Craftsman 358.796920 User Manual

,,,,,

operator's

manual

MODEL NO.

358.796920

Z_WARNING:

Carefully read and follow all

Safety Rules, Precautions
and Operating Instructions.

Failure to do so can result in

serious personal injury,

2 _©6® Eng_n®

o Assembly
o Operation

I

Fu®nU_x t 6:1

e Maintenance

Repair Parts

Sold by Sears, Roebuck and C()., Cllicago, IlL 60684 U.S.A.

, ,, ,,,

66517-3-24085-1-24085 PRINTEO IN U S A

TABLE OF

C@NTEN3=$

SAFETY RULES AND PRECAUTIONS .............. 3

KNOW YOUR UNIT ................................... 4

ASSEMBLY ........................................ 5

ENGINE INFORMATION ............................. 7

A, Fueling Your Unit............................ 7

B, Pre-Operation Checks ........................... 7

C Starting Instructions............................ 8

D. Engine Adjustments.......................... 9

USING YOUR UNIT AS A BLOWER ............... 10

A, Operating Instructions............................. 10

B_Operating Tips ........................... 10

SPECJFI©ATJ@N$

ENGINE TYPE:
DISPLACEMEN31
OPERATING RPM:
IGNITION:
CARBURETOR:
ON/OFF SWITCH:
STARTER:
FUELTANK:

2 Cycle Air Cooled

28.0cc
75008200
Solid State

All Position - Diaphragm
Positive Toggle Switch

Auto Rewind
400cc (13.5 fl, oz.)

USING YOUR UNIT AS A VACUUM

(Optional Accessory Kit)

A Operating Instructions
B. Operating Tips. . .

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

A, Air Filter Care
B Fuel Tank Upkeep

C, Starter Rope Repair
D. Storage.

ACCESSORIES
PARTS LIST

MUFFLER:

VELOCITY:

AIR VOLUME

SPARKPLUG:
SPARKPLUGGAP:

MODULE AIR GAP:

LUBRICATION:

LoTone

150mph

340 cu.ft./min.

CJ-8(Cat,No, 71-36403)

.024"- .027"

.010"- .014"
Gasoline/oil Mixtu're_ see Page7

11

11

12
12

12
12

13
13

14

STARTER ROPE

/HANDLE

;WITCH

2

Failure to follow all Safety Rules and Precautions could result in serious personal injury.

A. KNOW YOUR

1 Read your Operator's Manual carefully until you

completely understand and can follow all safety

rules, precautions, and operating instructions
before operating the unit.

2, Restrict your unit to users who understand and

follow all safety rules, precautions, and operating
instructions found in this manual,

PLAN AHEAD

1 Always wear eye protection to prevent recks or

debris from being blown or ricocheting into eyes
and face which can result in loss of vision or

serious personal injury.

2, Always wear a respirator or facemask when

working with the blower in dusty environments.

3, Dress safely in long pants. Do not wear loose

clothing, jewelry, short pants or sandals; or go barefoot

4 Do not operate the unit when you are tired, ill, or

upset; or if you are underthe influence of alcohol,

drugs, or medication.

5 Keepchlldren, bystandersandanimalsawayfrem

the work area, a minimum of 3Ofeet (lO meters),
when starting or operating the unit.

6 Inspectthearaabeforestartingtheunit. Removeall

debris and hard or sharp objects such as rocks, glass,

wire, etc that can be blown or cause damage during

operation. Asa vacuum, the unit is designed topick up
dry material such as leaves, grass, small twigs and bits
of paper. Do notvacuum stones, gravel, metal, broken
giass etc. to avoid severe damage to the impelle_ Do

not attempt to vacuum water or other liquids to
avoid damage to the engine.

C, NANDILI IFU ' = WSTH CAUTaON

1 Eliminate all sources of sparks or flame (including

smoking, open flames, orworkthat can causesparks)

in the areas where fuel ismixed, poured, or stored

2, Mix and pour fuel in an outdoor area; store fuel in

a cool, dry, wen,ventilatedplace; and use an
approved, marked container for all fuel purposes.

3. Do not smoke while handling fuel or while
operating the unit.

4 Do not fill the fuel tank while the engine isrunning

or strapped to the operator.

5 Wipe up all spills before starting the engine.
6_ Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from fuel and

fueling site before starting the engine_

D, OPERATE _'OUR UNgT SAFI_LY

1 Stoptheenginebeforeopeningthevacuuminlet

door or attempting to insert or remove the suction

tube. The engine must be stopped and the impeller

blades no longer turning to avoid contact with the

rotating blades

2_ Inspect the entire unit before each use for worn,

loose, or damaged parts. Do not use until the unit is

in proper working order.
3 Keep the outside surfaces free of oil and fuel.
4 Never start or run the engine inside aclosed room

or building. Exhaust fumes contain dangerous carbon

monoxide

5 Do not wear rubber or any other insulated gloves

when using the unit as a vacuum to avoid static

electricity shock.

