Craftsman 247288831 Owner’s Manual

perator's

I:RnFrSMRN°

LAWN TRACTOR

7 Speed, Shift-on=the=Go

42" Deck

Model No. 247.288831

• Espanol, P. 58

This product has a low emission engine which operates differently

from previously built engines. Before you start the engine, read and

understand this Operator's Manual.

For answers to your questions about

Before using this equipment, read this manual and follow

all safety rules and operating

instructions.

Sears Brands Management Corporation, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

Visit our website: www.craftsman.com FormNo.769-06501B

this product, Call:

1-800=659=5917

CraftsmanTractorHelpLine

7 am =7 pm CT, Mort. =Sun.

(February3,2012)

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

Safety Instructions ............................................................ 3

Slope Gauge ..................................................................... 8

Assembly ........................................................................... 9

Operation ........................................................................ 11

Service and Maintenance .............................................. 17

Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 26

Trou bleshooting .............................................................. 27

Labels ............................................................................. 28

Parts List ......................................................................... 30

Espa_ol ............................................................................ 58

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

CRAFTSMAN FULL WARRANTY

FORTWOYEARSfromthedateofpurchase,allnon-expendablepartsofthis ridingequipmentarewarrantedagainstanydefectsin material orworkmanship.Adefectivenon-expendablepartwillreceivefreein-homerepairorreplacementif repairis impossible.

FORFiVEYEARSfromthedate ofpurchase,theframeof thisridingequipmentiswarrantedagainstanydefectsinmaterialorworkmanship. A defectiveframewillreceivefree in-homerepairorreplacementifrepairis impossible.

FORTENYEARSfromthe dateofpurchase,thefrontaxleofthisridingequipmentis warrantedagainstanydefectsin materialor workman- ship.A defectivefrontaxlewill receivefreein-homerepairor replacementif repairis impossible.

FOR90 DAYSfromthedateofpurchase,thebattery(anexpendablepart)ofthis ridingequipmentis warrantedagainstanydefectsin material orworkmanship(ourtestingprovesthatitwill not holdacharge).Adefectivebatterywill receivefreein-homereplacement.

ADDITIONALLIFETIMELIMITEDWARRANTYon CASTIRONFRONTAXLE(if equipped)

FORAS LONGASITISUSEDbythe originalownerafterthetenthyearfromthedateofpurchase,thecastironfrontaxle(ifequipped)of this ridingequipmentiswarrantedagainstanydefectsinmaterialor workmanship.Withproofofpurchase,a defectivecastironfrontaxlewill receivefreein-homereplacement.

WARRANTYSERVICE

Forwarrantycoveragedetailsto obtainfree repairor replacement,call1-800-659-5917orvisitthewebsite:www.craftsman.corn Inallcasesabove,ifpart repairor replacementis impossible,theridingequipmentwillbe replacedfreeofchargewiththe sameor an

equivalentmodel. Alloftheabovewarrantycoverageisvoidifthisridingequipmentiseverusedwhileprovidingcommercialservicesorif rentedtoanotherperson.

This warranty covers ONLYdefects in materialandworkmanship. Warranty coveragedoes NOTinclude:

• Expendableparts(exceptbattery)thatcanwear outfromnormalusewithinthewarrantyperiod,includingbutnotlimitedtoblades,

• Standardmaintenanceservicing,oilchanges,ortune-ups.

• Tirereplacementor repaircausedbypuncturesfromoutsideobjects,suchasnails,thorns,stumps,orglass.

• Tireor wheelreplacementor repairresultingfromnormalwear,accident,or improperoperationor maintenance.

• Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatorabuse,includingbutnot limitedtodamagecausedbytowingobjectsbeyondthecapabilityof

• Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatornegligence,includingbutnotlimitedto,electricalandmechanicaldamagecausedby

• Engine(fuelsystem)cleaningorrepairscausedbyfueldeterminedtobecontaminatedor oxidized(stale). Ingeneral,fuelshouldbe

• Normaldeteriorationandwearoftheexteriorfinishes,orproductlabelreplacement.

sparkplugs,aircleaners,belts,andoil filters.

theridingequipment,impactingobjectsthatbendtheframe,axle assemblyorcrankshaft,or over-speedingtheengine.

improperstorage,failureto usethe propergradeandamountofengineoil,failuretokeepthedeckclearofflammabledebris,or failureto maintaintheridingequipmentaccordingtotheinstructionscontainedinthe operator'smanual.

usedwithin30 daysofits purchasedate.

Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegalrights,andyoumayalsohaveotherrightswhichvaryfromstatetostate.

SearsBrands ManagementCorporation, Hoffman Estates,IL 60179

EngineOil: SAE30 Fuel: UnleadedGasoline

SparkPlug: Champion®RC12YC Engine: Briggs& StrattonI/C®

Model Number: Serial Number:

Dateof Purchase:

Recordthe modelnumber,serialnumber,

anddateof purchaseabove.

Thissymbolpointsout importantsafetyinstructionswhich,if not followed,couldendangerthepersonalsafetyand/orpropertyof yourselfandothers. Readandfollowallinstructionsin thismanual

beforeattemptingtooperatethismachine.Failureto complywith

theseinstructionsmayresultin personalinjury.Whenyouseethis

symbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

Thismachinewasbuiltto beoperatedaccordingtothesafeopera- tionpracticesinthis manual.As withanytypeof powerequipment, carelessnessorerroron thepartoftheoperatorcanresultin serious injury.Thismachineiscapableofamputatingfingers,hands,toes andfeetandthrowingdebris.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety instructionscouldresultin seriousinjuryordeath.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

EngineExhaust,someof itsconstituents,andcertainvehicle componentscontainoremitchemicalsknownto StateofCalifornia tocausecancerandbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.

Batteryposts,terminals,and relatedaccessoriescontainleadand

leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

GENERAL OPERATION

• Read,understand,andfollowall instructionson themachineand

in themanual(s)beforeattemptingto assembleandoperate. Keepthis manualinasafeplacefor futureand regularreference andfororderingreplacementparts.

• Befamiliarwithall controlsandtheirproperoperation.Knowhow tostopthe machineanddisengagethemquickly.

• Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldtooperatethis machine. Children14yearsoldandover shouldreadandunderstandthe operationinstructionsandsafetyrulesinthismanualandshould betrainedandsupervisedbya parent.

• Neverallowadultsto operatethismachinewithoutproper instruction.

• Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,keep bystanders,helpers,childrenandpetsatleast75feetfromthe machinewhile itisin operation.Stopmachineifanyoneenters

thearea.

• Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobe used. Removeallstones,sticks,wire,bones,toys,andotherforeign objectswhichcouldbe pickedupandthrownbytheblade(s). Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.

• Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialtoward roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthe like.Also,avoiddischarg- ingmaterialagainstawallorobstructionwhichmaycause dischargedmaterialto ricochetbacktowardthe operator.

Your Responsibility--Restrict theuseof thispowermachineto personswhoread,understandandfollowthewarningsand instruc-

tionsin thismanualandonthemachine.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

• Alwayswearsafetyglassesorsafetygogglesduringoperation andwhileperformingan adjustmentorrepairtoprotectyoureyes. Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseseriousinjurytothe eyes.

• Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fittingslacksand

shirts.Loosefittingclothesandjewelrycanbe caughtin movable parts.Neveroperatethismachineinbarefeetorsandals.

• Beawareofthemowerandattachmentdischargedirectionand do notpointit at anyone.Donotoperatethemowerwithoutthe dischargecoverorentiregrasscatcherinits properplace.

Donot puthandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor underthecutting

deck.Contactwiththe blade(s)canamputatehandsandfeet. A missingordamageddischargecovercancausebladecontact

or thrownobjectinjuries.

• Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggraveldrives,walks,orroads andwhilenotcuttinggrass.

• Watchfor trafficwhenoperatingnearorcrossingroadways.This

machineis notintendedforuseonanypublicroadway.

• Donot operatethemachinewhileundertheinfluenceofalcohol or drugs.

• Mowonlyindaylightorgoodartificiallight.

Nevercarrypassengers.

• Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.Backupslowly. Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackingto avoida

back-overaccident.

• Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethe machinesmoothly.Avoid erraticoperationandexcessivespeed.

Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandwaituntil theblade(s)cometoa completestopbeforeremovinggrass catcher,emptyinggrass,uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor debris,or makinganyadjustments.

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysturnoff blade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeybefore dismounting.

Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthe machineintoa trailerortruck.Thismachineshouldnotbedrivenupor down ramp(s),becausethemachinecouldtip over,causingserious personalinjury.Themachinemustbe pushedmanuallyon ramp(s)to loador unloadproperly.

Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea burn.Do not touch.

Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedrivingunderlow hangingtree branches,wires,dooropeningsetc.,wherethe operatormaybestruckor pulledfromthemachine,whichcould resultinseriousinjury.

Disengageallattachmentclutchesanddepressthe brakepedal completelybeforeattemptingto startengine.

Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidentialgrassofa heightnomorethan10".Donotattemptto mowthroughunusually tall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)orpilesof dryleaves.Drygrassor leavesmaycontacttheengineexhaustand/orbuilduponthe mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfire hazard.

Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedforthis machine bythe machinemanufacturer.Read,understandandfollowall instructionsprovidedwiththe approvedaccessoryorattachment. Fora list ofapprovedaccessoriesandattachments,call 1-800-

659-5917. Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsandabove,are

involvedin a largepercentageofridingmower-relatedinjuries. Theseoperatorsshouldevaluatetheirabilitytooperatetheriding mowersafelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom seriousinjury.

If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,usecare andgoodjudgment.Contact1-800-659-5917forinformationand

assistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrolandtip-over accidentswhichcanresultinsevereinjuryor death.Allslopesrequire extracaution.Ifyoucannotbackuptheslopeor ifyoufeeluneasyon it, do notmowit.

Foryoursafety,usetheSlopeGuideincludedaspartofthis manual to measureslopesbeforeoperatingthismachineona slopedor hilly area.Ifthe slopeisgreaterthan15degreesasshownonthe Slope Guide,do notoperatethis machineonthatareaor seriousinjurycould

result.

Do:

Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exerciseextremecaution

whenchangingdirectionon slopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenobjects.

Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeedsettingsothat youwill nothavetostopor shiftwhileon theslope.Tiresmay losetractionon slopeseventhoughthe brakesarefunctioning properly.Alwayskeepmachineingearwhen goingdownslopes totakeadvantageofenginebrakingaction.

• Followthe manufacturer'srecommendationsfor wheelweights or counterweightstoimprovestability.Forrecommendations,call

1-800-659-5917.

• Useextracarewithgrasscatchersorotherattachments.These canchangethestabilityof the machine.

Keepallmovementonthe slopesslowandgradual.Donotmake suddenchangesinspeedor direction.Rapidengagementor brakingcouldcausethefrontof themachinetolift andrapidlyflip overbackwardswhichcouldcauseseriousinjury.

• Avoidstartingorstoppingona slope.Iftireslosetraction,disen- gagetheblade(s)andproceedslowlystraightdowntheslope.

DoNot:

• Donot turnonslopesunlessnecessary;then,turnslowlyand graduallydownhill,ifpossible.

• Donot mowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments.Themower couldsuddenlyturnoverif a wheelisoverthe edgeof a cliff, ditch,or ifan edgecavesin.

• Donot try tostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfooton the ground.

• Donot useagrasscatcheronsteepslopes.

• Donot mowon wetgrass.Reducedtractioncouldcausesliding.

• Donot attempttocoastdownhill.Over-speedingmaycausethe operatortolosecontrolof themachineresultinginseriousinjury

or death.

• Donot towheavypull behindattachments(e.g.loadeddumpcart, lawnroller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan5 degrees.Whengoing downhill,theextraweighttendsto pushthetractorandmay causeyouto loosecontrol(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingand steeringabilityarereduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeandcause tractorto overturn).

CHILDREN

Tragicaccidentscanoccurifthe operatorisnotalerttothepresence ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedto themachineandthemowing activity.Theydo notunderstandthedangers.Neverassumethat childrenwillremainwhereyoulastsawthem.

• Keepchildrenoutofthe mowingareaand inwatchfulcare ofa responsibleadultotherthantheoperator.

• Bealertandturnmachineoff ifa childentersthearea.

• Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindanddownfor small children.

Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththeblade(s)shutoff.Theymay falloffandbe seriouslyinjuredorinterferewithsafemachine operation.

• Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,doorways, shrubs,treesorotherobjectsthatmayblockyourvisionofa child whomayrunintothe machine.

Toavoidback-overaccidents,alwaysdisengagethe cutting blade(s)beforeshiftingintoReverse.Ifequipped,the"Reverse CautionMode"(bladesoperatewhilemachineridesinreverse)

shouldnotbe usedwhenchildrenorothersarearound. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycansuffer

burnsfroma hotmuffler.

• Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedtopreventunauthorized operation.

Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsofageto operatethismachine. Children14andovershouldreadandunderstandtheinstructionsand

safeoperationpracticesinthismanualandon themachineandshould betrainedandsupervisedbyan adult.

TOWING

Towonlywitha machinethathasa hitchdesignedfortowing.Do notattachtowedequipmentexceptatthehitchpoint.

Followthemanufacturersrecommendationforweightlimitsfor towedequipmentandtowingonslopes.Forrecommendations,

call1-800-659-5917. Neverallowchildrenor othersinoron towedequipment.

Onslopes,theweightof thetowedequipmentmaycauselossof tractionandlossof control.

Alwaysuseextracautionwhentowingwitha machinecapableof makingtightturns(e.g."zero-turn"ride-onmower). Makewide turnstoavoidjack-knifing.

Travelslowlyandallowextradistancetostop. Donotcoastdownhill.

SERVICE

SafeHandlingof Gasoline

Toavoidpersonalinjuryorpropertydamageuseextremecarein

handlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammableandthevaporsare explosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhengasolineisspilled on yourselforyourclotheswhichcanignite.Washyourskinand changeclothesimmediately.

• Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

Neverfill containersinsidea vehicleoron a truckortrailerbed

witha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainerson thegroundaway fromyourvehiclebeforefilling.

Whenpractical,removegas-poweredequipmentfromthetruck or trailerandrefuelitontheground.Ifthis isnotpossible,then

refuelsuchequipmentona trailerwitha portablecontainer,rather

thanfroma gasolinedispensernozzle.

Keepthenozzleincontactwiththe rimofthefueltankor containeropeningat all timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donotuse a nozzlelock-opendevice.

Extinguishall cigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersourcesof

ignition.

• Neverfuel machineindoors. Neverremovegascapor addfuelwhiletheengineis hotor run-

ning.Allowengineto coolat leasttwominutesbeforerefueling. Neveroverfillfuel tank. Filltanktono morethan1/2inchbelow

bottomoffillerneckto allowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

• Ifgasolineisspilled,wipeitoff theengineandequipment.Move machineto anotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe

engine.

• Toreducefirehazards,keepmachinefreeofgrass,leaves,or

otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanup oilor fuel spillageandremoveany fuelsoakeddebris.

• Neverstorethemachineorfuelcontainerinsidewherethereisan

openflame,sparkor pilotlight asona waterheater,spaceheater, furnace,clothesdryeror othergasappliances.

Allowa machineto coolatleastfiveminutesbeforestoring.

GeneralService

• Neverrunanengineindoorsorinapoorlyventilatedarea.Engine exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorless,anddeadlygas.

• Beforecleaning,repairing,orinspecting,makecertainthe blade(s)andallmovingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthespark plugwireandgroundagainsttheenginetopreventunintended starting.

• Periodicallychecktomakesurethebladescometocomplete stopwithinapproximately(5)fivesecondsafteroperatingthe bladedisengagementcontrol.Ifthebladesdonotstopwithinthe thistimeframe,yourmachineshouldbeservicedprofessionally byaSearsorotherqualifiedservicedealer.

• Checkbrakeoperationfrequentlyasitissubjectedtowearduring normaloperation.Adjustandserviceasrequired.

• Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingboltsatfrequent intervalsforpropertightness.Also,visuallyinspectblade(s) fordamage(e.g.,excessivewear,bent,cracked).Replacethe blade(s)withtheoriginalequipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.) blade(s)only,listedinthismanual.Useofpartswhichdonot meettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmayleadtoimproper performanceandcompromisesafety!

• Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrapthebladeorweargloves,anduse extracautionwhenservicingthem.

• Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstighttobesuretheequipmentis

insafeworkingcondition.

• Nevertamperwiththesafetyinterlocksystemorothersafety devices.Checktheirproperoperationregularly.

• Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stopthe engine,disconnectthe sparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughly inspectthemachineforanydamage.Repairthedamagebefore startingandoperating.

• Neverattempttomakeadjustmentsor repairstothemachine whilethe engineis running.

• Grasscatchercomponentsandthedischargecoveraresubject towearanddamagewhichcouldexposemovingpartsor allow objectsto bethrown.Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheck componentsand replaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthis manual.Useof partswhichdo notmeettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmay leadtoimproperperformanceandcompromisesafety!

• Donot changetheenginegovernorsettingsorover-speedthe engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe maximumsafeoperatingspeed ofthe engine.

Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,as necessary.

• Observeproperdisposallawsandregulationsforgas,oil,etc.to protecttheenvironment.

• Accordingto the ConsumerProductsSafetyCommission(CPSC) andthe U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),this product hasanAverageUsefulLifeofseven(7)years,or 270hours ofoperation.Attheendof theAverageUsefulLife,buyanew machineor havethemachineinspectedannuallybya Searsor otherqualifiedservicedealerto ensurethatallmechanicaland safetysystemsareworkingproperlyandnotwornexcessively.

Failuretodosocan resultinaccidents,injuriesor death.

DO NOT MODIFY ENGINE

Toavoid seriousinjuryor death,do notmodifyengineinanyway. Tamperingwiththegovernorsettingcanleadto a runawayengineand causeitto operateat unsafespeeds.Nevertamperwithfactorysetting ofenginegovernor.

NOTICE REGARDING EMISSIONS

Engineswhicharecertifiedto complywithCaliforniaandfederal

EPAemissionregulationsforSORE(SmallOffRoadEquipment)are certifiedto operateonregularunleadedgasoline,andmayinclude thefollowingemissioncontrolsystems:EngineModification(EM)and ThreeWayCatalyst(TWO)if so equipped.

