Craftsman 917374740 Owner’s Manual

SEARS

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MODEL

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" Assembly

- Operation
oCustomer

Responsibilities

" Service

17.374740

OWNER'S MANUAL

° Adjustments
" Repair Parts

Oaulon:

Read and Follow

all Safety Rules
and instructions

Before Operating

This Equipment

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SAFETY RULES

REPA,RS. IMPORTANT

SAFETY STANDARDS REQUIRE OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROLS TO MINIMIZETHE RISK OF INJURY. YOUR UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH

SUCH CONTROLS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THE FUNCTION OF THE OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROLS UNDER ANY CIRCUM-
STANCES,

TRAINING:

- Read this operator's manual carefully. Become familiar with
the controls and know howto operate your mower properly.
Learn how to quickly stop mower.

o Do not allow children to use your mower. Never allow adults

to use mower without proper instructions.

• Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, especially
small children and pets.

o

Use mower only as the manufacturer intended and as de-
scribed in this manual.

o

Do not operate mower if it has been dropped or damaged in
any manner. Always have damage repaired before using

your mower.
Do not use accessory attachments that are not recommended

by the manufacturer. Use of such attachments may be
hazardous.

Be aware that the mower blade turns when the engine is
running.

PREPARATION:

• Always thoroughly checkthe area to be mowed and clear it of
all stones, sticks, wires, bones, and other foreign objects.

These objects will be thrown by the blade and can cause
severe injury.

, Always wear safety glasses or eye shields when starting and

while using your mower.

• Dress properly. Do not operate mower when barefoot or
wearing open sandals. Wear only solid shoes with good
traction when mowing.

• Check fuel tank before starting engine. Do not fill gas tank
indoors,when the engine is running or when the engine ishot.

Allow the engine to cool for several minutes before filling the
gas tank. Clean off any spilled gasoline before starting the

engine.

• Always make wheel height adjustments before starting your
mower. Never attempt to do this while the engine is running.

• Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.

OPERATION:

• Keep your eyes and mind on your mower and the area being
cut. Do not let other interests distract you.

Do not mow wet orslippery grass. Never run while operating
your mower. Always be sure of your footing- keep a firm hold
on the handles and walk.

Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep
clear of the discharge opening at all times.

= Always stop the engine whenever you leave or are not using

your mower, orbefore crossing driveways, walks, roads, and
any gravel-covered areas.

• Never direct discharge of material toward bystanders nor
allow anyone near the mower while you are operating it.

• Before cleaning, inspecting, or repairing your mower, stop

the engine and make absolutely sure the blade and all

moving parts have stopped. Then disconnect the spark plug

wire and keep it away from the spark plug to prevent

accidental starting.

° Do not continue to run your mower ifyou hit a foreign object.

Follow the procedure outlined above, then repair any dam-

age before restarting and operating you mower.

= Do not change the governor settings or overspeed the

engine. Engine damage or personal injury may result.

° Do not operate your mower ifit vibrates abnormally. Exces-

sive vibration is an indication of damage; stop the engine,
safely checkfor the cause of vibration and repair asrequired.

e

Do not run the engine indoors. Exhaust fumes are danger-

ous.

Never cut grass by putling the mower towards you. Mow
across the face of slopes, never up and down or you might
lose your footing. Do not mow excessively steep slopes.
Use caution when operating the mower on uneven terrain or
when changing directions - maintain good footing.

Never operate your mower without proper guards, plates,

grass catcher or other safety devices in place.

MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:

• Check the blade and the engine mounting bolts often to be

sure they are tightened properly.

= Check atl bolts, nuts and screws at frequent intervals for

proper tightness to be sure mower is in safe working condi-

tion.

• Keep all safety devices in place and working.

o To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves

or excessive grease and oil.

= Check grass catcher often for deterioration and wear and

replace worn bags. Use only replacement bags that are
recommended by and comply with specifications of the
manufacturer of your mower.

o Always keep a sharp blade on your mower.

= Alfow engine to cool before storing inany enclosure.

• Never store mower with fuel in the tank inside a building

where fumes may reach an open flame or an ignitionsource
such as a hot water heater, space heater, clothes dryer, etc.

LOOK FOR THIS SYMBOL TO POINT OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.IT MEANS - ATTENTION!!! BECOME ALERT!!! YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED.