6 Donotsettheunitonthegreundtostarttheengine

orwhile the engine isrunning. Debris such asgravel,
sand, dust, grass, etc could be picked up by the air
intake and thrown out through the discharge opening,

damaging the unit, property or causing serious

personal injury to bystanders or the operator

7 Avoid dangerous environments. Do not use in

unventilated areas or where explosive vapors or carbon
monoxide build up could be present

8 Do not overreach or use from unstable surfaces such

as ladders, trees, steep slopes, rooftops, etc Keep firm
footing and balance at all times

9 Never place objects inside t he blower tubes; always

direct the blowing debris away from people,
animals, glass, and solid objects such as trees,

automobiles, walls,etc The force ofair cancause rocks,
dirt, or sticks.to bethrown or to ricochet which can hurt

people or animals, break glass or cause other damage

10 Neverplaceanyobjectintheairlntakeopeningas

this could restrict proper air flow and cause damage to
the unit

11 Never run the unit without the proper equipment

attached. When used as a blower, always install a
blowertube When used asa vacuum, alwaysinstallthe
suction tube and collection bag Make sure the
collection bag assembly iscompletely zipped when the

unit isrunning to avoid flying debris

12 Always use the shoulder strap attached to the

collection bag when vacuuming to avoid loss of

controJ

13 Never use for spreading or misting chemicals, fer-

tilizera or toxic substances.

14 Avoid situations that could catch the collection

bag on fire. Do not operate near an open flame Do
not vacuum warm ash from fireplaces, barbecue pits,

brush piles, etc_Do not vacuum discarded cigars or
cigarettes unless cinders are completely cool

15,

Use only for jobs explained in this manual.

E. MA"NTADN YOUR UNliT PROPERLY

1oMaintain the unit according to recommended

procedures.

2, Disconnect spark plug before performing

maintenance except for carburetor adjustmenL

3 Use only genuine replacement parts as recom-

mended by Sears to avoid creating a hazard and/or
voiding your warranty.

4 Check air intake openings and blower tubes fre-

quently, always with the engine stopped. Keep
vents and tubes free of debris which can accumulate

and restrict proper air flow

5 Never make engine adjustments with the unit

strapped to the operator.

6. Drain fuel frem the fuel tank before storing for 30 or
more days.

7 Do not use any accessory or attachment other

than those supplied by Sears for use with this par-
ticular uniL

8 Do not store the unit or fuel in a closed area where

fuel vapors can reach sparks or an open flame from

hot water heaters, furnaces, etc.

9 Store in a dry area out of the reach of children.

3

NOW YOUR UNIT

A, _NTRODUCT_ON B. UNPACKONG mNSTRUCTqONS

Your unit is a high performance product designed for
tough jobs.

Special Features Include:

= One-handed Operation
o Direct Drive

o Vibration Dampened Handle
° Weight- 1151bs.

= Convenient Upright Storage

Easy Conversion to Vacuum Capability with the

Optional Accessory Kit #71-79991.

CARTON CONTENTS:

KEY NO. QTY.

1 Engine Assembly 1

2 Blower Tube 1 4
3 Nozzle 1 f_l

4 8 oz.,2-cycle Engine Oil 1

-- Operator's Manual - 1
(Not Shown)

Your unit has been carefully packed at the factory to
preventdamage during shipping and storage, Carefully

unpack the carton as follows:

1 Remove corrtents from the carton_

2. Check parts against the list below

3. Examine parts for damage

4 Notify your Sears Store immediate/y if a part is

missing or damaged,

1

3

/

SPECIAL NOTICE

For users onU.S. Forest Land and in thestates of California, Maine, Oregon and Washington. All US ForestLand and

the statesofCaUfornia(PublicResourcesCodes 4442 and4443), Oregon and Washington require,by law,thatcertaininter-

nalcornbustion enginesoperated onforest, brushand/or grass-coveredareas beequipped withasparkarrestor, maintained
ineffectiveworkingorder,orthe enginebe constructed,equipped andmaintained forthe preventionoffire. Check withyour

state orlocal authoritiesfor regulationspertainingtothese requirements.Failuretofollow these requirementscouldsubject
youtoliability ortoa fine. This unit is not factory-equipped with aspark arrestor. Ifthese items are required inyourarea,

ask yourdealer toinstallPart# 69207.