SPARK ARRESTOR

Thismachineis equippedwithan internalcombustionengineand shouldnotbe usedonornearanyunimprovedforest-covered, brushcoveredorgrass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaust systemisequippedwitha sparkarrestormeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any).

Ifa sparkarrestoris used,itshouldbe maintainedin effectiveworking orderbythe operator.IntheStateof Californiatheaboveisrequired bylaw (Section4442of theCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Other statesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.

A sparkarrestorforthemuffleris availablethroughyournearestSears

PartsandRepairServiceCenter.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

Thispagedepictsanddescribessafetysymbolsthatmayappearonthis product.Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionson themachine beforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate.

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

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES Never carry passengers. Never carry children, even with the blades off.

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

Always look down and behind before and while backing to avoid a back-over accident.

WARNING-- ROTATING BLADES

Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.

WARNING--THROWN OBJECTS This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.

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

operation.

WARNING-- SLOPE OPERATION

Do not operate this machine on a slope greater than 15 degrees.

WARNING-- HOT SURFACE

Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine and muffler to cool before touching.

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover or grass

catcher is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.

15° Slope

(OK)

'_. _ Figure1

(TOO STEEP)

Figure2

15°

dashedline

USETHISSLOPEGAUGETODETERMINE

IFA SLOPEISTOOSTEEPFORSAFEOPERATION!

Tochecktheslope,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethis pageandfold alongthedashedline.

2. Locatea verticalobject onor behindthe slope(e.g.a pole, building,fence, tree,etc.)

3. Align eithersideoftheslopegaugewith theobject(SeeFigure1 and Figure2 ).

4. Adjust gaugeupor downuntilthe left cornertouchestheslope(SeeFigure1and Figure2).

If thereisagap belowthegauge,theslopeistoo steepfor safeoperation(SeeFigure2 above).

Slopesare a majorfactor relatedtotip-over and roll-over accidents which can resultin severe injury or death. Do not operatemachine on slopes in excess of 15degrees.All slopesrequireextra caution. Ifyou cannotbackup theslope orifyou feeluneasy on it, do not mowit.

Always mowup and down theface ofslopes, never mowacrossthe face of slopes.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroil in theengine. However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Refertothe Service& Maintenancesectionforinstructionson checkingtheoil

level. Attaching the Battery Cables

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato

causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

Whenattachingbatterycables,alwaysconnectthePOSITIVE(Red) wireto its terminalfirst,followedbytheNEGATIVE(Black)wire.

Forshippingreasons,bothbatterycablesonyourequipmentmay havebeenleftdisconnectedfromtheterminalsat the factory.To connectthebatterycables,proceedasfollows:

NOTE:ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).Thenegative batteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).

1. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthepositivebattery terminaland attachthe redcableto thepositivebatteryterminal (+)withtheboltandhexnut.See Figure1.

2. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthenegativebattery terminaland attachtheblackcableto thenegativebattery terminal(-) withthe boltandhexnut.SeeFigure1.

Shipping Brace Removal

Makesurethe ridingmower'sengineisoff, removetheignitionkey,

andset theparkingbrakebeforeremovingtheshippingbrace.Refer

ItotheOperationsectionforinstructionsonhowto settheparking lbrake.

• Locatethe shippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccompanyingwarning tagfoundonthe rightsideofthe mower,betweenthedischarge chutedeflectorandthe cuttingdeck.SeeFig.2.

Figure2

Figure1

3. Positionthe redrubberbootoverthe positivebatteryterminalto helpprotectit fromcorrosion.

NOTE:If thebatteryisput intoserviceafterthe dateshownon topof battery,chargethebatteryas instructedinthe Service& Maintenance sectionofthis manualpriortooperatingthetractor.

Placethedecklift leverinthehighestcuttingposition.Referto

SettingtheCuttingHeightin theOperationsectionofthismanual. Whilepushingthedischargechuteddlectortowardsthemachinewith

yourlefthand,removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandbygrasp- ingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerandrotatingitclockwise.

Theshippingbrace,usedfor packagingpurposesonly,mustbe

removedand discardedbeforeoperatingyourridingmower.

Themowingdeckiscapableof throwingobjects.Failureto operate the ridingmowerwithoutthedischargecoverinthe properoperating

Ipositioncouldresultin seriouspersonalinjuryand/orproperty ldamage.

Attaching The Steering Wheel

Ifthesteeringwheelforyourtractordid notcomeattached,the hardwareforattachingithasbeenpackedwithinthe steeringwheel, beneaththesteeringwheelcap.Carefullypry off thesteeringwheel capandremovethe hardware.

1. Withthewheelsof thetractorpointingstraightforward,placethe steeringwheeloverthesteeringshaft.

2. Placethewasher(withthe cuppedsidedown)overthesteering wheeland securewiththe hexbolt.SeeFig.3-3.

Figure3

3. Placethe steeringwheelcap overthe centerof the steering wheeland pushdownwarduntilit"clicks"intoplace.

Attaching The Seat If theseatforyourtractorwasnotattachedatthefactory,refertothe

followingsteps. NOTE: Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastenedtothetractor

seat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,ormountedbackwardtothe pivot bracket.Ineithercase,free theseatfromits shippingpositionand removethe adjustmentknobfromthebottomof seatbeforeproceed- ingwiththeinstructionsbelow.

1. Positionthe shoulderscrews(foundon the baseofthe seat) insidethe slotopeningsintheseatpivotbracket. Fig.4.

2. Slidetheseat slightlyrearwardin theseatpivot bracket,lining up thecenterrearslotin thepivotbracketwiththe remaininghole

in theseat'sbase.

Figure4

3. Selectdesired positionfor theseat,and securewiththeadjust- mentknobremovedearlier.

4. Toadjustthepositionof theseat,loosentheadjustmentknob

on thebottomoftheseat.Slidethe seatforwardor backwardas desired.Retightentheadjustmentknob.

Tire Pressure

Maximumtire pressureunderanycircumstancesis30 psi.Equal

tirepressureshouldbe maintainedat all times.Neverexceedthe

_maxmum nfatonpressureshownonthes dewa of thet re. Therecommendedoperatingtirepressureis:

Approximately10psi forthe reartires Approximately14psi forthefronttires

IMPORTANT: Refertothetire sidewallforexacttiremanufacturer's recommendedormaximumpsi.Donotoverinfiate.Uneventirepres-

surecouldcausethecuttingdeckto mowunevenly.

Figure5

A SpeedControlLever/ParkingBrakeLever B Throttle/chokecontrollever

C IgnitionSwitch D DeckLiftLever

E PTOLever(BladeEngage) F CupHolder

G Shift Lever H Clutch-BrakePedal

NOTE: Anyreferenceinthis manualtotheRIGHTorLEFTsideofthe tractorisobservedfromoperator'sseat positionfacingforwardtowardsthefrontoftractor.

Meets ANS! Safety Standards

CraftsmanTractorsconformtothe safetystandardoftheAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI).

SPEED CONTROL LEVER

Thespeedcontrollever,locatedontheleft sideof the tractor'sdashconsole,allowsyouto regulatetheground speedof thelawntractor.Touse,depresstheclutch- brakepedalandmovethe leveroutoftheparkingbrake notchandforwardto increasethe tractor'sgroundspeed. Whenadesiredspeedhas beenreached,releasethe leverintoan appropriatenotchtomaintainthatspeed.

Toslowthetractor'sgroundspeed,depresstheclutch- brakepedalandmovethe speedcontrolleverrearward

andreleaseit intoanotch.

PARKING BRAKE

Tosetthe parkingbrake,fullydepresstheclutch-brake pedal.Movethe speedcontrolleverall thewaydownand intothe parkingbrakeposition.Releasetheclutch-brake pedaltoallowtheparkingbraketoengage.

Toreleasethe parkingbrake,depressthe clutch-brakepedaland movethespeedcontrolleveroutof thenotchesto thedesiredposition. Releasethe speedcontrolleverandtheclutch-brakepedal.

NOTE: Theparkingbrakemustbe setiftheoperatorleavestheseat withtheenginerunningorthe enginewillautomaticallyshutoff.

THROTTLE/CHOKE CONTROL LEVER

Thethrottle/chokecontrolleveris locatedon therightsideof thetrac- tor'sdashpanel.Thislevercontrolsthespeedof the engineandwhen pushedallthe wayforward,thechokecontrolalso.Whensetina given position,thethrottlewillmaintaina uniformenginespeed.

IMPORTANT: Whenoperatingthetractorwiththecuttingdeck engaged,thethrottle/chokecontrollevermustalwaysbeinthe FAST (rabbit)position.

IGNITION SWITCH

Thekeyswitchmoduleisusedto startand stoptheengine.Insert keyintothe keyswitchmodule

andturnclockwisetothe START position.Releasethekeyintothe

normalmowingpositiononceen- ginehasstarted.Theheadlights willbeactivatedautomatically.

Tostoptheengine,turnthe ignitionkeycounterclockwiseto theSTOPposition.

IMPORTANT:Priorto operatingthe tractor,refertoboththe"Safety InterlockSystem"and"StartingTheEngine"laterin thissectionofthis manualfordetailedinstructionsregardingtheIgnitionSwitchModule.

