Craftsman 917372451 Owner’s Manual

MODELNUMBER917'.37245

_Assembly °Operation

°Maintenance oService

eAdjustments _RepairParts

OWNER'SMANUAL

Caution:

ReadandFollow

all Safety Rules and Instructions

BeforeOperating This Equipment

....................................................... ,,,, i i iill i ,11i,iii,iiiii

SAFETYRULES

CAUTION: ALWAYS DISCONNECT SPARK PLUG WIRE AND PLACE WIRE

,_ WHERE tT CANNOT CONTACT SPARK PLUG TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL ,_

sT T,.Gw. NS T ,NG-U . ADJUS ,NG AK,NG

TOYOU AW.MOWE

IMPORTANT

FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRE OPERATOR PRESENCE BLADE STOP CONTROLS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF BLADE CONTACT INJURY. YOUR LAWN MOWER IS EQUIPPED WITH SUCH CONTROLS. DO

NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THE FUNCTION OF THE OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL UNDER ANY

CIRCUMSTANCES_

° BE CAREFUL-WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUN-

NING THE BLADE IS TURNING,,

• Please read your owner's manual Only allow persons who know the safety rules to use your

lawn mower.

• DO NOT tie the engine control bar to the han-

dle_ Control must be free to permit brake engagement when handles and control are

released.

,D)tOO NOT allow children to use your lawn

mower_

° Check your lawn mower over before each use,

Tighten any loose bolts, nuts, etc.

= Remove all sticks,stones, wires, cans, boards,

etc, from area to be mowed. These objects can be thrown by the blade_

• DO NOT allow children, bystanders or pets in

the area -while mowing.

° Always wear shoes when mowing DO NOT

operate lawn mower when barefoot or wear-

ing open sandals.

• _tways wear safety glasses or eye shields

before starting your lawn mower' and while

mowing.

= Always shut off engine before trying to adjust

whee/heights.

• When engine is running, DO NOT put hands

or feet under lawn mower or in the discharge chute, nor make any adjustments.

• Stay clear of discharge opening at all times_

= Do not fill gas tank when engine is running,

when indoors or when engine is hot. Allow engine to coot for several minutes before fill-

ing gas tank. Clean off any spilled gasoline before starting engine.

o Mow only in goodlight_

• Always stop blade when not cutting grass or when crossing gravel drive, sidewalk, or'

roadway_

° DO NOT continue to run your lawn mower if

c_ou hit a foreign object. Stop the engine,

isconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug, inspect the lawn mower' for damage and make repairs as required.

• DO NOT usea damaged lawn mower. Always have damage repaired before mowing°

• DO NOT run your lawn mower if it vibrates too much. Stop engine and make repairs.

Vibration is an indication of damage_

• Never use your lawn mower without proper

guards or deflectors in place.

• Always mow across a slope or inclined area.

DO NOT mow up or down a slope or inclined

area.

° DO NOT mow in wet grass. Be careful of

footing when mowing in wet grass, use shoes with good traction.

° DO NOT run with the lawn mower.

• DO NOT run your' lawn mower indoors. Ex-

haust gases are deadty poison.

• Always disconnect the spark plug wire from spark plu.g to prevent accidental starting when

transporting or storing your' lawn mower after the mowing season.

DO NOT attempt 1o raise engine speed above

factor-i settings. Engine damage or personal

injury may result_

• If a grass catcher is used on your lawn mower,

check the catcher often for damage or deterioration_ tt wilt wear through normal use_

Use only a recommended replacement catcher_

• Always stop blade to remove or install catcher. ° DO NOT store your lawn mower or gasoline

where fumes may reach an open flame and cause a fire.

• DRAIN THE GASOLINE from your lawn mower before transporting your' lawn mower

inside your car or other vehicle°

TANTSAFETYPRECAUTIONS.ITMEANS..-ATTEN-J TION!!! BECOMEALERT!!! YOUR SAFETYIS J

I ,00,

INVOLVED. J

CONGRATULATIONSon your purchase of a Sears Craft- sman Lawn Mower. It has been designed, engineered and manufactured to give you the best

possible dependability and performance, Should you experience any problem you cannot easi-

ly remedy, please contact your nearest Sears Ser_

vice CentertDepartment. We have competent, well- trained technicians and the proper tools to service or repair this unit°

PRODUCTSPECIFICATIONS

iiiii i ii, ,, ii

HORSE POWER: 5.0

DISPLACEMENT: 11.57 cu: in.

