Craftsman 917.377542 User Manual

Owner's Manual

CRAFTZMAN°

6.5 HORSEPOWER 22" REAR DISCHARGE

POWER PROPELLED

ROTARY LAWN MOWER

Model No.

917.377542

• Safety

• Assembly

• Operation

• Maintenance

• Espafiol

• Repair Parts

CAUTION:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Instructions

before operating this equipment

Sears_:Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Warranty 2 Product Specifications 11 Safety Rules 2 Service and Adjustments 14 Assembly 4 Storage 15 Operation 6 Troubleshooting 16

Maintenance Schedule 10 Repair Parts 35 Maintenance 10 Parts Ordering Back Cover

LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER For two years from date of purchase, when this Craftsman Lawn Mower is maintained,

lubriceted, 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 crank- shafts and the failure to maintain the equipment according to the instructions con-

tained in the owner's manual.

Warranty service is available by returning the Craftsman power mower to the nearest Sears Service Centar/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

vary from state to state. SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., D/817 WA, HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS 60179

TRAINING:

• Read this operator's manual carefully. Become familiar with the controls and

know how to operate your mower properly. Learn how to quickly stop

mower.

• Do notallow children to use your mower.

Never allow adults to use mower without

proper instructions.

• Keep the area of op_F_ti0_ear of all

persons, especially small children and pets.

• Use mower only as the manufacturer

intended and as described in this manual.

• 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 manufac-

turer. Use of such attachments may be hazardous.

• The blade tums when the engine is running.

PREPARATION:

• Always thoroughly check the area to be mowed and clear itof 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 is

hot.Allowthe engine to cool for several

minutes before fillingthe 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 or slippery 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 orfeet near or under

rotating parts. Keep clear of the discharge

opening at alltimes.

• Always stop the engine whenever you leave or are not using your mower, or

before crossing driveways, walks, roads,

and any gravel--covered areas.

• Never direct discharge of matedal 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 if you hit a foreign object. Follow the procedure

outlined above, then repair any damage before restarting and operating you

mower.

• Do notchange the governor settings or overspeed the engine. Engine damage or

personal injury may result.

• Do not operate your mower ifit vibrates abnormally. Excessive vibration is an

indication of damage; stop the engine,

safely check for the cause ofvibration and repair as required.

• Do not runthe engine indoors. Exhaust fumes are dangerous.

• :Never cut grass by pulling the mower

towards you. Mow across the face of

slopes, never up and down or you might - lose your footing. Do not mow exces-

sively 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 mount- ing bolts ofte,_ b_ure they are

tightened properly.

• Check all bolts, nuts and screws at frequent intervals for proper tightnessto

be sure mower is in safe working

condition.

• Keep all safety devices in place and working.

• To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine

free of grass, leaves or excessive grease and oil.

• Check grass catcher often for deteriora- tion and wear and replace worn bags.

Use only replacement bags that are

recommended by and comply with

specifications of the manufacturer of your mower.

• Always keep a sharp blade on your mower.

• Allow engine to cool before stodng in any

enclosure.

• Never store mower with fuel in the tank

inside a buildingwhere fumes may reach an open flame or an ignition source such as a hot water heater, space heater,

clothes dryer, etc.

CAUTION: Always disconnect spark plug wire and place wire where it cannot

contact spark plug in order to prevent accidental starting when setting up,

transporting, adjusting or making repairs.

WARNING The engine exhaust from this product

contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects,

or other reproductive harm.

Theseaccessorieswereavailablewhenthislawnmowerwasproduced.Theyarealso

avaJ_eatmostSearsretailoutletsandservicecenters.MostSearsstores can alsoorder

repair partsfor you,when you providethe modelnumber ofyour lawn mower. Some ofthese accessoriesmay not applytoyour lawn mower.

LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE

FOR REAR DISCHARGE LAWN MOWERS

CUPPING DEFLECTOR

GRASS CATCHERS

FOR

REAR DISCHARGE

LAWN MOWERS

LAWN MOWER MAINTENANCE

MUFFLERS

BELTS BLADES

BLADE AOAI_'TERE WHEELS

Read these instnJctionsend _s manual inits

entiretybeforeyou attempttoassemble or operate your new lawn mower. Yournew lawn mower has been assemUed at thefactory with

the exce' :_onofthose parts leftunassembled for ship_. _ purposes. All partssuch as nuts,

washers, b_-;_s,etc., necessaryto complete the assembly have been placed inthe pads beg. To ensure safe and proper operation of your

lawn mower, all parts and hardwareyou assemble must be tightenedsecurely. Use the correcttools as necessary to ensure proper

tightness.

TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM

CARTON

• Remove loose parts includedwith mower.

• Cut downtwo end comers of cartonand lay

end panel down fiat.

• Remove allpacking materialsexcept

padding be_een upperand lower handle end padding holdingoperator presence

controlbarto upper handle.

MULCHER KITS

GRASS CATCHERS

FOR

SIDE DISCHARGE

LAWN MOWERS

AIR RLTERS

STABILIZER

GAS CANS

SPARK PLUGS

ENGINE Oil.

