Craftsman 358798540, 358798570 Owner’s Manual

atorlS Manual_

CRRFTSMRN°

1.46 cu. in./24cc 2-Cycle 17 Inch Cutting Path /.080 In. Line

GASOLINE WEEDWACKER _

Model No.

358.798540

358.798570

WARNING:

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 USA

530-084027 03/22/96

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions before first use of this product.

For answers to your questions about this product: Call 7 am-7 pm, Mon-Sat; Sun, 10 am-7 pm

1-800-235-5878

Warranty Statement 2 Storage Safety Rules 2 TrOUbleshooting Chart

Assembly 4 : Repair Parts List Operation 5

Maintenance 9 Spanish Service & Adjustments 10 Parts and Ordering

FULL ONE YEAR "WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN GAS POWERED WEEDWACKER ® LINE TRIMMER

For one year from the date of purchase, when this Craftsman Gas Powered

Weedwacker® Line Trimmer is maintained, lubricated, and tuned Up according to the operating and maintenance instructions in the operator's manual, Sears will

repair, free of charge, any defect in material or workmanship.

This warranty excludes nyton line, spark plug, and air filter, which are expendable parts and become worn during normal use.

If this Weedwacker® Line Trimmer is used for commercial purposes, this warranty applies for only 90 days from the date of purchase. If this Weedwacker® Line Trim-

mer is used for rental purposes, th s warranty applies for or_!y30 days from the date of purchase. This warranty applies only while this pr0duct is in use in the United

States. WARRANTY SERVICEIS AVAILABLEBY RETURNINGTHE WEEDWACKER® LINE

TRIMMER TO THE NEAREST SEARS SERVICECENTER INTHE UNITED STATES. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may atso have other rights

which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. Dept. D/817WA Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Back Cover

11 12 13

WARNING: When using gardening appliances, basic safety precautions

must always be followed to reduce the risk of fire and serious injury. Read and

follow all instructions. Safetyinformationonthe unit

This power unit can be dangerous!

Operator is responsible for following _ DANGER: Never use blades or flailing instructions and.warnings on unit and devices. This unit is designed for line.i

in manual. Read entire Operator's trimmer use only. Use of any other ac- Manual before using unit! Be thorough- cessories or attachments will increase ly familiar wi{h the controls and the ' the risk of injury. proper use of the unit. Restrict the use

of this unit to persons who have read, understand, and will follow the instruc-

tions and warnings on the unit and in WARNING: Trimmer line throws ob- the manual. Never allow children to jects violently. You and others can be

operate this unit. - :.... blinded/injured. Wear eye and leg

protection. Keep body parts clear of

rotating line. Keep children, bystand-

ers,andanimals50feet(15m)away. • UseonlyrecommendedCraftsman

Ifapproached,stopunitimmediately, accessoriesandreplacement parts.

Eye Protection FUEL SAFETY

_---'_- * Mix and pour fuel outdoors.

/ /Hazard/one \ • Keep away from sparks or flames.

il_-.._j.. _ • Use a container approved for fuel:

_._/"_. _'_4 • Do not smoke or allow smoking near

_ doots"B & \'_ 50 ft. \, /71, fuel or the unit. .i

• If situations occur which are not cov-i: : :awayfrom fue ing site before starting

ered in this manual, use Care and ........engine. :_ _-:i _'.

good judgement. If you need assis- • Stop engine and allow to cool before lance, contact Sears Service or call the !-800 number listed on the front of

this manual.

OPERATOR SAFETY

• Always wear safety eye protection.

• Always wear long pants, long

sleeves, boots, and gloves. Wearing

safety leg guards is recommended. Do not go barefoot or wear sandals.

Stay clear of spinning line.

• Secure hair above shoulder length. Secure or remove loose clothing or clothing with loosely hanging ties, straps, tassels, etc. They can be caught in moving parts.

• Do not operate when you are tired, ill, orunder the influence of alcohol,

drugs, or medication.

• Wear hearing protection if you use unit for more than 1-1/2 hours per

day.

• Never start or run inside a closed room or building. Breathing exhaust

fumes can kill.

• Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

UNIT / MAINTENANCE SAFETY

• Disconnect the spark plug before

performing maintenance except car-

buretor adjustments.

• Look for and replace damaged or loose parts before each use. Look

for and repair fuet leaks before use. Keep in good working condition.

• Replace trimmer head parts that are chipped, cracked, broken, or dam-

aged in any other way before using

the unit.

• Make sure unit is assembled correct-

ly as shown in this manual.

• Make carburetor adjustments with

lower end supported to prevent line

from contacting any object.

• Keep others away when making car- buretor adjustments.

"__'_i , Wipe up all fuel spitls.

:/:_:_* :Move at least:_10feet (3 meters) '._:

removing fuel cap.

CUTTING SAFETY

• Use only for trimming, mowing, edg- ing, and sweeping. Do not use for

pruning or hedge trimming.

• inspect the area before.each use.

Remove objects (rocks, broken g_ass, nails, wire, etc.) which can be

thrown by or become entangled in line. Hard objects can damage the trimmer head and be thrown causing serious injury.

• Keep firm footing and balance. Do

not overreach.

• Keep all parts of your body away

from muffler and spinning line. Keep engine below waist level: A hot muf-

fler can cause serious burns.

• Cutting on left side of the shield will throw debris away from the operator.

TRANSPORTING AND STOR- AGE

• Allow engine to Cool; secure unit be-

fore storing or transporting in vehicle.

• Empty the fuel tank before storing or transporting the unit. Use up fuel left in the carburetor by starting the en- gine and letting it run until it stops.

• Store unit and fuel in area where fuel

vapors cannot reach sparks or open flames from water heaters, electric

motors or switches, furnaces, etc.

• Store unit so line limiter cannot acci- dentally cause injury. The unit can be

hung by the tube.

• Store unit out of reach of children.

° If situations occur which are r,ot cow

ered in:this manual, use care and

good judgment. If you need assis- tance, call the 1-800 number listed on

the front of this manual.

SPECIAL NOTICE: This unit is not

equipped with a temperature limiting

• 3

muffler and spark arresting screen

which meets the requirements of Cali- fornia Codes 4442 and 4443. All U.S. forest land and the states of California,

Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New JerSey,

Oregon, and WashingtOn require by

law that many internal combustion en-

gines be equipped with a spark arres-

CARTON CONTENTS Check carton contents against the fol-

lowing list. Model 358,798540

° Trimmer ° Shield

• Assist Handle

• Wing Nut (attached to shield) , Container of Oil

Model 358.798570

• Trimmer

- Shield

- Assist Handle ° Wing Nut (attached to shield)

. Container of Oil

• Spool with 20 ft. of line . One gallon gasoline container ° Pair of gloves

° Bulk line - 200 feet Examine parts for damage. Do not use

damaged parts. NOTE: Ifyou need assistance or find

parts missing or damaged, call the

1-800 number listed on the front of this

manual. It is normal for the fuel filter to rattle in

the empty fuel tank. Finding fuel or oil residue on muffler is

normal due to carburetor adjustments and testing done by the manufacturer.

ASSEMBLY

:WARNING: If received assembled,

repeat all steps to ensure your unit is properly assembled and all fasteners

are secure. Ber sure to assemble the handle to the

unit before you assemble the shield.

ATTACHING THE HANDLE

(some units are already assembled)

WARNING: Make sure unit is properly assembled and all fasteners are secure.

tor screen. If you operate in a locale where such regulations exist, you are legally responsible for installing and maintaining the operating condition of:. these parts. Failure to do so is a viola_

tion of the law: Refer tothe MAINTE-

NANCE section in this manual. :

j.7-6

Make sure knob isassembled on this side.

• Assemble handle to the unit asshown; make sure bottom of handle is seated

in the groove inthe trigger housing.

NOTE,: Adjustment knob must be as- sembled on the side of the unit oppo-

site the operator's position.

• Pivot handle to acomfortable position. Tighten handle securely.

ATTACHING SHIELD

WARNING: The shield must be prop-

erly installed. The shield provides partial protection from the riskofthrownobjects

to the operator and others and is

equippedwith a line ]imiter which cuts excess line to the properlength.The line

limiter(on undersideof shield) is sharp and can cutyou. For proper orientation,

see illustratio_in Operation section. ° Remove wing nut from shield.

• Insert bracket into s!ot as shown.

• Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole in bracket.

° Securely tighten wing nut onto bolt,

Shield J

_ __"_ Bracket

_'_ Slot

KNOWYOURTRIMMER

READTHISOPERATOR'SMANUALAND SAFETYRULESBEFOREOPERATINGYOUR

UNIT.Compare the illustrations with your unit to familiarize yourself with the location of the various controls and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

i,,dr,._ Assist Handle

Tube

Engine Stop _' Throttle Trimmer Switch Trigger Head

Starter _ Debris Rope Shield

ENGINE STOP SWITCH

The engineStopswitch is used to stop the

engine. Push and hold the engine stop switch in the STOP or OFF position until the engine has fully stopped.

PRIMER BULB

The primer bulb removes air from the fuel lines and fills them wlth fuel. This

allows you to start the engine with few- er pulls on the starter rope. Activate

Spark Plug

Choke Lever

Primer

Bulb

Fuel Mix Fill Cap

the primer bulb by pressing it and al-

lowing it to return to its original form.