J I i j iiiii ii

GASOLt N E CAPACITY: 1.5,quarts

_umeaaea I

Please read and retain this manual. The instructions

will enable you to assemble and maintain your lawn

OIL (21 oz. Capacity): SAE 30 or

(SAE10W30)

mower properly. Always observe the "SAFETY

RULES"°

_ll __lllJi _,, ,i _lj j _±l, n,m_m,iii i ii

MODEL

SPARK PLUG (GAP .030 in,): Champion

RJ19-LM or

Sears 7_ 33312

NUMBER 917.372451

SERIAL NUMBER

DATE OF PURCHASE

THE MODEL AND SERIAL NUMBERS WILL BE

FOUND ON A DECAL ATTACHED TO THE REAR

OF THE LAWN MOWER HOUSING

YOU SHOULD RECORD BOTH SERIAL NUMBER

AND DATE OF PURCHASE AND KEEP tN A SAFE

PLACE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

VALVE CLEARANCE: Intake: _006 in,

Exhaust: _008 in.

SOLID STATE IGNITION AIR GAP: ,010 in_

i i/ii _Ji,ill/_,l

BLADE BOLT TORQUE: 35-40 ft_-tbs,

MAINTENANCEAGREEMENT

A Sears Maintenance Agreement is available on this product. Contact your nearest Sears store for details,

CUSTOMERRESPONSIBILITIES

* Read and observe the safety rules.

o Follow a regular schedule in maintaining, caring for and using your lawn mower, o Follow the instructions under "Maintenance" and "Storage" sections of this Owner's Manual°

TWOYEARLIMITEDWARRANTYON CRAFTSMANPOWERMOWER

Fortwo years from the date of purchase, when this Craftsman Lawn Mower is maintained, lubricated and tuned- up according to the instructionsin theowner's manual, Sears will repair, free of charge, any defect in material

and workmanship° tf this Craftsman Lawn Mower is used for commercial or rental purposes, this warranty applies for only 90

days from the date of purchase Thiswarranty does not cover:

Expendable itemswhich become worn during normal use, such as rotary mower blades, blade adapters,

belts, air cleaners and spark plug. Repairs necessarybecause of operator abuse or negligence, including bent crankshafts and the failure to

maintain the equl'pment accord_'ng to the instructions contained in the owner's manual_

WARRANTY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BY RETURNING THE CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER TO THE ....

NEAREST SEARS SERVICE CENTER/DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS WARRANTY APPLIES

ONLY WHILE THIS PRODUCT IS IN USE IN THE UNITED STATES. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which may vary from state

to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Company, D/731CR-W, Sears Tower, Chicago, IL 60684

' TABLEOFCONTENTS

SAFETY RULES

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES

WARRANTY ...............

LAWN MOWER ACCESSORIES

ASSEMBLY OPERATION ,.

MAINTENANCE ,

INDEX

Adjustments:

Carburetor |5,16 Handle Height 16

Height of Cut 9

Air Filter:

Replacement 13

Assembly:

Grass Catcher 6

Handle 5,6

Accessories 5

Btade:

Replacement 1! Sharpening t I

Co0troJs:

Engine Zone Control Cable 8 Engine Control Bar 7

Drive Control Bar 7

Engine Speed Control 8

Customer Responsibilities 3 Cutting Levels 9

Engine:

Oil Change 12

Oil Level 9 Oil Type ,9

Starting 10 Storage 17

, , 5

,5,6

,7-I0

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENT 14-16

STORAGE ................. 17

SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS ........ 18

TROUBLE SHOOTING ............... 19

REPAIR PARTS-LAWN MOWER ....... 20-24

REPAIR PARTS-ENGINE ............ 26-29

PARTS ORDERING/SERVICE ...... Back Cover

11.13

Handle:

Adjustment 16

Assembly 5,6

Lubrication:

Brake Spring Bracket 18 Engine

Handle Bracket Mounting Pin 1818 Wheel Adjuster IB

Maintenance:

Agreement .3 Air Filter' 13

Blade CareiReptacement 1!

Grass Catcher' 12 Drive Wheels , 12

Lubrication 18 Spark Plug 13

Mowing Tips 10

Oil:

Engine .9 Storage ! 6

Operation:

Operating Lawn Mower 7-I0

Options:

Attachments 5

Parts 20_24

Safety Rules 2 Service and Adjustments:

Drive Belt 14

Drive Controi ... 15

Carburetor 15

Engine Speed t 5

Handle . 16

Rear'Deflector . | 6 Speed Control Range 15

Service Recommendation 18 Spark Plug . 13 Specifications 3

Speed Control:

Engine . .8

Starting the Engine . 10

Starter Handle .... 7,10

Stopping Your Lawn Mower 10 Storage 17

TroubleShootingChart

Warranty , 3 Wheels:

Wheel Adjusters 7,9

Fuel:

Type .9 Storage 17

MOWERACCESSORIES

These accessories were available when this lawn mower was produced. They are also available at most Sears

retail outlets, catalog and service centers. Most Sears stores can order repair parts for you, when you provide

the model number of your lawn mower. Some of these accessories may not apply to your lawn mower.