• Rolllawnmoweroutofcartonendcheck

cartonthoroughlyfor additionalloosepads.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN MOWER

TO UNFOLD HANDLE

IMPORTANT: Unfoldhandles carefullyso as

not to pinchordamage controlcables.

• Raise handles untillower handle section

locksintoplace in mowing po,._ion.

• Remove protectivepadding, raise upper

handle sec_on intoplace on lower handle

and tightenbothhandle knobs.

• Remove handle padcing holdingoparator

presence controlbar to upper handle.

• Your lawn mower handle can be adjusted

for your mowing comfort. Refer to"Adjust

Handle" inthe Service and Adjustment

section of this manual.

NOTE: For shipping purposes, the rear

wheels on your lawn mower are not

adjusted to the same position as the front wheels. Before operating mower adjust all wheels to the same cutting height position.

Operator presence contr_bar

Uppperhandle_ _/2

Liftup._._,._j.___"Uft up ,/

Mowing position

TO INSTALL AI"rACHMEN'rS Your lawn mower was shippedreedy to be

used as a mulcher. To convertto baggingor discharging:

• Open rear doorand remove mulcher ptug. Store mulcher plug in a safe place.

• You can now installcatcher oroptional dipping deflector.

• To return to mulchingoperation, install mulcher plug intodLscharge opening of

mower. Be sureall tabs are seated

properly.

Lowerhandle

Mulcher,

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower without mulcher plug inplace or approved clipping deflector or grass catcher in place.

Never attempt to operate the lawn mower

with the rear door removed or propped

open.

KNOWYOURLAWNMOWER READTHISOWNER'S MANUALAND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR LAWN

MOWER. Compare the illustrationswithyour lawn mower to familiarize yourselfwiththe locationof various controlsand adjustments. Save thismanual for future reference.

"tl_eu_/mbo_ mayappe="onyourlawnmowerorInII_raturesupplbdwilhI_epmducL_ _ _

theremaanin_

CAUTION ENGINE ENGINE FAST SLOW CHOKE FUEL OIL DANGER, KEEP HANDS

OR WARNING ON OFF AND FEET AWAY

Enginezone controlcable

controlbar

Drivecontrol lever

Starter handle

Mulcherplug

Engineoil

capw/ dipstick

MEETS CPSC SAFE'I'_am_EMENTS Sears rotarywalk-behindpower lawn mowers conformto the safety standards ofthe American National Standards Inst_Jte and the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission. The blade turnswhen the engine isnJnnin_.

Operator presence control bar - must be held downto the hendle to start_e engine.

Releaseto stop the engine.. , : ' -_ Pdmer - pumps additionalfuel from the,

carburetorto the cylinderfor Usa_nen Starting

a cold engine. , ,: :.-

Starter handle - used for starting the e.,,ngine.

Drive control lever- used to engage power- propelled forward motionof lawn mower.

Mulcher plug - must he removed toconvert to baggingor dischargingoperation.

Gasoline cap

Primer

Housing

cover

Wheel adjuster (on each wheel)

Theoperationofanylawnmowercan

resultinforeignobjectsthrownintothe eyes,whichcanresultinsevereeye damage.Alwayswearsafetyglassesor

eyeshieldswhileoperatingyourlawn

mowerorperforminganyadjustmentsor

repairs.Werecommendawidevision

safetymaskoverspectaclesorstandard

safetyglasses,

HOWTOUSEYOURLAWNMOWER

CAUTION:Donotrunyourlawnmower

withoutmulcherplateinplaceanddoor

closedorwithoutanapprovedclipping

deflectororgrasscatcherin place.Never

attemptto operatethelawnmowerwith

thereardoorremovedorproppedopen.

ENGINESPEED

Theenginespeedwasset atthefactory

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 under any

circumstances attempt to defeat the

function of the operator control. The blade

turns when the engine is running.

• Your lawn mower is equipped withan operator presence controlbar which

requiresthe operator to be positioned

behind the lawn mower handle to start and

operatethe lawn mower.

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT

• Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels

for high cut.

• Adjustcutting heightto suityour require-

ments. Medium positionis best formost

lawns.

• To change cuttingheight,squeeze adjuster laver-toward wheel, Move wheel up or

downto suityour requirements. Be sure all wheels are in the same_et'_.

NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned

when plate tab inserts into hole in lever, Also, 9-position adjusters (if so equipped)

allow lever to be positioned between the plate tabs.

PlateTab

LowerWheelsforHighCut _.._

_ " _Lever

Raise Wheels for LowCut

TO ATTACH GRASS CATCHER

• Close the flip lid. Rip lidmust be cloeed while operatinglawn mower.

• Liftthe reer door onthe mower housing and

place the grasscatcher frame ontothe formedtabs on the rear door hinge bracket.

• The grasscatcher is cured to the lawn

mower housingwhen the rear door is lowered onto the grasscatcher frame.

