Craftsman 917.387203 User Manual

Owner's Manual

[RAFTXMAN°

3.5 HORSEPOWER 20" SIDE DISCHARGE

ROTARY LAWN MOWER

Model No.

917.387203

• Safety

• Assembly

• Operation

• Maintenance

• EspaSol ° 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 9 Safety Rules 2 Service and Adjustments 11

Assembly 4 Storage 12 Operation 5 Troubleshooting 13 Maintenance Schedule 8 Repair Parts 30 Maintenance 8 Parts Ordering Back Cover

LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER

For one year 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 wom 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 retuming 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 vary from state to state. SEARS, ROEBUCKAND CO., D/817 WA, HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS 60179

TRAINING:

• Read this operator'smanual carefully. Become familiarwiththe controlsand

know howto operate your mower properly.Learn how toquicklystop

mower.

• Do notallow childrento use your mower. Never allow adultsto use mower without

proper instructions.

• Keep the area ofoperation clear of all persons, especiallysmall childrenand pets.

• Use mower onlyas the manufacturer intended and as described inthis manual.

• Do notoperate mowerif it has been

dropped or damaged inany manner.

Always have damage repairedbefore

usingyour mower.

• Do not use accessory attachments that

are not recommended by the manufac-

turer. Use of such attachments may be

hazardous.

• The blade turns when the engine is

running.

PREPARATION:

• Always thoroughly check the 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 is

hot.Allowtl_eenginetocoolforseveral minutesbeforefillingthegastank.Clean

offanyspilledgasolinebefore 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 mn 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, or before 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 pads 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 not change the govemor settings or ove_peed the engine. Engine damage or

personal injury may result.

• Do not operate your mower if it vibrates

abnormally. Excessive vibration is an indication of damage; stop the engine,

safely check for the cause of vibration

and repair as required.

• Do not run the 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 often to be sure they are

tightened properly.

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

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 storing in any

enclosure.

• Never store mower with fuel inthe tank inside a building where 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.

These accasscrlaswere availablewhen thislawn mowerwasproduced.Thay arealso

availableat mostSears retailoutletsandservicecenters. Most Sears storescan alsoorder repairpertsfor you,whenyouprovidethe modelnumberofyourlawnmower. Some ofthese

accessories may not apply to your lawn mower.

LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE

FOR REAR DISCHARGE LAWN MOWERS

CUPPING DEFLECTOR

GRASS CATCHERS

FOR

REAR DISCHARGE

LAWN MOWERS

LAWN MOWER MAINTENANCE

MUFFLERS AIR FILTERS SPARK PLUGS

BELTS BLADES BLADE ADAPTERS WHEELS ENGINE OIL

Read these instrudions and this manual in its

entirety before you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn mower. Your new lawn mower has been assembled at the factory with the exception of those parts left unaseambled

for shipping purposes. All parts such as nuts, washers, bolts, etc., nesesea_y to complete the assembly have been placed in the parts beg. To ensure safe and proper operation of your

lawn mower, allparts andhardware you assemble must be tightened securely. Use the correct tools as necessary to ensure proper tightness.

TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM

CARTON

• Remove loose parts included with mower.

• Cut down two end comers of carten and lay

end panel down tlat.

• Remove all pacing mate_als except

padding between upper and lower handle and padding holding operator presence

control bar to upper handie.

MULCHERK]TS

SIDE DISCHARGE

GRASS CATCHERS

LAWN MOWERS

FOR

STABILIZER

GAS CANS

• Rolllewn moweroutofcartonand check cartonthorougly foradd_ionallooseparts.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN MOWER

TO UNFOLD HANDLE

IMPORTANT: Unfold handle carefully so as not to pinch or damage control cables.

• Raise handles untillower handle section

locks intoplace inmowing position.

• Remove protective padding, raise upper handle section into place on lower handle

and tighten both handle knobs.

• Remove handle padding holding operator

presence control barto upper handle.

• Your lawn mower handle can be adjusted for your mowing comfort. Referto 'Adjust

Handle" in the Service and Adjustment section of this manual.

Operatorpresencecontrolbar

Upperhandle'@kifl upS/

handle

KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER

READ THIS OWNER'S MANUALAND 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.

These symbols may appear on your lawn mower or in literature supplied with the product.

Learn and understand their meaning.

CAUTION ENGINE ENGINE FAST SLOW Ct'_KE FUEL OIL DANGER, KEEP HANDS

OR WARNING ON OFF ANO FEET AWAY

:_peratorpresence control bar

Engine zone control cable

Starter

H_dlek_b

Gasoline filler cap

Engine oil

filler plug

Air filter

_Discharge guard

Wheel adjuster

•(on each wheel)

MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

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 Commis- sion. The blade turns when the engine is running.

Operator presence control bar- must be held down to the handle to start the engine. Release to stop the engine.

Primer - pumps additionalfuel from the

carburetor to the cylinder for use when starting a cold engine.

Starter handle - used for starling the engine.

The operationof anylawn mower can resultin foreign objectsthrown intothe eyes, whichcan

resultinsevere eye damage. Always wear

safety glassesoreye shields while operating your lawn mowerorperformingany adjust-

meritsorrepairs.We recommend awide

visionsafety mask over spectacles orstandard safetyglasses. HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED

The engine speed was set at the factory for optimum performance. Speed is not adjust-

able.

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

CAUTION: Federalregulationsrequirean enginesentrolto be inst_ed on thislawn

mowerinorderto minimizethe riskof blade contactinjury.Donotunderany circumstances

attempttodefeat the function of the operator control.The bladeturnswhen theengineis

running.

• Yourlawn mowerisequ'_l:_:lwithan

operatorpresencecontrolbarwhich requirestheoperetorto be positioned

behindthe lawn mower handleto startand operatethe lawnmower.

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT

• Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels

for high cut.

• Adjust cutting height to suit your require- ments. Medium position is best for most

lawns.

• To change cutting height, squeeze adjuster

lever toward wheel. Move wheel up or

down to suityour requirements. Be sure all

wheels are in the same setting.

NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned when

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

tobe positionedbetweentheplatetabs.

Raise wheels for low cut

•Rernove engineoilp/ugandflutothe topof slotinfiller hole.

• Use 20 ozs. of oil. Fortypeand gradeofoil touse,see =ENGINE"inMaintenance sectionofthis manual.

• Pouroil slowly. Do notoverfill

• Check oil levelbeforeeach use. Add oilif

needed.

• Reinsta_engineoilplugandtighten.

• Changethe oilafterevery25 hoursof eperation or each seeson. You moyneed

tochangethe oilmoreoftenunderdusty, dirtyconditions.

GAS

• Fillfuel tank. Use fresh, dean, regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane. (Useof leaded gasolinewil increase carbon and lead oxide deposits

and reduce valve rife). Do notmix onwith gasoline. Purchase fuel in quantities that can be used within 30 days to assure fuel

freshness.

IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 32°F(0°C), use

fresh, clean winter grade gasoline to help insure good cold weather starting. WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol b/ended fueis (called gesohoi or using ethanol

or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of acids during

storage. Acicfic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage. To avoid

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 untilthe fuel lines and carburetor are

empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See Storage Instructionsfor additional information.

Never use engine orcarburetor cleaner

products in the fuel tank or permanent

damage may occur. CAUTION: Fillto bottom of gas tank filler

neck. DOnot overfill. Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do net store, spill or use gasoline near

an open flame.

Lowerwheels forhigh cut

Plate tab

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE OIL

Your lawn mower is shipped without oil in the

engine.

• Be sure mower is level and area around oil

fillis dean.

Gasoline filler cap

Oil filler plug

TO START ENGINE

• To start a cold engine, push primer five (5) times before trying to start. Use a firm push. This step is not usually

necessary when starting an engine which has already run for a few minutes.

• Hold operator presence control bar

down to the handle and pull starter handle quickly. 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. In

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 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 t° 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.

• For side discharge lawn mowers, cutting

in a counter-clockwise direction, starting at the outside of the area to be cut,

spreads grass clippings more evenly and puts less load on the engine. To

keep clippings off of walkways, flower beds, etc., make the first cuts in a clockwise direction.

• 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.

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