notoverfillthefueltank.Afterrefueling,makesurethetank capisclosedproperlyandsecurely.

• Becarefulnottospillfuelwhen refueling.Spilledfuelor fuel vapormayignite.Ifanyfuelisspilled,makesurethe areaisdry beforestartingtheengine.

• Avoidrepeatedor prolongedcontactwithskinor breathingof vapor.

Adding fuel Removethegascap,checkthefuellevelandaddfuelif necessary.

Donotfill past"FuelLevel"markeringas tank. Iftankisoverfilled, waituntilfuelva

Figure5

NOTE:Donot screwinthedipstickwhencheckingtheoil level. Simplyplacethe dipstickcap onthe top of the oil reservoiropening.

2. Slowlyaddoil untiltheoil levelregistersbetweenhigh(H) andlow(L)onthe dipstick,Figure4. Referto the Serviceand Maintenancesectionforthe correctoil viscosityandengineoil capacity.

Useextremecarewhenhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremely flammableandthevaporsareexplosive.Neverfuelthemachine indoorsorwhilethe engineis hotor running.Extinguishcigarettes, cigars,pipesandothersourcesofignition.

Alwayskeephandsandfeetclearof equipmentmovingparts.Do notusea pressurizedstartingfluid.Vaporsareflammable.

BailInterlock

BladeControl

Oil Fill Bail

ThrottleControl

l RecoilStarter

Gasoline

Cap

Choke

Control

CHOKE CONTROL

Activatingthe choke control closes the choke plate on carburetor and aids instarting engine.

THROTTLE CONTROL

The throttle controlis located on the engine, it regulates the speed ofthe engine (Rabbit being the fastest, Turtlebeing the slowest) and willshut off the engine when pushed to the STOP position.

HeightAdjustment

Lever

Figure6

RECOIL STARTER

Thestarterhandleis usedtostarttheengine,

GASOLINE CAP

Removethegascaptoaddfuel.

OIL FILL

Engineoil levelcanbe checkedandoiladdedthroughtheoilfill.

BLADE CONTROL BAIL

Locatedon the upperhandle,the bladecontrolhandleis usedto engageanddisengagedrivetothecuttingblades.Squeezethe controlhandleagainsttheupperhandleto engagetheblades; releaseit to disengage.

HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT LEVER

Theheightadjustmentleverraisesand lowersthecuttingblades. Usethe1-settingfor transportation,settings2through5for dethatching.Settings3, 4,and5 arenotneededuntilthebladesare toowornto beeffectiveonsetting2.Optimumcuttingdepthis1/8of

an inch.

BAIL INTERLOCK

Thebailinterlocklocksthebladecontrolhandleinplaceto prevent unwantedengagingofthe cuttingblades.

BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE

Read,understandandfollowallthe instructionsandwarningson themachineandin thismanualbeforeoperating.

Thesparkplugwirewasdisconnectedforsafety.Attachthe spark plugwiretothe sparkplugbeforestarting.SeeFigure7.

Figure7

_ressurizedstartinc flammable.

Toavoidcarbonmonoxidepoisoning,makesuretheengineis outdoorsin awell-ventilatedarea.

1. Setthethrottletothefast_position.

2. Setthechoketo the FULLi'_"1position.

3. Graspthe recoilstarterhandleandpulltheropeoutslowly,until it pullsslightlyharder.Lettheroperewindslowly.SeeFigure8.

NOTE:The bladecontrolbaildoesnot needto beengagedto start theengine.

4. Pulltherecoilstarterhandlerapidly.Donotallowthehandleto snapback.Allowitto rewindslowlywhilekeepingafirmhold

onthehandle.

5. Astheenginewarmsupandbeginstooperateevenly,slidethe chokeleverslowlytothe1/2chokeposition.Whentheengine

beginsto runsmoothly,movethechoketotheOFF_ _posi- tion.If theenginefails,returnto FULLI_1 choke thenslowly

moveto1/2chokethentheOFF_ _position.

I÷II

m a

Figure8

STOPPING THE DETHATCHER

1. Releasegriponbladecontrolbailtostopblades.

2. SetthethrottletotheSTOPpositiontoturnoff theengine.

3. Settheheightadjustmentlevertothe1-setting.

NOTE:Ifthebladesbecomestuckwhenbeingreturnedtothe

1-setting,gentlypushdownonthehandletopropthe machineon

thebacktwowheelswhiletheleveris raised.

Muffler,engineand surroundingareasbecomehotandcancause a burn.Becarefulanddo nottouchwhenthey_arehot.

USING THE DETHATCHER

Dethatchthelawnonceinthespringandonceinthefall to clear deadand/ordyinggrassfromthe lawn,and toallowmoreairto flowthroughtheground.Grassshouldbe21/2incheshighwhen dethatched.Afterdethatching,fertilizeandwaterthe lawntoencour- agequickergrowth.