SHIFT LEVER

Theshift leveris locatedon theleft sideof thefenderandhasthree

positions,FORWARD,NEUTRAL and REVERSE.Theclutch-brake

pedalmustbedepressedandthe tractormustnotbein motionwhen

themovingshift lever.

IMPORTANT: Neverforcethe

shiftlever.Doingsomayresultin seriousdamageto thetractor's

transmission.

DECK LIFT LEVER

Foundonyourtractor'srightfender,thedecklift leveris used tochangetheheightof thecuttingdeck.To use,movethe leverto theleft,thenplace inthenotchbestsuitedforyour application.

PTO (BLADE ENGAGE) LEVER

Foundonthe tractor'srightfender,the PTO(bladeengage) leveris usedtoengagepowertothe cuttingdeckorother (separatelyavailable)attachments.Tooperate,movethe leverall thewayforward.Movingthe leveralltheway

rearwardintothe PTOOFFpositiondisengagespowertothe cuttingdeck/attachment.

NOTE: ThePTO(bladeengage)levermustbein the disengaged(PTOOFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine.

CUP HOLDER

Thetractor'scupholderis locatedon thefendertotheleft of theseat.

SEAT ADJUSTMENT KNOB

Theseatadjustmentknobis locatedonthebottomsideoftheseat.

Usethis knobtoadjusttheseatforwardorrearwardtoa comfortable operatingpositionbylooseningtheknob,positioningthe seattothe desiredpreference,thenretighteningthe knob.

CLUTCH-BRAKE PEDAL

Theclutch-brakepedalislocatedontheleft sideof thelawntractor, alongtherunningboard.Depresstheclutch-brakepedalpartway downwhen slowingthetractorbychangingspeeds(RefertoSpeed ControlLever).Depressthepedalall thewaydowntoengagethe disc brakeandbringthe tractortoa completestop.

NOTE: Thepedalmustbedepressedto starttheengine.Referto SafetyInterlockSwitcheslaterin thissectionofthismanual.

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.AlwaysdisengagePTO (BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverintoneutralposition,setpark- ingbrake,stopengineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

Gas and Oil Fill=up 0il

iMPORTANT: Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroilinthe engine.

However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Becareful nottooverfill.

Forinstructionsonhowtochecktheengineoil, refertoCheckingThe EngineOilintheServiceandMaintenancesectionofthis manual.

Gasoline

Thegasolinetank islocatedunderthehood.Donotoverfill.

Useextremecarewhenhandlinggasoline.Gasolineis extremely flammableandthevaporsareexplosive.Neverfuelmachineindoors

orwhiletheengineishotor running.Extinguishcigarettes,cigars, p pes,andothersourcesof gn ton.

NOTE : Purchasegasolineinsmallquantities.Donotuse gasolineleft overfromthe previousseason,tominimizegumdepositsinthe fuel system.

• Thisengineiscertifiedtooperateonunleadedgasoline.For best results,fillthefueltankwithonlyclean,fresh,unleadedgasoline witha pumpstickeroctaneratingof87or higher.

• Gasohol(upto 10%ethylalcohol,90% unleadedgasolineby volume)isanapprovedfuel.Othergasoline/alcoholblends,such asE85,arenotapproved.

• MethylTertiaryButylEther(MTBE)andunleadedgasolineblends (uptoa maximumof 15%MTBEby volume)areapprovedfuels. Othergasoline/etherblendsarenotapproved.

• Fillfueltankoutdoorsorinwell-ventilatedarea.

• Donotoverfillfueltank. Filltanktono morethan 1/2inchbelow

bottomof fillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Neverremovegas cap oraddfuelwhilethe engineishotor run- ning.Allowenginetocool atleasttwo minutesbeforerefueling.

• If gasolineisspilled,wipeitofftheengineandequipment.Move machineto anotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe engine.

To Add Gasoline

1. Turntheengineoff andletenginecoolat least2 minutesbefore removingthe fuelcap.Thegasolinetankisundertherearfender, withthefuelfillcap locatedinthecenterof therearfender. Thefuel capistetheredto thetractortopreventitsloss.Donot attempttoremovethecapfromthetractor.

2. Fillthefuel tankwithgasoline.

3. Reinstallthefuelcap. NOTE: Thetractorisfittedwitha tethered,ratchetingfuelcap.STOP

fillingthe tankoncethefuelisseeninsidethefiller neck. Thisensures thata properexpansionvolumeiscreated,otherwisethefuel can overflowcreatinga hazardoussituation.DoNOTtopoffthefuel tank. SeeFig.6.

Figure 6

Avoid Serious injury or Death

• Go upanddownslopes,notacross.

• Avoidsuddenturns.

• Donot operatetheunitwhereitcouldsliportip.

• Ifmachinestopsgoinguphill,stopbladesandbackdownhill

slowly.

• Donot mowwhenchildrenorothersarearound.

• Nevercarrychildren,evenwithbladesoff.

• Lookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebacking.

• Keepsafetydevices(guards,shields,and switches)in place

andworking.

• Removeobjectsthatcould bethrownbytheblades.

• Knowlocationandfunctionof allcontrols.

• Besurebladesandenginearestoppedbeforeplacinghandsor

feetnearblades.

• Beforeleavingoperator'sposition,stoptractor,disengage blades,engageparkingbrake,shutengineoff,and removekey.

Read Operator's Manual

SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

Thesafetyinterlocksystemisdesignedfor safeoperationofthe trac- tor.If thissystemshouldevermalfunction,donotoperatethetractor.

Immediatelycontact1-800-4-MY-HOMEto havethesystemserviced.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventsthe enginefromstarting unlessthe parkingbrakeisengagedandthePTO(BladeEngage) leveris inthedisengaged(OFF)position.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwillautomaticallyshutoff theengineif

theoperatorleavestheseatbeforeengagingthe parkingbrake.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwillautomaticallyshutoff the engine iftheoperatorleavesthetractor'sseatwiththe PTO(Blade Engage)leverengaged,regardlessofwhethertheparkingbrake isengaged.

• Theenginewill automaticallyshutoffif the PTO(BladeEngage) leveris movedintotheengaged(ON)positionwiththeshiftlever

in Reverse.

IGNITION SWITCH

Theignitionswitchisactivatedto starttheengine.Insertkeyintothe ignitionswitchandturnclockwisetotheSTARTposition.Releasethe keyintothe ONpositiononceenginehasfired.SeeFig.7.

Tostoptheengine,turntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetothe OFF position.SeeFig.7.

SETTING THE CUTTING HEIGHT

1. Selecttheheightpositionof thecuttingdeckbyplacingthedeck lift leverinanyofthesixdifferentcuttingheightnotcheson the

rightsideofthe fender.

Keephandsandfeetawayfromthe dischargeopeningofthe cutting

deck.

STARTING THE ENGINE

NEVER leavearunningmachineunattended.Alwaysdisengage PTO,moveshiftleverintoneutralposition,setparkingbrake,stop

_engne andremovekeyto preventunntendedstartng. iMPORTANT: Priortooperatingthetractor,refertoboth Safety

InterlockSwitchesandStartingThe EngineintheOperationsectionof thismanualforfurtherdetailedinstructions.

Start

off

Figure 7

Donot operatethetractoriftheinterlocksystemismalfunctioning.

Thissystemwasdesignedforyoursafetyand protection.

NOTE: Refertothe GasolineandOilfill-upinstructionsearlierinthis

section.

1. Insertthetractorkeyintothe ignitionswitch.

2. PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF) position.

3. Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.

4. Activatethechokecontrolby movingthethrottle/chokeleverall thewayupinto thechokeposition.

5. Turnthe ignitionkeyclockwisetotheSTARTposition.Afterthe enginestarts,releasethekey.Itwillreturnto theON(or Normal

Mowing)position.

DO NOTholdthekeyinthe STARTpositionfor longerthanten

secondsat atime.Doingsomaycausedamagetoyourengine's electricstarter.

6. Aftertheenginestarts,deactivatethechokecontrolandplacethe throttlecontrolin theFASTposition.

NOTE: DoNOTleavethechokecontrolonwhileoperatingthetractor. Doingsowillresultin a "rich"fuel mixtureandcausetheengineto run

poorly.

ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE

To engage the parking brake:

1. Fullydepresstheclutch-brakepedalandholdit downwithyour foot.

2. Movethespeedcontrolleverallthewaydownandintothe parkingbrakeposition.

3. Releasetheclutch-brakepedaltoallowtheparkingbraketo engage.

To release the parking brake:

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedalandmovethe speedcontrollever outof the parkingbrakepositionandintoadesiredspeed.

STOPPING THE ENGINE

Ifyoustrikea foreignobject,stoptheengine,disconnectthespark plugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughlyinspectthe machinefor anydamage.Repairthedamagebeforerestartingand operating

If thebladesareengaged,placethe PTO(BladeEngage)leverin thedisengaged(OFF)position.

2. Turntheignitionkeycounterclockwiseto theSTOPposition.

3. Removethekeyfromtheignitionswitchto preventunintended starting.

DRIVING THE TRACTOR

Avoidsuddenstarts,excessivespeedandsuddenstops.

Donotleavethe seatof thetractorwithoutfirstplacingthePTO (BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)position,depressing thebrakepedalandengagingthe parkingbrake.Ifleavingthetractor unattended,alsoturn theignitionkeyoff andremovethekey.

Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackingupto avoida back-overaccident.

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedaltoreleasetheparkingbrakeand thenlet thepedalup.

2. Movethethrottleleverintothe FAST(rabbit)position.

3. Placethe shiftleverin eitherthe FORWARDor REVERSE position.

IMPORTANT: DoNOTusetheshiftlevertochangethedirectionof travelwhenthe tractorisin motion.Alwaysusetheclutch-brakepedal tobringthe tractortoa completestopbeforeshifting.

4. Releasetheparkingbrakebydepressingtheclutch-brakepedal andpositioningthe speedcontrolleverinthedesiredposition.

IMPORTANT: First-timeoperatorsshouldusespeedpositions1or

2.Becomecompletelyfamiliarwiththetractor'soperationandcontrols

beforeoperatingthe tractorinhigherspeedpositions.

5. Releaseclutch-brakepedalslowlytoputunitintomotion.

6. Thelawntractorisbroughtto a stopbydepressingtheclutch- brakepedal.

NOTE: Whenoperatingtheunitinitially,therewill be littledifference betweenthe highesttwo speedsuntilafterthebeltshaveseated themselvesintothepulleysduringthe break-inperiod.

WARNING!Beforeleavingtheoperator'spositionfor anyreason, disengagetheblades,placetheshift leverinneutral,engagethe parkingbrake,shutengineoff andremovethe key.

1. Placetheshiftleverinneutral,

2. Engagetheparkingbrake,

3. Shutengineoffand removethekey.Doingsowillminimizethe possibilityof havingyourlawn"browned"byhot exhaustfrom

yourtractor'srunningengine.

Ifunitstallswithspeedcontrolinhighspeed,orif unitwillnot operate

with speedcontrolleverina low speedposition,proceedasfollows:

1. PlaceshiftleverinNEUTRAL.

2. Restartengine.

3. Placespeedcontrolleverinhighestspeedposition.

4. Releaseclutch-brakepedalfully.

5. Depressclutch-brakepedal.

6. Placespeedcontrolleverindesiredposition.

7. PlaceshiftleverineitherFORWARDor REVERSE,andfollow normaloperatingprocedures.

DRIVING ON SLOPES

Referto the SLOPEGAUGEinthe SafetyInstructionssectionofthe manualtohelpdetermineslopeswhereyoumayoperatethistractor safely.

Donot mowon inclineswitha slopeinexcessof 15degrees(a rise ofapproximately2-1/2feetevery 10feet).The tractorcouldoverturn andcauseseriousinjury.

• Mowupanddownslopes,NEVERacross.

• Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes. Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,or otherhiddenobjects.

Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

• Avoidturnswhendrivingona slope.If a turnmustbe made,turn downthe slope.Turningupaslopegreatlyincreasesthechance

ofa rollover.

• Avoidstoppingwhendrivingupa slope.If itisnecessarytostop whiledrivingup a slope,startupsmoothlyandcarefullyto reduce thepossibilityof flippingthetractoroverbackward.

ENGAGING THE BLADES

Engagingthe PTO(BladeEngage)transferspowertothecuttingdeck

or other(separatelyavailable)attachments.Toengagethe blades,

proceedas follows:

1. Movethethrottle/chokecontrolleverto theFAST(rabbit)position.

2. GraspthePTO(BladeEngage)leverandpivotitallthe way forwardintotheengaged(ON)position.

3. KeepthethrottleleverintheFAST(rabbit)positionforthe most efficientuseof thecuttingdeckor other(separatelyavailable)

attachments.

NOTE: Theenginewill automaticallyshutoff ifthe PTO(Blade Engage)leverismovedintotheengaged(ON)positionwiththeshift

leverinReverse.

IMPORTANT: Whenstoppingthetractorfor anyreasonwhileona grasssurface,always:

MULCHING

A mulch kit is available as an attachment. Mulching is a process of recirculating grass clippings repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine clippings are then forced back into the lawn where they act as a natural fertilizer.

A mulchkitcanbe purchased.Seethe ReplacementParts& Attach- mentssectionofthis manualformoreinformation.

USING THE DECK LIFT LEVER

Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethe decklift levertotheleft,then place itin thenotchbestsuitedfor yourapplication.RefertoSettingThe CuttingHeightearlierinthisOperationsection.

MOWING

Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,keepbystand- ers,helpers,childrenandpetsatleast75feetfromthe machine

[wh e t s noperaton.Stoproachne fanyoneentersthearea. Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthecuttingdeck

withyourtractor:

Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialstoward roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthe like.Also,avoiddischarging materialagainsta wallor obstructionwhichmaycausedischarged materialto ricochetbacktowardthe operator.

HEADLIGHTS

* ThelampsareONwheneverthetractor'sengineis running.

o Thelampsturn OFFwhentheignitionkeyismovedtothe STOP

position.

Donot mowathighgroundspeed,especiallyifa mulchkitor grasscollectorisinstalled.

Forbest resultsitisrecommendedthatthefirsttwo lapsbecut withthedischargethrowntowardsthecenter.Afterthefirst two laps,reversethe directiontothrowthedischargeto the outside forthe balanceofcutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearanceto the

lawn. Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvitesweedgrowth

andyellowsquicklyindryweather. Mowingshouldalwaysbe donewiththeengineat fullthrottle.

• Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessaryto go backoverthe cutareaa secondtimetogetacleancut.

• DoNOTattemptto mowheavybrushandweedsandextremely tallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedto mowlawns,NOTclear

brush.

• Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhenworn.Refer toCuttingBladesinthe Servicesectionof thismanualforproper bladesharpeninginstructions.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

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

BeforeEachUse

Inthe FirstFiveHours Every10Hours

Every25 hours

Every50 hours

Annually

BeforeStorage

*Servicemorefrequentlyunderdustyconditions.

1. Engineoillevel

2. Mufflerareaandcontrols

3. Fingerguard

7. EngineOil

9. Hood/Dashairvents

10. Batteryterminals

11. Deckspindlesand idler bracket

15. Air filter'sprecleaner*

16. Air filter*

17. Midsteeringarms,pivot shafts,andaxles

18. Frontwheelbearings

19. Frontdeckwheels

25. Engineoil

26. Muffler

29. Air filter

30. Air filter'spre-cleaner

31. Sparkplug

32. Air coolingsystem*

33. Fuelfilter

34. SteeringGears

35. RearWheels

43. Hood/Dashairvents

44. Batteryterminals

45. Midsteeringarms,pivot shafts,andaxles

46. Frontwheelbearings

47. Frontdeckwheels

48. Deckspindlesand idler bracket

49. Pedalpivotpoints

4. Check

5. Clean

6. Clean

8. Change

12. Clean

13. Clean

14. Lubricate

20. Clean

21. Clean

22. Lubricate

23. Lubricate

24. Lubricate

27. Change

28. Check

36. Replace

37. Replace

38. Replace

39. Clean

40. Replace

41. Clean

42. Removeandgreaseaxles

50. Clean

51. Clean

52. Lubricate

53. Lubricate

54. Lubricate

55. Lubricate

56. Lubricate

Followthe maintenanceschedulegivenbelow.Thischartdescribes serviceguidelinesonly.Usethe ServiceLogcolumntokeeptrack

ofcompletedmaintenancetasks.Tolocate the nearestParts&

RepairService Centeror to scheduleservice,simplycontact 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

Beforeperforminganymaintenanceor repairs,disengagethePTO (BladeEngageLever),engagethe parkingbrake,stoptheengine andremovethe keytopreventunintendedstarting.

If theenginehasbeenrecentlyrun,the engine,mufflerandsur- roundingmetalsurfaceswillbehot andcancauseburnstotheskin.

Exercisecautiontoavoidburns.

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

7. Replaceandtightendipstick.

Checking the Engine Oil Onlyuse highqualitydetergentoil ratedwithAPIserviceclassification

SF,SG,SH,or SJ.Selecttheoil's SAEviscositygradeaccordingto theexpectedoperatingtemperature.Followthechartbelow.

Althoughmulti-viscosityoils(5W20,10W30,etc.)improvestarting incoldweather,theywill resultinincreasedoilconsumptionwhen

usedabove32°E Checkyourengineoillevelmorefrequentlytoavoid possibleenginedamagefromrunninglowon oil.

Colder_ 32°F D"-Warmer

5W20

Oil Viscosity Chart

Figure9

Tochecktheengineoil, proceedasfollows:

1. Ensurethatthe tractorisona levelsurface.

2. Cleantheoil fill areaofanydebris.

3. Removethedipstickandwipewitha cleancloth.

4. Insertandtightendipstick.

5. Removethedipstickandcheckthe oil level.Itshouldbeatthe Fullmarkonthe dipstick.SeeFigure10.

6. If low,addoil slowlyintotheengineoilfill. Donotoverfill.After addingoil,wait oneminuteandthenrechecktheoil level.

Dipstick_

Changing Engine Oil Theengineoil shouldbechangedinthefirst 5 hoursandthenevery

50 hoursoroncea season.Tochangetheengineoil,proceedas follows:

1. WithengineOFFbutstillwarm,disconnectsparkplugwireand keepit awayfromsparkplug.

2. Removethe oilfillcap/dipstickfromtheoilfilltube.SeeFigure9.

3. Turnthe steeringwheelall thewaytotherightto betterexpose thedrainplug.

4. Cliptheoil drainsleeve(packedwith thismanual)ontotheoil drainport. Routetheoppositeendof thesleeveintoanappropri- ateoilcollectioncontainerwitha capacitygreatenoughto collect

theusedoil.

