Operator's Manuam
4-Cycle
CULTIVATOR / EDGER
Model No. 316.29270.1
CAUTION: Before using
this product, read this
manuam and fom_ow am_
safety rumes and operating
instructions.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179, U.S.A.
Visit our website: www.sears.com/craftsman
P/N 769-00871A (10/04)
PRINTED IN USA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Warranty ................................. 2
Service Information ......................... 2
Rules for Safe Operation ..................... 3
Know Your Unit ............................ 6
Assembly Instructions ....................... 7
Oil and Fuel Information ...................... 8
Starting/Stopping Instructions ................ 10
Limited Warranty on Craftsman Cultivator / Edger
For two (2) years from the date of purchase, if this Craftsman Equipment is maintained, lubricated, and tuned up
according to the instructions to the operator's manual, Sears will repair or replace free of charge any parts found to be
defective in material or workmanship. Warranty service is available free of charge by returning Craftsman equipment to
your nearest Sears Service Center. In-home warranty service is available but a trip charge will apply. This Warranty
applies only while this product is in the United States.
This Warranty does not cover:
Expendable items which become worn during normal use, such as spark plugs, air cleaners, belts, and oil filters.
• Tire replacement or repair caused by punctures from outside objects, such as nails, thorns, stumps, or glass.
• Repairs necessary because of operator abuse, including but not limited to, damage caused by objects, such as stones
or metal debris, oversized stock, impacting objects that bend the frame or crankshaft, or over-speeding the engine.
Repairs necessary because of operator negligence, including but not limited to, electrical and mechanical damage
caused by improper storage, failure to use the proper grade and amount of engine oil, or failure to maintain the
equipment according to the instructions contained in the operator's manual.
Engine (fuel system) cleaning or repairs caused by fuel determine to be contaminated or oxidized (stale), In general,
fuel should be used within 30 days of its purchase date.
Equipment used for commercial or rental purposes.
Operating Instructions ...................... 11
Maintenance and Repair Instructions ........... 12
Cleaning and Storage ....................... 18
Troubleshooting Chart ...................... 19
Specifications ............................. 20
CARB / EPA Warranty Information ............. 22
Parts List .................... Inside Back Cover
TO LOCATE THE NEAREST SEARS SERVICE CENTER OR TO SCHEDULE SERVICE, SIMPLY CONTACT SEARS AT
1-800-4-MY-HOML ,
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.
CALiFORNiA PROPOSiTiON 65 WARNING
THE ENGINE EXHAUST FROM THIS
PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS
KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALiFORNiA
TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS
OR OTHER REPRODUCTIVE HARM.
SPARK ARRESTOR NOTE
NOTE: For users on U.S. Forest Land and in the
states of California, Maine, Oregon and Washington,
All U,S. Forest Land and the state of California (Public
Resources Codes 4442 and 4443), Oregon and
Washington require, by law that certain internal
combustion engines operated on forest brush and/or
grass-covered areas be equipped with a spark arrestor,
maintained in effective working order, or the engine be
constructed, equipped and maintained for the prevention
of fire. Check with your state or local authorities for
regulations pertaining to these requirements, Failure to
follow these requirements could subject you to liability or
a fine. This unit is factory equipped with a spark
arrestor, If it requires replacement, ask your LOCAL
SERVICE DEALER to install the Accessory Part
#180890 Spark Arrestor Kit.
Thepurposeofsafetysymbolsistoattractyour
attentionto possibledangers,Thesafetysymbols,
andtheirexplanations,deserveyourcarefulattention
andunderstanding.Thesafetywarningsdonotby
themselveseliminateanydanger,Theinstructionsor
warningstheygivearenotsubstitutesforproper
accidentpreventionmeasures,
SYMBOL MEANING
i SYMBOL MEANING
DANGER: Failure to obey a
result in serious injury to yourself or to
others. Always follow the safety precautions
to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and
personal injury,
safety warning will
SAFETY ALERT: Indicates
warning or caution. Attention is required in
order to avoid serious personal injury. May
be used in conjunction with other symbols
or pbtographs.
NOTE: Advises you of information or instructions vital to
the operation or maintenance of the equipment.
Read the Operator's Manual(s} and follow all
warnings and safety instructions.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury to the
operator and/or bystanders.
FOR QUESTIONS, CALL 1-8OO-4-MY-HOME
danger,
, IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS,
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE OPERATmNG
WARNING: When using the unit,
safety rules. Please read these instructions
Please keep these instructions for later use,
Read the instructions carefully, Be familiar with the
controls and proper use of the unit.