Besurelawnisclearofstones,sticks,wire,orother objectswhich coulddamagedethatcheror engine.Suchobjectscouldbe ac- cidentlythrownbythedethatcherin anydirectionandcauseserious personalinjurytotheoperatorandothers.

1. Releasebailinterlockandengagebladecontrolbailto start blades.SeeFigure9.

• If dethatcherbecomesstuckduringuse,gentlypushdownon handleto raisefrontwheels

• Do notdriveoverdiscardedthatchasthiscreatesan uneven cuttingheight

• Whendethatching,leaveapproximatelyeight inchesof soil be- tweenthefirstandseconddethatchingpaths;rakedethatched grassfromfirstandsecondpaththendethatchbetweenthetwo paths.

• Whenturning,pivotdethatcheronbacktwowheelswithblades disengaged.

Donotmakesharpturnswithcuttingbladesengaged.Thiswill bendblades.

TRANSPORTING THE DETHATCHER

1. Setthe heightadjustmentleverto the 1-setting.

2. Pushto new location.

Figure9

Setthe heightadjustmentleverto theappropriateslot;2 being thehighestsetting,5 beingthe lowest.Settings3,4, and5

arenotneededuntilthe bladesare toowornto beeffectiveon setting2. Optimumcuttingdepthis1/8ofaninch.SeeFigure10.

(

Figure10

Donotsetthecuttingbladestoodeep; doingso will shortenthe life ofthebladedrivebelt.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Beforeperforminganytypeofmaintenance/service,disengageall controlsandstoptheengine.Waituntilallmovingpartshavecometo acompletestop.Disconnectsparkplugwireandgrounditagainstthe enginetopreventunintendedstarting.Alwayswearsafetyglassesduring operationorwhileperforminganyadjustmentsorrepairs.

Eachuse 1. Engineoillevel

2. Dethatcherandexhaustarea

1st5 hours 1. Engineoil

Every5 hours 1. Engineoil

2. Exhaustarea

25 hours 1. Sparkplug Everyseason/5Ohours 1. Engineoil

Everyseason/lOOhours 1. Sparkplug

2. Airfilter

Everyseason/Before 1. Pivotpoints storage 2. Controlhandle

3. Extensionspring

1. Check

2. Clean

1. Change

1. Check

2. Clean

2. Check

1. Change

1. Clean,replace,re-gap

2. Replacepaperfilter

1. Lubricate

2. Lubricate

3. Lubricate

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

Followthemaintenanceschedulegivenbelow.Thischart describesserviceguidelinesonly.Usethe ServiceLogcolumn tokeeptrackofcompletedmaintenancetasks.To locate the nearest Sears Service Centeror to scheduleservice,simply

contactSearsat 1-800-4-MY-HOME®,

Removetheoil drainplug.SeeFigure11.

Topreventaccidentalstart-up,shutofftheengineand removethe sparkplugbeforeperforminganytypeofenginemaintenance.

Periodicinspectionandadjustmentof theengineisessentialifhigh levelperformanceistobe maintained.Regularmaintenancewill alsoensurea longservicelife.Therequiredserviceintervalsand thetypeofmaintenanceto beperformedaredescribedinthetable above.Followthe hourlyor calendarintervals,whicheveroccur first.Morefrequentserviceisrequiredwhenoperatinginadverse

conditions.

Changing Engine Oil

Theengineoil shouldbechangedafterthefirstfive hoursof useand thenonce aseasonor afterevery50 hoursof use.

NOTE:Checktheoillevelbeforeeachuseandaftereveryfivehours ofoperationtobesurethecorrectoil levelismaintained.Referto CheckingOilLevelintheOperationSection.

1. Drainfuelfromthe tankbyrunningtheengineuntilthe fueltank isempty.Besurethe fuel fill cap is secure.

2. Placea suitableoil collectioncontainerundertheoildrainplug.

Figure11

4. Tiptheenginetodrainoil intothecontainer.Usedoilmustbe disposedof ata propercollectioncenter.

5. Reinstallthedrainplugandtightenitsecurely.

6. Refillwiththe recommendedoil andcheckthe oil level;referto AddingOilintheAssemblySectionforinstructions..

7. Reinstalltheoilfiller cap/dipsticksecurely.

)ossibleafterhandlingusedoil.

NOTE:Pleasedisposeof usedmotoroilina mannerthatis friendly totheenvironment.Takeit toa recyclingcenterorothercollection

center,

Oil Recommendations

Whenaddingoiltotheengine,add10%30 engineoil. Engineoil capacityis600rnl(approx.20oz.). Do notover-fill.Usea4-stroke, oran equivalenthighdetergent,premiumqualitymotoroil certifiedto meetor exceedU.S.automobilemanufacturer'srequirementsfor

serviceclassificationSG,SE MotoroilsclassifiedSG,SFwillshow thisdesknationonthecontainer.