Your Operator's Manual has been developed to help
you assemble the unit and to understand its safe opera-

tion It is important that you read your manual com-
pletely to become familiar with the unit before you begin
assembly,

1. READ YOUR OPERATOR'S MANUAL,
2_ No tools are required to assemble your blower,

KNOB

BLOWER TUBE

B. BLOWER ASSEMBLY

1 Thread the nozzle onto the blower tube and firmly

tighten,

2 Slide the blower tube and nozzle assembly into the

engine housing until it bottoms out (approximately 2-t/2
inches) Figure 1_

3, Align theblower assembly sothat itispointing uptoward

the handle as shown in Figure 1.

4, Secure the blower assembly by tightening the knob

shown in Figure 1 until hand-tight

Co VACUU_ COHVERSION

Your blower enginecan be adapted to vacuum capability
with the properinstallation of the optional Vac Attachment

Kit, Stock No_71-79991. available through your Sears
Store, Follow the assembly instructions below:

o Kit Contents:

-- Suction Tube

-- Clamp w/Screw

-- 2 Bushel. Heavy Duty Collection Bag w/Shoulder Strap

--Adjustable Shoulder Strap (for engine)

o The only tool you will need is aslotted screwdriver.

NOZZLE

\

NORMALANGLEOFDISCHARGE

Figure 1

BOTTOM

VIEW

THUMB

_NUT

VACUUM

INLET DOOR

_WARNING

Stop engine before opening the vacuum inlet door or
attempting to insert or remove the suction tube. The

engine must be stopped and the impeller blades no

longer turning to avoidcontact with the rotating blades.

1 Stop Engine

2 Loosen the knob (Figure 1)and remove the blowertube

from the engine

3 Set the unit on a flat surface as shown in Figure 2,

and unthread the thumb nut holding the vacuum inlet

door closed

4 Using a screwdriver, unthread the screw holding the

clamp together and separate the ends of the clamp,

5 Hold open the vacuum inlet door and slide one end of

the open clamp under the vacuum inlet door hingeand

around the clamping ring on the housing as shown in
Figure 3.

Figure 2

CLAMPING RING_

//

IMPELLER

VACUUM

Figure 3

6, Reinstall the loose end of the clamp and turn the clamp

screwwith ascrewdriver to loosely secure the clamp onto
the unit

NOTE: Observe that one end of the suction tube is cut at
an angle and the other end is straight,

7, Hold open the vacuum inlet door and slide the straight

end of the suction tube into the opening until itbottoms
out (about 3/4 inch). Figure 4,

/

NOTE: Make sure the warning decal and shorter angle
of the suction tube is aligned with the blower' outlet as
shown in Figure 4.

8. Secure the suction tube bytightening the clamp screw
with a screwdriver,

9. Slide the collection bagtube into theblower opening until

it bottoms out (about 2-1/2inches). Figure 5,

10, Align the notch on the collection bag tube with the center

seam of the blower outlet as shown in Figure 5, then
secure the collection bag tube to the engine with the
knob until tland-tighL

11 Shoulder Strap Adjustments

a Itiseasiertoput on thecollectionbag strap first, then

the engine strap, clipping the strap to the engine

last Figure 6_

b Tryon boththe collection bagand the engine shoulder

straps and adjust for comfort before starting the
engine

c. Make sure the collection bag strapis adjusted toallow

a free flow of air from the elbow tube as shown in
Figure 7.Ifthe bag is kinked,the unit will not operate

properly.

d Adjust the engine strap to support the weight of the

engine leaving the hands free to guide the unit,

WARNING DECAL VACUUM INLET DOOR

Figure 4

KNOB

Figure 5

RING

NOTE: The controls on the engineare directed for-
ward when the unit is used as a vacuum See

operating position in Figure 14,page 11

Z_WARNING

Do not use the unit as a vacuum without the suction
tube and collection bag properly attached to avoid

flying debris and/or impeller contact which can
cause serious personal injury. Always make sure the

collection bag is completely zipped before the
engine is started.

DoB -OWER CONVERSaON

! Stop engine,

2 loosen the screw and knob on the clamps, ther]

remove suctiontube and collection bag assembly.

3 Secure the vacuum inletdoor closed by aligning the

thumb nut on the door over the threaded stud on
the engine housing and turning tile thumb nut until

fingePtighL

4 Reinstall blower tube as shown on page 5

[CAUTION: ! Over tightening the clamp screw can

break the housing clamping ring. Retighten the
clamp screw just enough to snugly secure the
clamp on the housing.

Figure 6

BAG KINKED

WAY WRONGWA'_/

Figure 7