ENGINE

,,, , ..,.,, ............................

MUFFLERSPARKPLUG

AIR FILTER

GASCAN

....:=::.... ..................................

ENGINEOIL

STABILIZER

LAWNMOWERMAINTENANCE

BELT

BLADE BLADEADAPTER

ASSEMBLY

tory except for the Grass Catcher Bag and the Grass

Catcher Frame.

TO REMOVELAWNMOWERFROMCARTON

• Cut down the corners of the carton and lay ends and sides down.

• Cut the plastic wrapping and remove from over Handles and lawn mower.

• Remove Catcher Frame, Fabric Bag and Oil Bot-

tle from on top of lawn mower.

• Remove Engine Cover and discard.

• Lift lawn mower off of shipping base and check carton for loose parts_

HOWTOSET-UPYOURLAWNMOWER

TO UNFOLDHANDLE

Remove any packing material from around Control Bars°

o Raise Lower Handle section until it isin the upright

storage detents (See Fig. 2).

• Raise Upper Handle section until it is in-line with Lower Handle and tighten one Handle Knob (See

Fig. 1).

• Lower the entire Handle Assembly to the mow-

ing position and engage the Height Adjustment

Links onto the Handle Bracket Pins (See Fig 2)o

See "Adjust Handle" section, page t6 to select

the most comfortable Lawn Mower Handle posi- tion. Be sure both sides are in same adjustment

hole_

WHEEL5

CONTROL BAR_

"_/ LOV_ER , -

HANDLE KNOB_ "V. / _ , "'-"

,'_ HA\DLE ,."

LAWN MOWERCOVER

L,_Tu_f_;_-::_.?L:,Y:'.::,".'b" •LX

FIG. 1

HANDLE BRACKET

HEIG ADJUSTMENT

LINK

FIG. 2

=0_ " 3",.

OETENTS

'll '1

................... ill,iiiiii i .......................

TO UNFOLDHANDLE (CONT'D)

ASSEMBLY

III I III1,1,1,111I

iiiiiiiii

IIII

• Your lawn mower has been shipped with Protec-

tive Handle Padsplaced between the upper and

lower sections or the Handle. For best lawn

mower performance these Pads need to be discarded after the Handle isplaced in the mow-

ing position°

= Once the Handle is in the mowing position,

remove the Handle Knob, Handle Bolt and Pro-

tective Pad from the side with the loose Handle Knob. (Make sure the other' side is tight to sup-

port the Upper Handle).

• Discard the Pad and reinstall the Handle Bolt and Knob--Tighten securel/.

° Loosen and remove the Handle Knob, Handle

Bolt and Protective Pad from the other side and discard the Pad°

° Reinstall the Handle Bolt and Knob-. Tighten

securely° Now your Handles should be clamped together without the Protective Pads.

TO ASSEMBLE& ATTACHGRASSCATCHER

• Put Grass Catcher Frame into Grass Bag with stiff

part of Bag on the bottom (See Fig. 3). Make sure the Frame Handle is outside of the Bag top.

• Slip vinyl bindings over Frame (See Fig_ 3)_ = Jf vinyl bindings are too stiff, hold them in warm

water for a few minutes, tf Bag gets wet, let it dr,i before using.

° Lift the Rear Door of the lawn mower and place

the Catcher Frame Side Hooks onto the Handle

Bracket Hooks (See Fig_ 4).

• The Grass Catcher is secured to the Lawn Mower Housing when the Rear Door islowered onto the

Grass Catcher" Frame_

CATCHER

HANDLE

IIIIIIlll II I IIITI'III'I

MI'I I lllll Ill

FIG. 3

Iii,rl1,111,1,

CATCHEt

FRAME

SiDE HOOK

BRACKET_

FIG. 4

THINGSTO CHECKBEFOREMOWING

FRAME O_ENING

rl,lll i i L" I'1'111'111III

DOOR GRASS

FRAME

CAUTION: DONOTRUNYOURLAWNMOWER WITHOUTCLIPPINGDEFLECTORORAPPROVED GRASSCATCHERIN PLACE.NEVERATTEMPTTO

OPERATETHELAWNMOWERWITH THEREAR DOORREMOVEDOR PROPPEDOPEN.