5. Removedrainplugand drainoil intoasuitablecontainerwitha capacityofno lessthan64 oz.

6. Performsteps2 through4in theoppositeorderafteroil has finisheddraining.

7. Refillthe enginewithnewmotoroiluntilthe oil levelonthe dipstickreadsFULL.Replacetheoilfill cap/dipstick.

Usedoil isa hazardouswasteproduct.Disposeof usedoilproperly. Donotdiscardwithhouseholdwaste.Checkwithyour localauthori- tiesoror contact1-800-4-MY-HOMEfora listof safedisposal/ recyclingfacilities.

8. Reconnectsparkplugwire.

OilDrain

Valve

Oil Drain Sleeve

Figure10

Donot overfill.Overfillingwithoil maycausetheengineto notstart, hardstarting,orenginesmoking.If overthe FULLmarkon the dipstick,drainoil toreduceoil levelto FULLmarkondipstick.

Fuel Filter Air Cleaner

Gasolineanditsvaporsareextremelyflammableandexplosive.Fire

or explosioncancausesevereburnsor death.

• Keepgasolineawayfromsparks,openflames,pilotlights,heat, andotherignitionsources.

• Checkfuellines,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyforcracksor leaks.Replaceif necessary.

• Beforereplacingthe fuel filter,drainthefueltankasperthe instructionsbelow.

• Donotdrainfuelwhentheengineis hot.Allowtheengine adequatetimetocool. Drainfuelintoan approvedcontainer outdoors,awayfromopenflame.

• Drainany largevolumeoffuelfromthetankbydisconnectingthe fuellinefromthe in-linefuelfilterneartheengine.

• Removethefuellinefromthe In-lineside(sidetowardsthefuel tank)ofthefuelfilter.

• Replacementpartsmustbethesameandinstalledinthe same positionasthe originalparts.

• If fuelspills,waituntil itevaporatesbeforestartingengine.

• Beforereplacingthe fuel filter,drainthefueltank.Otherwise,fuel canleakoutand causea fireorexplosion.

ToDrainthe fuel:

1. Locatethefuelfilter,whichisroutedontheleftsideoftheengine betweenthefueltankandthecarburetor,andmaybeattachedto theenginewitha tiestrap.Cutthetie strap,ifpresent,thenpinch thein-lineclamponthefuelfilterwitha pairofpliers,slidethe clampupthefuelline.Pullthefuellinefreefromthefilterandplace theopenendof thelineintoanapprovedcontainertodrainthefuel.

Tochangethe fuel filter:

1. Usepliersto squeezethetabsonthe otherclamp(theout-line sided thefuelfilter),thenslide theclampawayfromthefuelfilter. Twistandpullthefuellineoff ofthefuelfilter.SeeFigure11.

2. Checkthefuellinesfor cracksor leaks.Replaceifnecessary.

3. Replacethefuel filterwithanoriginalequipmentreplacement filter.Call 1-800-4-MY-HOME®to purchasetheoriginalequip- mentreplacementfilter.

Securethefuellineswiththeclamps.

Iffilters,or coversarenotinstalledcorrectlyseriousinjuryordeath

couldresultfrombackfire.Donotattemptto starttheenginewith themremoved.

Donot usepressurizedair orsolventstocleanthe aircleaner

cartridge.

Theairfiltersystemusesa cylindricalcartridge.This modelalso

includesa pre-cleanerthatcanbewashedand reused.

1. Removethefasteners(A)andthe air filtercover(B).SeeFigure

12.

2. Toremovethe filter(C),lift theendof thefilterand thenpullthe filteroff theintake(D).

3. Toloosendebris,gentlytap thefilterona hardsurface.If thefilter

isexcessivelydirty,replacewitha newfilter.

4. Installthefilteronthe intake.Pushtheendofthefilterintothe

baseas shown.Makesurefilterfitssecurelyinthe base.

5. Installair filtercoverandsecurewithfasteners.

Figure12

Tab

Clamp

Fuel Line

Figure11

Spark Plug

1. Cleanareaaroundthe sparkplugbase.Do notsandblastspark plug.Sparkplugshouldbecleanedbyscrapingorwire brushing andwashingwitha commercialsolvent

2. Removeand inspectthesparkplug.Checkgapto makesureit is setat .030".SeeFigure13.

Electrode Porcelain

.030 (.76 mm) gap

Figure13

3. Replacethesparkplug(Champion®RC12YC)oncea season.

Muffler

Temperatureof mufflerandnearbyengineareasmayexceed150°F (65°0).Avoidcontactwiththeseareas.

• Inspectmufflerperiodically,and replaceifnecessary.Replace- mentpartsforthe mufflermustbethesameand installedinthe samepositionas theoriginalparts.

Clean Engine

• Dailyor beforeeveryuse,cleangrass,chaffor accumulated debrisfromengine.Keeplinkage,spring,andcontrolsclean.

• Keepareaaroundandbehindmufflerfreeofany combustible debris.

• Keepingenginecleanallowsairmovementaroundengine.

• Enginepartsshouldbekeptcleanto reducetheriskofoverheat- ingandignitionof accumulateddebris.

Donotusewaterto cleanengineparts.Watercouldcontaminatefuel system.Usea brushordrycloth.

Carburetor Adjustment

• Thecarburetoronthis engineisnot adjustable.

LUBRICATION

Beforelubricating,repairing,or inspecting,alwaysdisengagePTO (BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverinto neutralposition,set parkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintended starting.

Pivot Points & Linkage Lubricateall the pivotpointsonthe drivesystem,parkingbrakeandlift

linkageat leastonceaseasonwithlightoil.

Rear Wheels

Therearwheelsshouldberemovedfromthe axlesonce aseason.

Lubricatetheaxlesandtherimswellwithan all-purposegreasebefore re-installingthem.

Front Axles

Eachendof thetractor'sfrontpivotbarmaybeequippedwitha grease fitting.Lubricatewitha greasegunafterevery25hoursoftractor operation.

Battery Thebatteryissealedand ismaintenance-free.Acidlevelscannotbe

checked.

• Alwayskeepthebatterycablesandterminalscleanandfreeof

corrosivebuild-up. Aftercleaningthebatteryandterminals,applya lightcoatof

petroleumjelly orgreasetobothterminals.

• Alwayskeepthe rubberbootpositionedoverthepositiveterminal

to preventshorting.

iMPORTANT: If removingthebatteryforany reason,disconnectthe

NEGATIVE(Black)wirefromitsterminalfirst,followedby thePOSI- TIVE(Red)wire.Whenre-installingthebattery,alwaysconnectthe

POSITIVE(Red)wiretoits terminalfirst,followedbythe NEGATIVE (Black)wire.Becertainthatthewiresareconnectedtothe correct terminals;reversingthemcouldchangethe polarityandresultin damagetoyourengine'salternatingsystem.

Cleaning Battery Cleanthe batterybyremovingitfromthe tractorandwashingwith

a bakingsodaandwatersolution.Ifnecessary,scrapethebattery terminalswitha wirebrushto removedeposits.Coatterminalsand exposedwiringwithgreaseor petroleumjellytopreventcorrosion.

Battery Failures Somecommoncausesfor batteryfailureare:

Incorrectinitialactivation

• Overcharging

• Freezing

• Undercharging

• Corrodedconnections

Thesefailuresare NOTcoveredbyyourtractor'swarranty.

CLEANING THE ENGINE AND DECK

Anyfuel oroil spilledonthemachineshouldbewipedoffpromptly.Do NOTallowdebristoaccumulatearoundthecoolingfinsof theengine oron anyotherpartofthemachine.

IMPORTANT: Theuseof a pressurewashertocleanyourtractoris NOTrecommended.It maycausedamagetoelectricalcomponents, spindles,pulleys,bearingsor theengine.

A screwplugcanbefoundonyourtractor'sdecksurfaceasseenin Fig.14.Thisplugcan bereplacedwithawaterporttobeusedas part ofa separately-availabledeckwashsystem.

TheDeckWashSystemTM is usedtorinsegrassclippingsfromthe deck'sundersideand preventthe buildupof corrosivechemicals.

NOTE: A deckwash systemcanbe purchasedthroughtheretail locationinwhichyoupurchasedthis tractor.Formoreinformation,call

1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

2. Measurethedistancefromthe frontofthebladetip to theground andthe rearofthe bladetip totheground.Thefirstmeasure-

menttakenshouldbebetween1A"and3A"lessthanthe second measurement.Determinetheapproximatedistancenecessaryfor

properadjustmentandproceed,ifnecessary,tothe nextstep.

3. Locatetheflangelocknut onthefrontsideof the stabilizer

bracket.SeeFig. 15.

• Tightentheflangelocknutto raisethefrontof the deck;

• Loosentheflangelock nutto lowerthefrontofthedeck.

Figure14

ADJUSTMENTS

Neverattempttomakeanyadjustmentswhilethe engineisrunning, exceptwherespecifiedintheoperator'smanual.