_u!lwu/ w i L

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CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a Sears
Craftsman Lawn Mower. It has been designed, engineered

and manufactured to give you the best possible de-

pendability and performance.

Should you experience any problems you cannot easily

remedy, please contact your nearest Sears Service Cen-

ter/Department. Sears has competent, wel! trained tech-

nicians and the proper tools to see,ice or repairthis unit.

Please read and retain this manual. The instructions will
enable you to assemble and maintain your lawn mower
properly. Always observe the "SAFETY RULES".

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

HORSEPOWER: 5.0
DISPLACEMENT: 10.49 cu. in.

GASOLINE CAPACITY: 1.0 quads

(Unleaded)

OIL (20 oz. Capacity): SAE 30 (Above 32°F)

5W30 (Below 32°F)

MODEL
NUMBER 917.374740

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 IN A SAFE

PLACE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

SPARK PLUG (GAP .030 in.): Champion

(0.76 ram) RN4C or Sears

STD 360951

VALVE CLEARANCE: Intake: .004in.

Exhaust: .004 in.

SOLID STATE IGNITION

AIR GAP: .0125 in.

BLADE BOLT TORQUE: 35-40 ft.-Ibs.

MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT

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

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Read and observe the safety rules.
, Follow a regular schedule in maintaining, caring for and using your lawn mower.

o Follow the instructions under "Customer Responsibilities" and "Storage" sections of this Owner's Manual.

LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER

For _.woyears from date of purchase, when this Craftsman Lawn Mower is maintained, lubricated, and tuned up
according to the operating and maintenance instructions in the owner's manual, Sears will repair free of charge any
defect in material or workmanship.

If this Craftsman Lawn Mower is used for commercial or rental purposes, this warranty applies for only 90 days from

the date of purchase.
This Warranty does not cover:

, Expendable items which become worn during normal use, such as rotary mower blades, blade adapters, belts,

air cleaners and spark plug.

• Repairs necessary because of operator abuse or negligence, including bent crankshafts and the failure to
maintain the equipment according to the instructions contained in the owner's manual.

"WARRANTY SERVICE tS AVAILABLE BY RETURNING THE CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER TO THE NEAREST
SEARS SERVICE CENTER/DEPARTMENT 1NTHE UNITED STATES. THtS 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 vary from state to state.

SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., D/731CR-W SEARS TOWER, CHICAGO, i!= 60684

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY RULES ............................................. 2

PRODUCT SPECiFICATiONS ........................ 3

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES ...... 3, 10=12

WARRANTY ................................................... 3

LAWN MOWER ACCESSORIES ................... 5

ASSEMBLY ............. :...................................... 5

OPERATION ................................................... 7

INDEX

A

Accessories ............................................ 5

Adjustments:

Carburetor .................................. 14

Drive Control Cable ................... 13

Handle Height ............................ 14

Height of Cut ................................ 8

Air Filter:

Service ........................................ 12

Assembly:

Handle .......................................... 5

Battery .......................................... 5

B

Blade:

Sharpening ................................. 11

Replacement .............................. ! 1

C

Controls:

Operator Presence Control Bar .8

Drive Control ................................ 8

Customer Responsibilities ..... 3, 10-12

Air Filter ...................................... 12

Blade Care/Replacement .......... 1!

Drive Wheels .............................. 1!

Engine ........................................ 12

Lubrication ................................. 12

Spark Plug ......... ;....................... 12

E

Engine:

Oil Change ................................. 12

Oil Level ..................................... 12

Oil Type ...................................... 12

Starting ......................................... 9

Storage ....................................... 15

Fuel:

Type .............................................. 8

Storage ....................................... 15

Handle:

Adjustment ................................. 14

Assembly ..................................... 5

Lubrication:

Engine ........................................ 12

Discharge Guard Hinge Pin ...... t0

Handle Bracket Mounting Pin ..I 0

Wheel Adjuster .......................... t 0

Brake Spring Bracket ................ 10

Maintenance Agreement .................... 3

Mowing Tips ........................................ 9

Oil:

Engine .......................................... g

Storage ....................................... 15

Operation:

Operating Lawn Mower ........... 7-9

Control Bar ................................... 8

Throttle Control ........................... 8

Operator Presence Control Bar......... 8

Options:

Attachments ................................. 5

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS .................. 13

STORAGE ..................................................... 15

TROUBLESHOOTING .................................. 27

REPAIR PARTS o LAWN MOWER .... ..,16-19

REPAIR PARTS- ENGINE .......... ,........... 20-26

PARTS ORDERING/SERVICE. BACK COVER

F

Repair Parts

Lawn Mower .......................... 16-19

Engine ................................... 20-26

H

L

M

0

Responsibilities, Customer .... 3, 10-12

Safety Rules ........................................ 2

Service and Adjustments:

Carburetor ............................... ., 14

Drive Control Cable ................... 13

Drive Belt .................................... 13

Engine Speed ............................. 14

Handle ........................................ 14

Spark Plug ......................................... 12

Specifications ..................................... 3

Starting the Engine:

Drive Control ................................ 8

Stopping the Engine ........................... g

Storage .............................................. 15

Throttle Control .................................. 8

Trouble Shooting Chart ................... 27

Warranty .............................................. 3

Wheels:

Wheel Adjusters .......................... 8

P

R

S

T

W

4

LAWN ACCESSORI

These accessories were available when this lawn mower was produced. They are a_soavailable at most Sears retail outlets,

catalog and service centers. Most Sears stores can also order repair parts for you, when you provide the model number

of your lawn mower. Some ofthese accessories may not apply to your lawn mower.

ENGINE

SPARK PLUG MUFFLER AtR FILTER

LAWN MOWER MAINTENANCE

BLADEBELT

ASS

BLADE

ADAPTER

GAS CAN ENGINE OiL STABILIZER

WHEELS LAWN MOWER

COVER

'(our lawn mower has been assembled at the factory.

TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM
CARTON

= Remove loose parts included with mower.
* Cut downtwo end corners of carton and lay end panel

down flat.

* Remove all packing materials except padding be-

tween upper and lower handle and padding holding
operator presence control bar to upper handle.

, Roll lawn mower out of carton and check carton

thoroughly for additional loose parts.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN
MOWER

TO UNFOLD HANDLE (See Fig. 1)

• Raise handles until lower handle section locks into
place in mowing position.

= Raise upper handle section into place on lower handle,

remove protective padding and tighten both handle
knobs.

OPERATOR PRESENCE
CONTROL BAR

UPPERHANDLE

UFT uP

MOWING POS1TION

LOWER HANDLE

FtG. 1

o

Remove handle padding holding operator presence

control bar to upper handle.

o

Your lawn mower handle, can be adjusted for your
mowing comfort. Refer to "Adjust Handle" in the

Service and Adjustment section of this manual.

5

ASSEM

TO PREPARE BATTERY (See Fig. 2}

NOTE: Your battery must be charged before you can start

your lawn mower.

Connect battery charger connector (male) to battery
connector (female).

, Plug battery charger ihto 110 volt A.C. outlet.
o Leave battery charger connected for 24 hours before

starting your engine for the first time.

* After charging, connect engine connector to battery

connector.

Your engine has an integral alternator for partial charging.
Connect your battery charger to charge battery as requ=red.

iMPORTANT: THE ENGINE ALTERNATOR WiLL NOT
CHARGE A DISCHARGED BATTERY.

At the end of the mowing season the battery should be
charged for 48 hours to protect the battery during winter

storage.

,_ _, tor from thebatt.ery con- "

! _ _t tied n_l sta_ing
J _ _ng or storing your tawn

mower after the season,

LY

ENGINE BA Y CONNECTOR

CONNECTOR CONNECTOR

_ BATTERY

FiG, 2

CHARGER

6

OPERATION

KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER

READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR LAWN MOWER. Compare the
illustrations with your lawn mower to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments, Save this

manual for future reference,

STARTER

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL CABLE

HANDLE KNOB

CABLE CLIPS

AUXILIARY STARTER HANDLE

ENGINE OIL CAP WiTH DiPSTiCK

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER

PLATE

GASOLINE FILL CAP

PRIMER

COVER

DISCHARGE GUARD

\

WHEELADJUSTER
(ONEACHWHEEL)

HOUSING

MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Sears rotary walk-behind power lawn mowers conform tothe safety standards of the American National Standards institute

and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The blade turns when the engine is running.

PRIMER - pumps additional fue! from the carburetor to the
cylinder for use when starting a cold engine.

AUXiUARY STARTER HANDLE - used for starting the
engine.

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER - used to engage power-pro-
pelled forward motion of lawn mower.

STARTER BUTTON =used for starting the engine.