* The Drive Control has provisions for adjustments, * See "TO ADJUST DRIVE CONTROL" section

under "SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS" section on page 15.

* Checking this adjustment is only a precaution that

your new lawn mower is properly prepared for

use.

KNOWYOURLAWNMOWER

READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR LAWN MOWER_ Com_

andPareadjustments.theillustratiOnSsaveWiththisy°urmanualLawnforM°werfuturetOreferenceofamiliarizeyourself with the location of various controls

!NE CONTROL BAR

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER

STARTER HANE

GRASS CATCHER

GASOLINE FILLER

PRIMER

DRIVE CONTROL BAR

HANDLE KNOB

EN(_INE OIL CAP WITH DIPSTICK

WHEEL ADJUSTER

ON EACH WHEEL}

ENGINE SPEED CONTROL [

LAWN MOWER HOUSING

FIG. 5

MEETSCI C SAFETYREQUIREMENTS

Sears Rotary Walk-Behind Power Lawn Mowers conform to the safety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the U,,S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The blade turns when the engine

is running. ,............................

ENGINE CONTROL BAR. must be held'to the han-

dle to start the engineL Release to stop the engine_

ENGINE SPEED CONTROL LEVER - located on the left side of the engine which allows you to selecteither

"HIGH" or "LOW" engine speed. DRIVE SPEED CONTROL LEVER- used to select the

drive speed of your !:_wn mower°

inr,.r ......................

..................III'1'I I I II'll

STARTER HANDLE - used for starting the engine_

DRIVE CONTROL BAR - used to engage power- propelled forward motion of lawn mower.

PRIMER - pumps additional fuel from the carburetor to the cylinder for use when starting a cold engine°

OPERATION

•. iiii....................................................................

HOWTOUSEYOURLAWNMOWER

ENGINESPEEDCONTROL

The engine speed iscontrolled by a lever (red knob) located on the right side of the engine (See Fig. 6).

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

.......... CAUTION:FEDERALREGULATIONSREQUIREAN

ENGINECONTROLTO BEINSTALLEDON THIS LAWNMOWER IN ORDERTO MINIMIZE THE

....................... "' II1,11',,'1

""!' !' '!' I !'. I

d_ RISK OF BLADECONTACTINJURY. DO NOT

Your lawn mower is equipped with an Operator Engine Control Bar' which requires the operator

to be positioned behind the Lawn Mower Han-

dle to start and operate the lawn mower' (See Fig.

UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCESATTEMPTTO DEFEATTHE FUNCTION OF THE OPERATOR

CONTROL.THEBLADETURNSWHENTHEENGINE

ISRUNNING....

9).

GROUNDDRIVEFOURSPEEDS

Your lawn mower provides four (4) speeds to let you select the speed that suitsyou best.,

• Your' engine is equippedwith a Variable Speed

Throttle,

• The Drive Speed Selector' Lever can be changed while you are mowing.

• Speeds I and 2 are found when the Engine Speed

Control (red) Lever is set between "HIGH" and

"LOW" positions (See Figs. 6 & 7),

. Speeds ! and 2 are for slower', light grass cut-

ting, trimming and _quietoperation.

• Speeds 3 and 4 are found when the Engine Speed Control (red) Lever is in "HIGH" position (See

Figs, 6 & 7).

= Speed 3 isfor"slow, heavy/thick grass cutting or

trimming°

• Speed 4 is for normal cutting and bagging and

for' ground transport.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHIFT SPEEDS

WITH THE DRIVE CONTROL BAR

ENGAGED UNLESS THE ENGINE IS

RUNNING_

TO OPERATEDRIVESYSTEM

', Select ground speed by moving Drive Speed

Lever to 1-3 or 2_4 position and selecting either'

HI or LOW engine speed,

• 1-3 is slower and 2-4 is faster_

FIG. 6

DRIVE SPEED

SELECTOR LEVER

, i Ir"'!.............. I',11

FIG. 8

* The _round speed may be selected either when

standing or moving. '

, To start forward motion, slowly pull up Drive Con-

trol Bar to the Handle (See Fig. 8)_

o To slow or stop forward motion tetthe Drive Con-

trot Bar move forward away from Handle,

, To stop forward motion release Drive Control Bar

(See Fig_ 8).

OPERATION

TO OPERATEDRIVESYSTEM(CONT'D)

By slightly releasing the Drive Control Bar, the

Drive can be slowedor "feathered" so you may

make turns around obstacles or at end of rows

(See Fig. 8).

TO EMPTYGRASSCATCHER

o To remove Grass Catcher, release Engine Con-

trol Bar to stop engine (See Fig, 9).

o Lift up Rear Door and remove the Grass Catcher

by the Handle.