• Do not operate this unit when tired, iii, or under the
influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication,
Children and teens under the age of 15 must not use
the unit, except for teens guided by an adult.
• All guards and safety attachments must be installed
properly before operating the unit,
Inspect the unit before use. Replace damaged parts,
Check for fuel leaks. Make sure all fasteners are in
place and secure, Replace parts that are cracked,
chipped, or damaged in any way, Do not operate the
unit with loose or damaged parts,
you must follow the
WARNING: Fa,ureto obey a
resultininjuryto yourselfand others,
Always followthe safetyprecautionsto
reduce the riskof fire,electricshock and
personal injury,
CAUTION" Failureto obey a
result in property damage or personal injury
to yourself or to others. Always follow the
safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire,
electric shock and personal injury.
Carefully inspect the area before starting the unit,
Remove all debris and hard or sharp objects such as
glass, wire, etc,
Be aware of the risk of injury to the head, hands and
feet,
Clear the area of children, bystanders, and pets. At a
minimum, keep all children, bystanders, and pets
outside a 50 feet (15 m,) radius; there still may be a
risk to bystanders from thrown objects, Bystanders
should be encouraged to wear eye protection, If you
are approached, stop the unit immediately,
Squeeze the throttle control and check that it returns
automatically to the idle position, Make all adjustments
or repairs before using unit.
SAFETY WARNmNGS FOR GAS UNITS
WARNmNG: Oaso,ne shighly
vapors can explode if ignited, Take the
following precautions:
• Store fuel only in containers specifically designed and
approved for the storage of such materials.
• Avoid creating a source of ignition for spilled fuel. Do
not start the engine until fuel vapors dissipate.
safetywarning can
• safety warning may
flammable, and its
• Alwaysstoptheengineandallowittocoolbeforefilling
thefueltank.Neverremovethecapofthefueltank,or
addfuel,whentheengineishot.Neveroperatetheunit
withoutthefuelcapsecurelyinplace.Loosenthefuel
tankcapslowlytorelieveanypressureinthetank.
• Addfuelinaclean,well-ventilatedoutdoorareawhere
therearenosparksorflames.Slowlyremovethefuel
caponlyafterstoppingengine.Donotsmokewhile
fuelingormixingfuel.Wipeupanyspilledfuelfromthe
unitimmediately.Alwayswipeunitdrybeforeusing.
Movetheunitatleast30feet(9.1m)fromthefueling
sourceandsitebeforestartingtheengine.Donot
smokeorallowsparksandopenflamesnearthearea
whileaddingfueloroperatingtheunit.
WHmLE OPERATmNG
Never start or run the unit inside a closed room or
building. Breathing exhaust fumes can kill. Operate
this unit only in a well ventilated outdoor area.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles that are marked as
meeting ANSI Z87.1-1989 standards. Also wear
ear/hearing protection when operating this unit. Wear
a face or dust mask if the operation is dusty. Long
sleeve shirts are recommended.
, Wear heavy, long pants, boots and gloves. Do not
wear loose clothing, jewelry, short pants, sandals or
go barefoot. Secure hair above shoulder level.
• This unit has a clutch. The tines remains stationary
when the engine is idling. If it does not, have the unit
adjusted by an authorized service technician.
• Be sure the tines are not in contact with anything
before starting the unit.
• Use the unit only in daylight or good artificial light,
Avoid accidental starting. The operator and unit must
be in a stable position while starting. See
Starting/Stopping Instructions.
• Use the right tool. Only use this tool for the purpose
intended.
• Use extreme caution when reversing or pulling the unit
towards you.
• Do not overreach. Always keep proper footing and
balance. Take extra care when working on steep
slopes or inclines.
, Always hold the unit with both hands when operating.
Keep a firm grip on the grips.
Keep hands, face, and feet at a distance from all
moving parts. Do not touch or try to stop the tines
when they are rotating.
Do not touch the engine or muffler. These parts get
extremely hot from operation. They remain hot for a
short time after you turn off the unit.
Do not operate the engine faster than the speed
needed to cultivate. Do not run the engine at high
speed when you are not cultivating.
Always stop the engine when cultivating is delayed or
when walking from one cultivating location to another.
If you strike or become entangled with a foreign
object, stop the engine immediately and check for
damage. Do not operate before repairing damage. Do
not operate the unit with loose or damaged parts.
Stop and switch the engine to off for maintenance,
repair, or to install or remove the tines.
Use only original equipment manufacturer
replacement parts and accessories for this unit. These
are available from your authorized service dealer. Use
of any unauthorized parts or accessories could lead to
serious injury to the user, or damage to the unit, and
void your warranty.
Keep unit clean of vegetation and other materials.
They may become lodged between the tines and
guard.
To reduce fire hazard, replace faulty muffler and spark
arrestor, keep the engine and muffler free from grass,
leaves, excessive grease or carbon build up.
OTHER SAFETY WAR[ImN(:;S
• Never store the unit, with fuel in the tank, inside a
building where fumes may reach an open flame or
spark,
Allow the engine to cool before storing or transporting.
Be sure to secure the unit while transporting.
, Store the unit in a dry area, locked up or up high
to prevent unauthorized use or damage, out of the
reach of children.
Never douse or squirt the unit with water or any other
liquid. Keep handles dry, clean and free from debris.
Clean after each use. See the Cleaning and Storage
instructions.
Keep these instructions. Refer to them often and use
them to instruct other users. If you loan someone this
unit, also loan them these instructions.
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS
SAFETY AND _NTERNAT_ONAL SYMBOLS
This operator's manual describes safety and international symbols and pictographs that may appear on this product.
Read the operator's manual for complete safety, assembly, operating and maintenance and repair information.
SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL
Indicates danger, warning, or
_ SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL •
caution. May be used in conjunction
with other symbols or pictographs.
,' WARNING - READ OPERATOR'S
MANUAL
Read the Operator's Manual(s) and
follow all warnings and safety
instructions. Failure to do so can
result in serious injury to the
operator and/or bystanders.
WEAR EYE AND HEARING
PROTECTION
I
O
WARNmNG: Thrown
objects and loud noise can cause
severe eye injury and hearing loss.
Wear eye protection meeting ANSI
Z87.1-1989 standards and ear
protection when operating this unit.
Use a full face shield when needed.
MEANING
THROWN OBJECTS AND
ROTATING CUTTER CAN CAUSE
SEVERE iNJURY
WARNmNG: Donot
operate without the proper guards in
place. Keep away from the rotating
tines.
', ON/OFF STOP CONTROL
ON / START / RUN
ON/OFF STOP CONTROL
OFF or STOP
', CHOKE CONTROL
2 _ PARTIAL choke position.
3 _ RUN position.
', KEEP BYSTANDERS AWAY
WARNING: Keepa,
bystanders,especiallychildrenand
pets,atleast50 feet(I5 m.)fromthe
operatingarea.
UNLEADED FUEL
Always use clean, fresh unleaded fuel.
', OIL
Refer to operator's manual for the
proper type of oil.
HOT SURFACE WARNING
Do not touch a hot muffler or
cylinder. You may get burned. These
parts get extremely hot from
operation. When turned off they
remain hot for a short time.
GARDEN CULTIVATORS -
ROTATING TINES CAN CAUSE
SEVERE iNJURY
WARNING: Stop the
engine and allow the tines to stop
before installing or removing tines,
or before cleaning or performing any
maintenance. Keep hands and feet
away from rotating tines.
STARTER ROPE GRIP
The starterropegripisattachedtoan eyebo[tinthe
THROTTLE CONTROL
Squeezing the throttle control speeds up the engine and
engages the tines. Release the handle to stop the tines.
CHOKE CONTROL
The choke [ever is used to enrich the fuel mixture when
startinga coldengine.
PRIMER BULB
The primerbulbisused (inconjunctionwiththechoke
[ever)toenrichthefuelmixtureinthecarburetorwhen
startinga coldengine,
ON/OFF STOP CONTROL
The switch must be in the On ([) position to start the
engine, and in the Off (O) position to stop it,
HANDLEBAR KNOBS
The handlebarknobs areused tolocktheupper handle
in a set position.
FRONT HANDLE
Use the front handle to transport the cultivator.
WHEEL ADJUST BRACKET
The wheel adjustbracketisattachedto thetailpiece
bracket,[tisused toadjustthewheelshigheror tower.
EDGER WHEEL AND BLADE
The edgerwheeland Made areshippedunnattachedto
thecultivator.They areused forverticaledging,
STOP/OFF (0)
Throttle
Controm
//
START/ON ([}
The cultivator tines cultivate, furrow and prepare a
garden for seeding.
Muffler
\
Starter Rope Grip
Cultivator
Handmebar
Knob
Choke
Controm
Wheel Support
Bracket
Handlebar
Primer Bumb
Wheem
Edger
Blade
NOTE: This unit is shipped without gasoline or oil [n
order to avoid damage to the unit, refer to 0i/
and Fuel Information to put oHand gas in the
crankcase before attempting to start it.
NOTE: Before setting up your cuHtivator / edger,
disconnect the spark pHugwire from the spark
pHugand ground to a stud on the engine.
Positioning the Handlebars
1. Loosen the two knobs on the inside of the
handHebars (Fig. 1).
2. With the unit upright, swing the handHebars up into
the operating position (Fig. 1).
NOTE: Take care not to pinch the throttHe came or
switch wires when )ositioning the handHebar.
3. Tighten the knobs to secure the handHebars in pHace.
NOTE: Do not over-tighten the knobs.
Adjusting Tine Depth
To adjust the wheel support bracket proceed as follows:
1. Stop engine and disconnect spark plug to avoid
accidental starting.
2. Remove cotter pin from the clevis pin and slide pin
out of tailpiece bracket (Fig. 3).
3. Slide the wheel support bracket up or down in the
tailpiece, aligning the holes to the desire height.
4. Place the clevis pin through the hole and secure with
a cotter pin.
Clevis Pin. i_ /.
Cotter Pin _ /
Adjusting the Handmebar Height
1. Remove the knobs and mounting boHts and reinstall
them through either the top or bottom holes in the
handlebar assembly (Fig. 2) in order to adjust the
height of the handlebars.
2. Be sure to tighten the knobs to secure the
handlebars in place.
F_g. 1
Wheel
Support
Bracket
Tailpiece Bracket
F_g.3
Attaching the Edger Wheel And Blade
To convert the cultivator to an edger proceed as follows:
1. Push the On/Off switch to Off (O) position to stop
engine and tines and disconnect spark plug to avoid
accidental starting.
NOTE: [t may be necessary to lay the cultivator / edger
back in a horizontal position on a flat level surface
with the upper handle touching the ground.
2. Remove the click pin from each end of the tine shaft
and slide the tines off the shaft.
3. Slide the edger wheel, with the hub facing inward,
onto the right side of the tine shaft and secure with
the click pin in the inside hole (Fig. 4).
4. Slide the edger blade with the hub facing out onto
the left side of tine shaft and secure with the click pin
in the inside hole (Fig. 4).
5. Guide the edger blade along a flowerbed, sidewalk,
or driveway with the edger wheel along the outside
edge. Use the edger guide line to line up edger blade.
Top HoJe
Hand,ebars
Hand ebar -----_ _/iC (:_: .,._t f'_
Washer
z I::" Bottom HoJe
i
F_g.2
Edger Guide
Line
Hub
/
Edger Wheel
Click Pin
Edger Blade
F_g. 4
WARNING: OVERFULUNG OUL
CAUSE SERUOUS PERSONAL (NJURY.
Check and maintain the proper oU (eve( in
the crank case; it is important and cannot
be overemphasized. Check the oU before
each use and change it as needed. See
Changing the 0#.
CRANKCASE MAY
Recommeded OiJ Type
Using the proper type and weight of oUinthe crankcase is extremeHy important.
Check the oU before each use and change
the oU reguHaHy.Using incorrect or dirty oUcan cause
premature engine wear and faUure.
Use a high-quality SAE 30 weight oUof APJ (American
PetroHeum Institute) service class SF, SG, SH.
Adding OiJ to Crankcase: JnitiaJ Use
NOTE: This unit is shipped without oil. In order to avoid
damage to the unit, put oil in the crankcase
before attempting to start unit.
Your unit is supplied with one 3.4 fluid oz. (100 ml.)
bottle of SAE 30 SF, SG, SH oil (Fig. 5).
NOTE: Save the bottle to measure the correct amount
for future oil changes. See Changing the Off.
NOTE: Your new 4-Cycle cultivator is shipped for
operation in conditions above 40°F (4°C). For
cold weather operation, where temperatures
plummet below 40°F (4°C), use a high-quality
SAE 10W30 weight oil of API (American
Petroleum Institute) service class SF, SG, SH.
1. Unscrew the oil bottle top and remove the paper seal
covering the opening. Replace the top and cut the
tip off the funnel spout (Fig. 5).
2. Place the unit on a flat level surface with the
cultivator in a horizontal position (Fig. 6).
3. Remove the oil plug / dipstick from the crankcase
(Fig, 7).
4. Pour the entire bottle of oil into the oil fill hole
(Fig. 8).
NOTE: Never add oil to the fuel or fuel tank.
5. Remove the tag from oil fill plug / dipstick.
6. Wipe up any oil that may have spilled and reinstall
the oil fill plug / dipstick.
The importance of checking and maintaining the proper
oil level in the crankcase cannot be overemphasized.
Check oil before each use and change as specified in
the Maintenance Schedule.
4-Cyde Mof.or Oil
F_g.5
OHFHI _ _,\
F_g.6
F(()Pmug/Dipstick
Ho(e
F_g.7
F_g.8