Leveling the Deck NOTE: Checkthe tractor'stirepressurebeforeperforminganydeck

levelingadjustments.RefertoTiresin theServicesectionofthis manualformoreinformationregardingtirepressure.

Front To Rear Thefrontof thecuttingdeckis supportedbya stabilizerbarthatcan

beadjustedtolevelthedeckfromfrontto rear.Thefrontofthedeck shouldbebetween1A-inchand3A-inchlowerthantherearofthedeck.

Adjustif necessaryas follows:

1. Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,placethe lever forliftingthe platformonthesecondtothe topnotch(second highestposition)androtatethebladeas closeaspossibletothe dischargechannelthat isparalleltothetractor.

Figure15

Side to Side Ifthecuttingdeckappearstobe mowingunevenly,a sideto side

adjustmentcan beperformed.Adjustif necessaryasfollows:

1. Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,placethedecklift leverinthe secondfromthetopnotch(secondhighestposition)

and rotatebothbladessothattheyare perpendicularwiththe tractor.

2. Measurethedistancefromthe outsideoftheleft bladetipto the groundandthedistancefromtheoutsideof therightbladetip to theground.Bothmeasurementstakenshouldbeequal.Ifthey're

not,proceedtothenextstep.

3. Loosen,butdo NOTremove,thehexcapscrewontheleft deck

hangerbracket.SeeFig.16.

4. Balancethe deckbyusingawrenchtoturntheadjustmentgear

(foundimmediatelybehindthe hexcapscrewjustloosened)

clockwise/upor counterclockwise/down.Thedeck is properly

balancedwhenboth bladetipmeasurementstakenearlierare

equal.

5. Retightenthe hexcapscrewontheleftdeckhangerbracketwhen

properadjustmentisachieved.

HexCapScrew

Figure16

Seat Adjustment Refertothe Assemblysectionof thismanualforseatadjustment

instructions. Parking Brake Adjustment

Neverattempttoadjustthebrakeswhiletheengineis running.Always disengagePTO(bladeengage)lever,moveshiftleverintoneutral

3osifion,stopengineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

thetractordoesnot cometo a completestopwhenthe brakepedal iscompletelydepressed,or if the tractor'srearwheelscan rollwiththe parkingbrakeapplied,thebrakeis in needof adjustment.Contactthe nearest SearsService Centerto haveyourbrakesproperlyadjusted.

Tolocatethe nearest Parts&RepairServiceCenteror to schedule service,contact 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

CUTTING DECK REMOVAL

To remove the cutting deck, proceed as follows:

1. Placethe PTO(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)

positionandengagetheparkingbrake.

2. Lowerthe deck bymovingthe deck lift leverintothe bottom

notchon therightfender.

3. Removethe self-tappingscrew(A)thatsecuresthebelt-keeper

rodfromaroundthetractor'sPTOpulley,thenremovethebelt keeperrod(B). See Fig.17.

NOTE: Makea mentalnotewhatholetheotherendofthebelt-keeper rodisinsertedinforreinstallationpurposes.

4. Removethe belt(C)fromaroundthetractor'sPTOpulley.See

Fig. 17.

Figure17

Lookingatthecuttingdeckfromtheleftside ofthetractor,locate thebow-tiepinthatsecuresthedecksupportrodonthe rear left sideofthedeck.SeeFig.18.Removethe bow-tiepinthat securesthedecksupportrod,andcarefullyremovethe deck supportfromthedecklift arm.

Bow-TieClip

/ /

Figure18

6. Repeattheabovestepson thetractor'srightside. NOTE: Thebow-tieclipsshouldbe re-installedfromthetopdown.

7. Movethedecklift leverintothetopnotchon therightfenderto

raisethedecklift armsupandoutoftheway.

Avoidpinchinginjuries.Neverplaceyourfingersontheidlerspringor betweenthe beltanda pulleywhileremovingthebelt.

8. Removethebow-tiecotterpinsecuringthedeckstabilizerrodto thedeck.Slidethedecklift rodfromthemountingbracketon the deckasseenin Fig.19.

f -,

........,j_!_ _;_ _ .....,

The recommended operating tire pressure is:

Approximately10psiforthereartires Approximately14psiforthefronttires

IMPORTANT: Refertothetire sidewallforexacttiremanufacturer's recommendedormaximumpsi.Donotoverinfiate.Uneventirepres-

surecouldcausethecuttingdeckto mowunevenly. BATTERY

CaliforniaProposition65WARNING!Batteryposts,terminals,and relatedaccessoriescontainleadandleadcompounds,chemicals knownto the StateofCaliforniatocausecancerand reproductive harm.Washhandsafterhandling.

If removingthe battery,disconnecttheNEGATIVE(Black)wire

fromitsterminalfirst,followedbythe POSFIVE(Red)wire.When

re-installingthebattery,alwaysconnectthePOSITIVE(Red)wireto

ts termna f rst,fo owedby theNEGATVE (Back)wre.

JUMP STARTING

Figure19

CarefullyremovethePTOcablefromthe rearofthecuttingdeck byremovingthebow-tiecotter pinwhichsecuresit. Removethe springfromthe deckidlerbracket.SeeFig.20.

Neverjump startadamagedorfrozenbattery.Becertainthevehicles

do nottouch,andignitionsareoff. Donotallowcableclampsto touch.

1. Connectpositive(+)cableto positivepost(+)ofyourtractor's dischargedbattery.

2. Connectthe otherendofthecableto the(positive+)postofthe jumperbattery.

3. Connectthe secondcable(negative-) to theotherpostof the jumperbattery.

4. Connectthe otherendofthe negativecabletotheengineblockof thetractor,awayfromthe battery.Attachtoanunpaintedpartto assurea goodconnection.

Ifthejumper batteryis installedon avehicle(i.e.car,truck),do NOT

startthe vehicle'senginewhenjumpstartingyourtractor.

5. Startthe tractor(asinstructedearlierin thissectionof this

manual).

6. Setthetractor'sparkingbrakebeforeremovingthejumpercables,

inreverseorderof connection.

CHARGING

Figure20

10. Gentlyslidethe cuttingdeck(fromtheleft side)out from underneaththetractor.

TIRES

Neverexceedthemaximuminflationpressureshownonthesidewall oftire.

Batteriesgiveoffan explosivegaswhilecharging.Chargethebattery in a wellventilatedareaandkeepawayfroman openflameor pilot lightas ona waterheater,spaceheater,furnace,clothesdryeror othergas appliances.

Whenchargingyourtractor'sbattery,useonlyachargerdesignedforI

12Vlead-acidbatteries.Readyourbatterycharger_sOwner'sManualI priortochargingyourtractorsbattery.Alwaysfollowits instructions I

_andheed tswarnngs. J

Ifyourtractorhasnot beenputintouseforanextendedperiodoftime, chargethebatteryas follows:

1. Setyour batterychargerto deliveramaxof 10amperes. Ifyourbatterychargerisautomatic,chargethe batteryuntilthe

chargerindicatesthatchargingiscomplete.Ifthe chargerisnot automatic,chargefor nofewerthaneighthours.

FUSE

One20AMPfuseis installedinyourtractor'swiringharnesstoprotect thetractor'selectricalsystemfromdamagecausedbyexcessive

amperage. Iftheelectricalsystemdoesnotfunction,oryourtractor'senginewill

notcrank,firstchecktobecertainthatthe fusehasnotblown.It can befoundat therearoftheunit,underneaththe fenderlocatedbythe

battery.

Alwaysusea fusewiththesameamperagecapacityforreplacement.

CUTTING BLADES

Shutthe engineoffand removeignitionkeybeforeremovingthe cuttingblade(s)forsharpeningor replacement.Protectyourhands

_byusng heavygoveswhengraspngthebade.

Removethehexflangenut thatsecuresthebladetothespindle

assembly.SeeFig.21.

Toproperlysharpenthecuttingblades,removeequalamounts of metalfrombothendsofthe bladesalongthecuttingedges, paralleltothe trailingedge,ata 250.to300angle.Alwaysgrind eachcuttingbladeedgeequallytomaintainproperbladebalance. See Fig.22.

Periodicallyinspectthebladeand/or spindleforcracksor damage, especiallyafter you'vestrucka foreignobject.Donotoperatethe machineuntil damagedcomponentsare replaced.

Toremovetheblades,proceedasfollows.

1. Removethedeckfrombeneaththetractor,(referto CuttingDeck Removalearlierinthis section)thengentlyflipthedeckoverto exposeitsunderside.

2. Placea blockofwood betweenthecenterdeckhousingbaffle andthecuttingbladetoact asa stabilizer. SeeFig.21.

Figure 22

Ifthecuttingedgeof thebladehas previouslybeensharpened,or if

anymetalseparationispresent,replacethebladeswithnewones.

A poorlybalancedbladewillcauseexcessivevibration,maycause damageto thetractorand/orresultin personalinjury.

5. Testthe blade'sbalanceusinga bladebalancer.Grindmetalfrom theheavysideuntilit balancesevenly.

NOTE: Whenreplacingthe blade,be suretoinstallthebladewith the sideof theblademarked"Bottom"(orwitha partnumberstampedin it) facingthegroundwhenthemoweris intheoperatingposition.