CHOKE

The choke helps to supply fuel to the carburetor during starting. This allows

you to start a c0ld engine. Activate the

choke by moving the choke lever to the Full position. After the engine has started, move choke to the Off position.

Line Limiter Blade

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE

WARNING: Be sure to read the fuel

information in the safety rules before you begin. If you do not understand

the safety rules, do not attempt to fuel

your unit. Call the 1-800 number listed

on the front ofthis manual.

FUELING ENGINE

This engine is certified to0perate on

unleaded gasoline. Before operation, gasoline must be mixed with a good

quality 2-cycle air-cooled engine oil. We recommend Craftsman brand oil.

Mix gasoline and oil at a ratio of 40:1 (A 40:I ratio is obtained by mixing 3.2 ounces of oil with 1 gallon of unleaded

gasoline). DO NOT USE automotive oil or boat oi!.These oilswill cause

engine damage. When mixing fuel, follow instructions printed on container.

Once oil is added to gasoline, shake Container momentarily to assure that

the fuel is thoroughly mixed. Always

read and follow the safety rules relating to fuel before fueling your unit.

IMPORTANT Experience indicates that alcohol

blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract mois- ture which leads to separation and formation ofacids during storage.

Acidic gas can damage the fuel sys-

tem of an engine while in storage. Toavoid engine problems, empty fuel

system before storage for 30 days or longer. Drain gas tank, start engine and

let it run until fuel lines and carburetor

are empty. Use fresh fuel next season.

Never use engine or carburetor clean- er products in the fuel tank or perma- nent damage may occur.

See:theSTORAGEsectionforaddition-:_ alinformation.

HOWTOSTOP YOUR UNIT

Push and hold the engine stop switch in the STOPor OFF position until the unit has fully stopped.

STARTING YOUR ENGINE

Engine Stop

Switch

HOW TO START YOUR UNIT

WARNING: Thetrimmerhead willturn whilestarting the engine.A hot muffler

cancauseserious burns. COLD ENGINE STARTING OR

STARTING AFTER REFUELING

• Set uniton a flat surface.

• Slowly press the primer bulb 6 times.

• Move knob to FULL choke position.

Choke Lever

Starting Position

Knob

• OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1-800 number listed onthe front of

this manual,

OPERATING POSITION

ALWAYS WEAR: '4-'- Eye Protection

Long Pants -._

Heavy Shoes-t=

Cut from your right I left.

Do not run the engine at a higher speed than necessary. The cutting line will cut efficiently when the engine is run at less than full throttle. At lower speeds, there is less engine noiseand vibration, The cutting line will last longer and will be less likely to "weld" onto the spool.

Always release the throttle trigger and allow the engine to return to idle speed when not cutting.

To stop engine:

• Release the throttle trigger.

• Push and hold the engine stop switch in the STOP or OFF position

until the unit has fully stopped.

TWIST-N-EDGE

• Pull the tab toward the engine.

• Twist the tube to the edging position; release tab.

Trigger

Bulb

• Squeeze and hold trigger through all remaining steps.

• Pull starter handle until engine at-

tempts to start, but no more than 5

pulls.

• Move knob to HALF choke position.

• Pull starter handle until engine runs,

• Allow engine to run 10 seconds, then

move knob to OFF choke position.

RESTARTING A WARM ENGINE

• Move knob to OFF choke position.

• Pull starter handle until engine starts,

° If engine does not start in 5 puI]s, fol-

low instructions in STARTING A COLD ENGINE.

If the unit still doesn't start, refer to TROUBLESHOOTING chart or call the

Tab

TRIMMER LINE ADVANCE

Trimmer line will advanceapproxi- mately 2 in.(5 cm)eachtimebottomof

trimmerhead istapped ontheground withenginerunningatfull throttle. Themostefficientlinelengthisthe

maximumlengthallowedbyline limiter. Always keep theshield in placewhen

thetoolis being operated. ToAdvance Line:

• Operate the engineatfull throttle.

• Holdthetrimmerhead parallelto and abovethe grassy area.

• Tapthe bottom of the trimmer head

lightly on the ground one time. Ap-

proximately.2 in. (5 cm) of line will be advanced with each tap.

To advance line, tap bottomof trimmer

headon ground one time.

Line limiter cuts line : proper length.

Always tap the trimmer head on a grassy area. Tapping on surfaces such

as concrete or asphalt can cause ex- cessive wear to the trimmer head,

If line is wom down to 2 in. (5 cm) or less, more than one tap will be required

to obtain the most efficient line length. WARNING: Use only .080" (2 mm)

diameter line. Other sizes of line wil!

not advance properly and can cause serious injury. Do not use other materi- als such as wire, string, rope, etc. Wire can break off during cutting and be- come a dangerous missile that can cause seriou s injury.