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower without clipping deflector or approved

grass catcher in place. Never attempt to operate the lawn mower with the rear door

removed or propped open.

Hinge

Rear door

Grass catcher frame

Formed tabs

TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER

• To remove grasscatcher, release operator presence controlbarto stop engine.

• Liftup rear doorand remove the grass catcher by the handle.

NOTE: Do not drag the bag when emptying; it will cause unnecessary wear.

DRIVE CONTROL

• Seif-propelling is controlled by hold!ng 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 will stop when the operator presence control bar is released. To stop forward 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 continue mowing without self- propelling.

• To keep drive control engaged when turning comers, push down on handle

and lift front wheels off ground while tuming lawn mower.

Operator presence controlbar

"_ control

Drive

ADD GASOI.INE

• Fdlfueltank.Use fresh, dean, regular

unleaded gasolinewith a minimum of87

octane. Do notmix oliwith gasoline.

Purchasefuel in quantitiesthat can be used

within30 days to assure fuelfreshness. WARNING: Expedence indk:atesthat alcohol blendedfuels (calledgasohol or using

or methanol) can attractmoisturewhich leads toseparationand formationof acids dudng

storage. Acidic gascan damage the fuel system of an engine while instorage. To avo'_l

engine problems,the fuel system should be emptied before storage of 30 days or longer. Drain the gas tank, startthe engine and let it

run untilthefuel linesand carburetorare empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See

Storage Instructionsfor additionalinformation. Never use engine or carburetor cleaner productsin thefuel tank or permanent

damage may occur.

Engineoilcapw/

Gasolinefillercap

To engage drive Drivecontrol control desengaged

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE OIL

Your lawn mower is shippedwithoutoilinthe

en .

• Be sure mower is level and area around oil

filiis clean.

• Remove engine oilcap w/dipstickand fillto the full lineon the dipstick.

• Use2 Jzs.of oil. Fortypeandgradaofoil to use, s^_.=ENGINE" in Maintenance

sectionofthis manual.

• Pour oHslowly. Do not over fill.

• Check oil level before each use. Add oil if needed. Fillto full_.

• To read proper level, tightenengine oilcap each time.

• Reinstall engine oil cap and tighten.

• Change the oil after every 25 hoursof

operaUonor each season. You may need

to change the oilmore oftenunder dusty,

dirty conditions.

TO START ENGINE

• To sterta cold engine, push primerfive (5) times beforeWing to start. Use afirm push.

Thisstep is not usuagynecessary when stertingan engine which has already run for

a few minutes.

• Hold operatorpresence control bar down to

the handleand pullstarter handle quickly.

Do notallow starter rope to snap beck.

• To stop engine, release operatorpresence control bar.

NOTE: In cooler weather it may be necessary to repeat priming steps. In

warmer weather over pdming 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.

MOWINGTIPS

• Under certain conditions, such as very

tall grass, it may be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing effort

and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of grass clippings. It

may also be necessary to reduce ground speed and/or run the lawn

mower over the area a second time.

• For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of cut by overlapping previously

cut path and mow slowly.

• For better grass bagging and most cutting conditions, the engine speed

should be set in the fast position.

• When using a rear discharge lawn

mower in moist, heavy grass, clumps of cut grass may not enter the grass

catcher. Reduce ground speed (push- ing speed) and/or run the lawn mower

over the area a second time.

• If a trail of clippings is left on the right

side of a rear discharge mower, mow in a clockwise direction with a small

overlap to collect the clippings on the next pass.

• Pores in cloth grass catchers can

become filled with dirt and dust with use and catchers will collect less grass. To

prevent this, regularly hose catcher off with water and let dry before using.

• Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff.

This will help engine air flow and extend engine life.

MULCHING MOWING .TIPS IMPORTANT: Forbest performance, keep

mower housingfree ofbuilt-upgrass and

trash. See "Cleaning" in Maintenance section

ofthis manual.

• The spacialmulchingblade willrecutthe grass clippingsmany limes and reduce them in size so that as they fail ontothe

lawn they willdisperse intothe grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will

biodegradequicldy to pro_de nutrientsfor the lawn. Alwaysmulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this willprovide the

best recuttingactionof the blades.

• Avoid curlingyourlawnwhen it is wet. Wet

grass tends to form dumps and interferes withthe mulchingaction. The best time to

mowyour lawn is the Party afternoon. At

this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct

sun.

• For best results, adjust the lawn mower cutting height so that the lawn mower cuts

off only the top one-third of the grass blades. If the lawn is overgrown it will be necessary

to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing

effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of mulched

grass. Forextremely heavy mulching, reduce yourwidth ofcutby overlapping

previously cutpath and mow slewly.

• Certain typas ofgrassand grass conditions

may requirethat an area be mulched a seceed tJrnetocomplately hide the

cl'q0pings.Whan doinga secondcut, mow across or perpendicular to the firstcut path.

• Change your curlingpattern from week to

week. Mow north to south one week then change to east to west the next week. This

w_llhelp prevent matting and graining of the

lawn.

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