DONOTusenon-detergentoil or2-strokeengineoil. Itcould shortentheengine'sservicelife.

Spark Plug

cranktheen(!mewiththe removed.

If theenginehasbeenrunning,themufflerwillbe veryhot.Be carefulnotto touchthemuffler.

Thesparkplug(TorchF6RTC)shouldbecheckedevery25hours andchangedoncea seasonorevery 100hours.Toensureproper engineoperation,thesparkplugmustalso beproperlygappedand freeof deposits.

1. Removethe sparkplugbootanduse a sparkplugwrenchto removetheplug,Figure12.

3. Measurethepluggapwitha feelergauge.Correctasneces- sarybybendingthesideelectrode,Figure13.Thegapshould be setto.02-.03inches(0.70-0.80turn).

Electrode

_==== .02-.03 in.

(0.70-0.80 ram)

Figure13

4. Checkthatthesparkplugwasherisingoodconditionand threadthe sparkplugin byhandtopreventcross-threading.

5. Afterthesparkplugis seated,tightenwitha sparkplugwrench tocompressthewasher.

NOTE:Wheninstallinga newsparkplug,tighten1/2-turnafterthe sparkplugseatstocompressthewasher.Whenreinstallinga used sparkplug,tighten1/8-to 1/4-turnafterthesparkplugseatsto

)tessthewasher.

Visuallyinspectthesparkplug.Discardthesparkplugif there isanyapparentwear,or iftheinsulatoriscrackedorchipped. Cleanthe sparkplugwitha wirebrushif itistobe reused.

Figure12

Thesparkplugmustbetightenedsecurely.A loosesparkplugcan becomever hotandcan darna etheen ine.

Cleaning the Engine If theenginehasbeenrunning,allowit tocool for at leasthalfan

hourbeforecleaning.Periodicallyremovedirtbuild-upfromengine.

Donotspraytheenginewithwatertocleanit becausethewater couldcontaminatethefuel.Usinga gardenhoseor pressure washingequipmentcanalsoforcewaterinto the muffleropening. Waterthatpassesthroughthemufflercanenterthecylinderand causedamage.

Accumulationofdebrisaroundthemufflercouldcauseafire. Inspectandcleanbeforeeveryuse.

LUBRICATION

Lubricatethepivotpointsonthebladecontrolbailandtheextension springat the endofthecontrolcablewitha lightoil onceevery seasonandbeforethesnowthroweris putintostorageattheendof

theseason.

ADJUSTMENTS

Blade Cutting Height

Thedethatcherisdesignedtocut1/8ofan inchintotheground.At thebeginningofthe productlife usethe2-setting.Astheblades wearit will be necessarytoincreasethedepthofthe cuttingblades byusingthe3, 4,and5 settings.

BELT REPLACEMENT

Blade Drive Belt

1. Removethebeltcoverbyremovingthethreehex screwsthat secureittotheframeandpressingthetoptwonotchesin.See Figure14.

Removethebeltbypullingoverandout fromthetoppulley. Swingthe beltkeeperdownwardsto releasebeltfromlower pulley.SeeFigure16.

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BeltKeeper

Figure16

Toreplacethe beltfollowtheseinstructions:

1. Routethebeltaroundthetop andbottompulleys.See Figure17.

Figure14

Removetheupperleftpulley.SeeFigure15.

Figure15

Figure17

2. Reinstallthepulleyremovedearlier,fittingthebeltinto the pulleyas the pulleyslidesintothe belt keeper.SeeFigure15.

3. Reinstallthebeltcoverremovedearlier.

BLADE REPLACEMENT

Whenthe bladesbecometoodull todethatchonthe5-setting,or ifanyofthebladesbreak,followthesestepsto replacetheblade assembly.

1. Removethe beltcoverasdescribedintheBeltReplacement section.

2. Removethe bottompulley.SeeFigure18.

Figure18

Removethe sixscrewsonthe leftand rightside.SeeFigure16.

Turnthedethatcheron itsleftside,withtheengineclosestto theground.

Slidethe bladeassemblyoutfromthe rightside(oppositethe engine)andlift uponcethebladeassemblyisclearof the housing.SeeFigure19.

Toreplacethebladeassemblyreferto Figure20.

Figure20

1. Insertthe bladeassemblyleftsidefirst.

2. Pulltherightsideofthehousingframeout.

3. Slidetherightsideof the bladeassemblyintoposition.

4. Replacethe screwsremovedearlier.

5. Reinstallthepulleyandbeltcoverremovedearlier.

Figure19

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