7

OPERATION

HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED

The engine speed was set at the factory for optimum

performance. Speed is not adjustable.
ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

CAUTION: Federal regulations require

an engine control to be installed on this
lawn mower in order to minimize the

risk of blade contact injury, Do not un-
der any circumstances attempt to de-
feat the function of the operator control
The blade turns when the engine is

running,

,, Your lawn mower is equipped with an operator pres-

ence control bar which requires the operator to be
positioned behind the lawn mower handle to start and
operate the lawn mower.

DRIVE CONTROL (See Fig. 3)

• Self-propelling is controlled by holding the operator
presence control bar down to the handle and pushing

the drive control lever forward until it clicks; then

release the lever.

, Forward motion wilt stop when the operator presence

controlbar isreleased. To stopforward motion without
stopping engine, release the operator presence control
bar slightly until the drive control disengages, Hold
operator presence control bar down to handle to con-
tinue mowing without self-propelling.

• To keep drive control engaged when turning corners,

push down on handle and lift front wheels off ground
while turning lawn mower.

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT (See Fig. 4)

. Raise wheels for tow cut and lower wheels for highcut.
° Wheels are set in lowcut for shipping. Adjust cutting

height to suit your requirements. Medium positionis
best for most lawns.

- To change cutting height, squeeze adjuster lever to-
ward wheel. Move wheel up or down to suit your

requirements. Be sure all wheels are in the same

setting.

OPERATOR PRESENCE

CONTROLBAR

DRIVE
CONTROL

DRIVECONTROL

DRIVE CONTROL

FiG. 3

LOWER WHEELS PAISE WHEELS

FOR HiGH CUT FOR LOW CUT

FIG. 4

8

OP

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE

OiL (See Fig. 5)

A 20 oz. bottle of Pennzoil SAE 30 oilis included withyour

new lawn mower.

• Remove engine oil cap and fill to the FULL line on the
dipstick.

• Use 20ozs. of oil. For type and grade ofoil to use, see

"ENGINE" in Customer Responsibilities section of this
manual.

- POUR OIL SLOWLY. DO NOT OVER FILL.

• Check oil leve! before each use. Add oil if needed. Fill
to FULL line on dipstick.

,, To read proper level, tighten engine oil cap each time.

= Reinstall engine oil cap and tighten.

• 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.

GAS (See Fig. 5)

• Fill gasoline tank with fresh, clean unleaded gasoline.

DO NOT USE PREMIUM GASOLINE. BE CAREFUL
NOT TO OVER FILL TANK.

WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol blended
fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can

attract moisture which leadsto separation and formation of
acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel

system of an engine while in storage.
To avoid engine problems, the fue_ system should be

emptied before storage for30 days or longer. Drain thegas

tank, start the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and

carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See
Storage instructions for additional information.
Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products inthe fuel

tank or permanent damage may occur.

ENGINEOIL CAP

WID|PSTICK

FIG. 5

FiG. 6

TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 6)

° To start a cold engine, push primer three (3) times

before tryingto start. Use a firm push. This step isnot

usually necessary when starting an engine which has

already run for a few minutes.

° Hold operator presence control bar down tothe handle

and push starter button.

,_ than five (5) seconds betv_een each

_ time you try to start. Wait 5 to 10

I _ _ach ti-meyou try to

start. ...............

° To start engine using the rope starter, follow the steps

above. Exchange the use of the starter button for the
starter rope. Do not allow starter rope to snap back.

° To STOP engine, release operator presence control

bar.

NOTE: In cooler weather it may be necessary to repeat
priming steps, tn warmer weather over priming may cause

flooding and engine will not start. If you do flood engine,
wait a few minutes before attempting to start and DO NOT

repeat priming steps.

MOWING TiPS

Under certain conditions, such asvery tall grass, it may
be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce
pushingeffort and to keep from overloading the engine

and leaving clumps of grass clippings.

° For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of cut

and raise the rear of the {awn mower housing one (1)
wheel adjuster setting higher than the front for better
discharge of grass.

For side discharge mowers, cutting in a counter-clock-

wise direction, starting at the outside of the area to be
cut, spreads grass clippings more evenly and puts less

loadon the engine. To keep clippings off of wa{kways,
flower beds, etc., make the first cuts in a clockwise
direction.

° Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of

grass clippings and chaff. This will help engine airflow
and extend engine life.

9