CUTTING METHODS WARNING: Use minimum speed and

do notcrowdthe linewhencutting aroundhardobjects(rock,gravel,

fence posts,etc.), whichcan damage thetrimmerhead, becomeentangled

inthe line,or be throwncausinga seri-

ous hazard.

• The tip ofthe linedoes the cutting. You willachievethebest perform- anceand minimumlinewear by not crowdingtheline intothe cutting area. The right andwrongwaysare

shownbelow.

Tip of the Line I

_--_-,_j_.,

Right ___I

• The line will easily remove grass and

weeds from around walls, fences, trees and flower beds, but it also can

cut the tender bark of trees or shrubs and scar fences. To help avoid dam-

age especially to delicate vegetation

or trees with tender bark, shorten line

LineCrowded Into

Work Area

Wrong

to4-5 in. (.10-13 cm) and Use at less than fuIIthrottle. _ ::

• For trimming or scalping, use less than full throttle to increase line life ;

and decrease head wear, especially:

• During light duty cutting.

• Near 0bjectsaround which the line

can wrap such as small posts, trees or fence wire.

• For mowingor sweeping,use full

throttle for a"good clean job.

WARNING::AIways wear eye protec- tion. Never lean over the trimmer head.

Rocks or debris can ricochet or be thrown into eyes and face and cause

blindness or other serious injury. TRIMMING - Hold the bottom of the

trimmer head about 3 in. (8 cm) above

the ground and at an angle. Allow only the tip of the line to make contact. Do

not force trimmer line into work area.

Trimming

SCALPING - The scalping technique removes unwanted vegetation. Hold

the bottom of the trimmer head about 3

in. (8 cm) above the ground and at an angle. Allow the tip of the line to strike the ground around trees, posts, monu- ments, etc. This technique increases

line wear.

MOWING - Your trimmer is ideal for mowing in places conventional lawn

mowers cannot reach. In the mowing

position, keep the line parallel to the ground. Avoid pressing the head into

the ground as this can scalp the ground and damage the too!.

Mowing J_

,,,4¢V,_i#' t',

SWEEPING-Thefanningactionof

rotatinglinecanbeusedforaquick andeasycleanup.Keep.lineparallel toandabovethesurfacesbeingswept

andmovethetoolfromsidetoside.

EDGING- TheTwist-N-Edgefeature allowsforeasyedgingofsidewalks,

patios,driveways,etc.Adjusttrimmer totheedgingposition.Allowonlythe tipof the line to make contact. Do not

force trimmer line into work area.

Edging __

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

CARE & MAINTENANCE TASK

Check for Loose fasteners and parts Check for damaged or worn parts

Clean unit and labels Clean air filter Replace spark plug

WHEN TO PERFORM

Before each use Before each use

After each use

Every 5 hours of Operation

Yeaffy

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The warranty on this unit does not cov- er items that have been subjected to

operator abuse or negligence. To re- ceive full value from the warranty, the operator must maintain unit as instruct- ed in this manual. Various adjustments will need to be made periodically to

properly maintain your unit.

CHECK FOR LOOSE FASTENERS AND PARTS

• SparkPlug Boot

- Air Filter

- HousingScrews = Assist HandleScrews

• DebrisShieldScrew CHECK FOR DAMAGED OR

WORN PARTS

Refer replacement of damaged/worn

parts to your Sears Service Center. =Engine Stop Switch - Ensure switch

functions propedy bypressing and holding the switch in the "Stop" posi- tion, Make sure engine stops; then restart engine and continue.

• Fuel Tank - Do not use unit iffuel tank shows signs of damage or leaks.

• Debris Shield- Discontinue use of unit if debds shield is damaged.

CLEAN UNIT & LABELS

• Clean the unit using a damp cloth

with a mild detergent.

° Wipe off unitwith a clean dry cloth. CLEAN AIR FILTER

Do not clean filter in gasoline or other flammable solvent to avoid creating a

fire hazard or producing harmful evap-

orative emissions.

A dirty air filter decreases engine per- formance and increases fuel consump-

tion and harmful emissions. Always clean after every 5 hours of operation.

• Clean the cover and the area around it to keep dirt and debris from falling

into the carburetor chamber when

the cover is removed,

• Remove parts as illustrated.

o Wash the filter in soap and water. ° Allow filter to dry.

• Replace parts.

,_Fi|ter

Cover

REPLACE SPARK PLUG Replace the spark plug each year to

ensure the engine starts easier and runs better. Set spark plug gap at

.025 in. Ignition timing is fixed and

nonadjustable.

= Twist, then pull off spark plug boot. = Remove spark plug from cylinder

and discard.

- Replace withChampion RCJ-8Y spark plug and tighten with a 3/4 in. socket wrench (10-12 ft.-Ibs).

* Reinstall the spark plug boot.

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