* Emp_ty by_ shaking Catcher with open end

downward (See Fig. 10)_

NOTE: Do not drag the Bag when emptying; it will cause unnecessary wear_

TO ADJUSTCuI"rlNGHEIGHT

Raise Wheels for low cut and lower Wheels for high cut.

* Wheels are set in a tow cut for shipping. Adjust

cutting height to suit your requirements. Medium

position is best for most lawns.

o To change cutting height, squeeze Adjuster Lever

toward Wheel. Move Wheel up or down to suit your requirements° Be sure all Wheels are in the

same setting (See Fig_ 11)_

ENGAGED POS)TIC )SLTION

D_SENGAGED

(ENGINE STOP)

ENGINE CONTROL BAR

FIG. 9

BEFORESTARTHNGENGHNE

OIL:

A 20 oz= bottte of Pennzoil SAE 30 Oil is included with your new lawn mower°

• Remove Engine Oil Cap with dipstick (See Fig.

12) and fill to the FULL line on the dipstick°

• Use 20 ozs. of SAE 30 oi!. SAE 10W 30 oil can also be used.

o POUR OIL SLOWLY° DO NOT OVERFILL°

• Check oil level before each use. Add oi! if need-

ed. Fill to FULL line on dipstick.

= To read proper level, tighten Engine Oil Cap each

time.

,, Reinstall Engine Oil Cap and tighten. o After the first two (2) hours of mowing, change

the oil, and every 25 hours thereafter. You may need to change the oil more often under dusty,

dirty conditions_

FIG. 10

FIG. 11

II ii "_'_'_'__.... i ii II '111'111I ...........................

OPERATION

I' I II'111 .........................................................

BEFORESTARTINGENGINE(€ONT'O) .....

GAS:

• Fill gasoline tank with fresh, clean unleaded gasoline. DO NOT USE PREMIUM GASOLINE. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERFILL TANK (SEE

FIG. 12)_

WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol blend- ed fuels (called gasoho! or using ethanol or methanol)

can attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of ac:ids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel systemof an engine while in storage. To avoid engine problems, the fuel system shouidbe

emptied before storage for' 30 days or longer. Drain the gas tank, start the engine and let it run until the

fuel|ines and carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See Storage Instructions for additional

information.

Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in

the fuel tank or permanent damage may occurs.

TOSTARTENGINE

• Make sure Fuel Shut-Off Valve is open (See Fig_

t2)

• To start a cold engine, push Primer five (5) times before trying to start. Use a firm push being sure

to cover the hole in the Primer Bulb with your finger. This step is not usually necessary when

starting an engine which has already run for a few minutes°

• Push Engine Speed Control Lever to HIGH position° Hold Engine Control Bar down to the Handle and

pull Starter Handle quickly. Do not allow Rope to snap back.

• To STOP engine, release Engine Control Bar, NOTE: tn cooler weather it may be necessary to repeat priming steps. In warmer weather over"prim-

ing may cause flooding and engine will not start, tf you do flood engine wait a few minutes before at-

tempting to start and DO NOT repeat priming steps. NOTE:Close Fuel Shut-Off Valve when equipment is

not in operation (See Fig. 12).

MOWINGTIPS

• Under certain conditions, such as very tall grass,

• For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of

o For better grass bagging andmost cutting con-

° When using a rear discharge lawn mower in

° if a trail of grass clippings is left on the right side

° Pores in cloth grass catchers can become filled

° Keep top of engine around starter clea_and clean

OIL FILL CAP ENGINE SPEED WtDIPSTtCK

FUEL CLEANEE

TANK

GASOLINE

FiLL CAP

it may be necessary to raise the height of cut and lower' the ground speed to keep from overloading

the engine and leaving clumps of grass clippings. cut and raise the rear of the lawn mower hous-

ing one (1) wheel adjustei' setting higher than the front for better discharge ofgrass_

ditions, the engine speed should be set in the

"HIGH" (FAST) position.

moist, heavy grass, clumps of cut grass may not enter the grass catcher. Reduce ground speed

(pushing speed) and/or run the lawn mower over

the area a second time.

of a rear discharge lawn mower, mow in a

clockwise direction with a small overlap to col- lect the clippings on the next pass.

with dirt and dust with use and catchers will cot-

led less grass. To prevent this, regularly hose cat-

cher off with water and let dry before using.

of grass clippings and chaff. This will help engine air flow and extend engine life.

.................. MLL'I

Ill IIIl!lIJI

SHUT-OFF

VALVE

FIG. 12

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