Usea torquewrenchtotightenthebladespindlehexflangenut to between70Ibs-ftand90Ibs-ft.

CHANGING THE DECK BELT

Besureto shuttheengineoff,removeignitionkey,disconnectthe sparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengineto preventunin-

tendedstartingbeforeremovingthebelt.

Figure21

All beltsonyourtractoraresubjectto wearandshouldbereplacedif

anysignsof weararepresent.

iMPORTANT: TheV-beltfoundon yourtractorisspeciallydesigned

toengageanddisengagesafely.A substitute(non-OEM)V-beltcan bedangerousbynotdisengagingcompletely.Fora properworking machine,useidenticalequipmentbeltsas listedin thepartspagesof thisOperator'sManual.

Tochangeor replacethedeckbelt onyourtractor,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethedeckasinstructedearlierinthis section.

2. Removethebeltcoversfromthespindlepulleysby removingthe hexscrewsthatfastenthecoverstothe deck.SeeFig.23.

3. It mayalso benecessarytoloosenthehexnutson thedeckidler pulleysto getthebelt offofthe pulleyandaroundthebeltguard. Afterlooseningthedeckidlerpulleys,rotatethebelt guideoutof thewayon theleftidlerpulleytoremovethebelt.

4. Carefullyremovethedeckbeltfromaroundthe twospindle pulleysand thetwo deckidlerpulleys.SeeFig.23.

5. Toplacethenewbelt,beginby routingthebeltaroundthetwo outerspindlepulleysas shownin Fig.23.

6. Thenroutethebeltaroundthe twodeckidlerpulleysasshownin Fig.23.

7. Retightenthebeltkeeperrodloosenedearlier.

8. Remountthebeltguardsremovedearlier.

9. Re-installthedeck,makingsurethebeltremainsroutedaround thepulleysas instructed.Thecompletebeltroutingisshownin Fig.23.

10.

Pulltherightsideof thebelt,and placethe narrowVsideofthe beltintothePTOpulley.

11. Whileholdingthe belt andpulleytogether,rotatethe pulleytothe Idt. Continueholdingand rotatingthe pulleyandbeltuntilthebelt isfully rolledintothe PTOpulley.

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

Neverattempttoadjustthebrakeswhilethe engineisrunning.Always

disengagePTO(BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverintoneutral

3osition,stopengineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

Ifthetractordoesnotcometoa completestopwhentheclutch-brake pedaliscompletelydepressed,or if the tractor'srearwheelscan roll

withtheparkingbrakeapplied,thebrakeis inneedofadjustment.

Contactthe nearest Parts & RepairService Centerto haveyour brakesserviced.

Tolocatethe nearestParts& RepairServiceCenterorto schedule service,contact1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE

BELT

NOTE: Severalcomponentsmustbe removedandspecialtools(i.e. air/impactwrench)in ordertochangethetractor'sdrivebelt.Contact the nearest Parts& RepairService Centertohaveyourtransmis-

siondrivebeltserviced.

Tolocatethe nearestParts& RepairServiceCenterorto schedule service,contact1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

Figure 23

This portion of the belt routes around

the PTO Pulley

Neverstorelawntractorwithfuelintankindoorsor in poorly ventilatedareaswherefuelfumesmayreachan openflame,spark, or pilotlightasona furnace,waterheater,clothesdryer,or gas appliance.

PREPARING THE ENGINE

IMPORTANT:Fuelleftinthe fueltankduringwarmweatherdeterio-

ratesandwillcauseseriousstartingproblems.

Topreventgumdepositsfromforminginsidetheengine'scarburetor andcausingpossiblemalfunctionof theengine,thefuelsystemmust be eithercompletelyemptied,or thegasolinemustbetreatedwitha stabilizertopreventdeterioration.

1. Ifusingafuelstabilizer: a. Readtheproductmanufacturer'sinstructionsandrecom-

mendations.

b. Addtoclean,freshgasolinethecorrectamountof stabilizer

forthe capacityofthefuelsystem.

c. Fillthe fueltankwithtreatedfuelandruntheenginefor2-3

minutestogetstabilizedfuelintothecarburetor.

2. Ifemptyingthefuel system: a. Donotdrainfuel whentheengineishot.Allowtheengine

adequatetimeto cool.Drainfuelintoanapprovedcontainer outdoors,awayfromopenflame.

b. Drainanylargevolumeof fuelfromthetankbydisconnect-

ingthefuel linefromthein-linefuelfilterneartheengine. SeethecompleteinstructionsforDrainingTheFuellaterin

this section.

DRAINING THE FUEL

1. Locatethefuelfilter,whichislocatedon theleft sideofthe engine,andmaybeattachedtothe enginewitha tie strap.

2. Cutthetiestrap,if present,thenpinchthein-lineclamponthe fuelfilterwitha pairof pliers,slidethe clampupthefuelline.

3. Pullthe fuellinefreefromthefilterand placetheopenendofthe line intoanapprovedcontainerto drainthefuel.

PREPARING THE LAWN TRACTOR

1. Cleanandlubricatetractorthoroughlyas describedinthelubrica- tioninstructions.

2. Donotusea pressurewasherorgardenhosetocleanyourunit.

3. Storemowerin a dry,cleanarea.Donotstorenexttocorrosive materials,suchas fertilizer.

Gasolineisextremelyflammableandcan beexplosiveundercertain

conditions.Draingasolinebeforestoringtheequipmentfor extended

periods.Drainfuelonlyinto anapprovedcontaineroutdoors,away froman openflame.Allowenginetocool.Extinguishcigarettes, cigars,pipes,andothersourcesofignitionpriorto drainingfuel.

Storegasolineinan approvedcontainerinsafelocation.

c. Reconnectthefuellineandrunthe engineuntilit startsto

falter,thenusethe choketokeepthe enginerunninguntilall fuelinthe carburetorhasbeenexhausted.

d. Disconnectthefuellineanddrainany remaininggasoline

fromthesystem.

Gasolineisatoxicsubstance.Disposeofgasolineproperly.Contact yourlocalauthoritiesforapproveddisposalmethods.

3. Removethe sparkplugandpourone(1)ounceofengineoil throughthe sparkplugholeintothecylinder.Cranktheengine severaltimesto distributetheoil.Replacethesparkplug.

Enginefailstostart

1. PTO/BladeEngageleverengaged.

2. Parkingbrakenotengaged.

3. Sparkplugwire(s)disconnected.

4. Throttle/Chokecontrollevernotincorrect

4. PlaceThrottle/Chokeleverintothe FASTposition.

startingposition.

5. Chokenotactivated

6. Fueltankempty,or stalefuel.

7. Blockedfuelline.

8. Faultysparkplug(s).

9. Engineflooded.

10. BlownFuse(s)

Enginerunserratically

1. UnitrunningwithCHOKEactivated.

2. Sparkplugwire(s)loose.

3. Blockedfuellineor stalefuel.

4. Ventingascap plugged.

4. Clearventor replacecapifdamaged.

5. Waterordirtin fuelsystem.

6. Dirtyaircleaner.

Engineoverheats 1. Engineoillevellow. 1.

2. Airflowrestricted. 2.

Enginehesitatesat high RPM 1. Sparkpluggaptoo close. 1. Engineidlesrough 1. Sparkplugfouled,faultyor gaptoowide. 1.

2. Dirtyaircleaner. 2.

Excessivevibration

1. Cuttingbladelooseor unbalanced.

2. Damagedorbentcuttingblade.

Mowerwillnot mulchgrass

1. Enginespeedtoolow.

2. Wetgrass.

3. Excessivelyhighgrass.

Unevencut

4. Dullblade.

1. Decknotleveledproperly.

4. Sharpenorreplaceblade.

2. Dullblade.

3. Uneventirepressure.

1. Placeleverindisengaged(OFF)position.

2. Engageparkingbrake.

3. Connectwire(s)to sparkplug(s).

5. MovetheThrottle/Chokeleverintothe Choke position.

6. Filltankwithclean,fresh(lessthan30daysold)gas.

7. Replacethefuellineandreplacefuelfilter.

8. Clean,adjustgapor replaceplug(s).

9. Crankenginewiththrottlein FASTposition.

10. ReplaceFuse(s)

1. Deactivatethe CHOKE.

2. Connectsparkplugwire(s).

3. Replacethefuelline;filltankwithclean,fresh gasolineandreplacefuelfilter.

5. Drainfueltank.Refillwithclean,freshgasoline.

6. Replaceaircleanerpaperelementorcleanfoam pre-cleaner,ifequipped.

Fillcrankcasewithproperamountandweightof oil. Cleangrassclippingsanddebrisfromaroundthe

engine'scoolingfinsandhousing. Removesparkplugandresetthegap.

Replacesparkplug.Setpluggap. Replaceair cleanerelementand/orcleanpre-

cleaner.

1. Tightenbladeandspindle.

2. Replaceblade.

1. Placethrottlein FAST(rabbit)position.

2. Donotmulchwhen grassiswet.

3. Mowonceat a highcuttingheight,then mowagain atdesiredheightor makea narrowercuttingswath.

1. Performside-to-sidedeckadjustment.

2. Sharpenorreplaceblade.

3. Checktirepressureinallfourtires.

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Craftsman 247288831 Owner’s Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual