Kmart 02891808-4 Owner’s Manual

perator's

I:RnFrSMRN°

LAWN TRACTOR

7 Speed, Shift-on=the=Go

42" Deck

Model No. 247.28881

• Espanol, P. 58

This product has a low emission engine which operates differently

from previously built engines. Before you start the engine, read and

understand this Operator's Manual.

For answers to your questions about

Before using this equipment, read this manual and follow

all safety rules and operating

instructions.

Sears Brands Management Corporation, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

Visit our website: www.craftsman.com FormNo.769-06422

this product, Call:

1-800=659=5917

CraftsmanTractorHelpLine

7 am =7 pm CT, Mort. =Sun.

(November1,2010)

Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 27

Trou bleshooting .............................................................. 28

Labels ............................................................................. 29

Parts List ......................................................................... 30

Espafiol ............................................................................ 57

Service Numbers ............................................. Back Cover

CRAFTSMAN TWO YEAR FULL WARRANTY

FORTWOYEARSfromthedateofpurchase,ifanynon-expendablepartofthisridingequipmentfailsduetoa defectinmaterialorworkman- ship,visitwww.craftsman.com or call 1-800-659-5917to arrangeforfreein-homerepair.

Theframeandfrontaxlewill be repairedfreeofchargefor fiveyearsfromthe dateofpurchaseifdefectiveinmaterialor workmanship. Inallcases,ifrepairprovesimpossible,theridingequipmentwillbe replacedfree of chargewiththesameoran equivalentmodel.

Thebatterywillbe replacedfreeofchargefor90 daysfromthe dateofpurchaseifdefectiveinmaterialorworkmanship(ourtestingprovesthatit willnotholda charge).

Thiswarrantyisvoidifthisproductiseverusedwhileprovidingcommercialservicesor ifrentedtoanotherperson. This warranty covers ONLYdefects in material andworkmanship. Warrantycoverage does NOTinclude:

• Expendableitemsthatcanwearoutfromnormalusewithinthewarrantyperiod,includingbutnotlimitedto blades,sparkplugs,air cleaners,belts,andoilfilters.

Standardmaintenanceservicing,oilchanges,ortune-ups. Tirereplacementor repaircausedbypuncturesfromoutsideobjects,suchasnails,thorns,stumps,orglass.

Tireor wheelreplacementor repairresultingfromnormalwear,accident,orimproperoperationor maintenance. Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatorabuse,includingbutnot limitedtodamagecausedbytowingobjectsbeyondthecapabilityof

theridingequipment,impactingobjectsthatbendtheframeorcrankshaft,or over-speedingtheengine. Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatornegligence,includingbutnotlimitedto,electricalandmechanicaldamagecausedbyimproper

storage,failureto usethepropergradeandamountofengineoil,failuretokeepthe deckclearofflammabledebris,orfailureto maintainthe ridingequipmentaccordingtotheinstructionscontainedintheoperator'smanual.

Engine(fuelsystem)cleaningorrepairscausedbyfueldeterminedto becontaminatedoroxidized(stale).Ingeneral,fuelshouldbe usedwithin30 daysof itspurchasedate.

Normaldeteriorationandwearoftheexteriorfinishes,orproductlabelreplacement.

Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegalrights,andyoumayalso haveotherrightswhichvaryfromstateto state.

Sears BrandsManagementCorporation, HoffmanEstates,IL60179

EngineOil: SAE30 Fuel: UnleadedGasoline

SparkPlug: Champion®RC12YC Engine: Briggs& StrattonI/C®

Model Number: Serial Number:

Dateof Purchase:

Recordthe modelnumber,serialnumber,

anddateof purchaseabove.

Thissymbolpointsout importantsafetyinstructionswhich,if not followed,couldendangerthepersonalsafetyand/orpropertyof yourselfandothers. Readandfollowall instructionsin thismanual

beforeattemptingtooperatethismachine.Failuretocomplywith

theseinstructionsmayresultin personalinjury.Whenyou seethis

symbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

Thismachinewasbuilttobeoperatedaccordingtothesafeopera- tionpracticesinthis manual.Aswithanytypeof powerequipment, carelessnessorerroron the partoftheoperatorcanresultinserious injury.Thismachineiscapableofamputatingfingers,hands,toes andfeetandthrowingdebris.Failuretoobservethe followingsafety instructionscouldresultin seriousinjuryor death.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

EngineExhaust,someof itsconstituents,andcertainvehicle componentscontainoremitchemicalsknowntoStateof California tocausecancerandbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.

Batteryposts,terminals,and relatedaccessoriescontainleadand

leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

GENERAL OPERATION

• Read,understand,andfollowall instructionson themachineand

in themanual(s)beforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate. Keepthis manualina safeplaceforfutureandregularreference andfororderingreplacementparts.

• Befamiliarwithall controlsandtheirproperoperation.Knowhow tostopthemachineanddisengagethemquickly.

• Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operatethismachine. Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadandunderstandthe operationinstructionsandsafetyrulesinthismanualandshould betrainedandsupervisedbya parent.

• Neverallowadultsto operatethismachinewithoutproper instruction.

• Tohelpavoidbladecontactor athrownobjectinjury,keep bystanders,helpers,childrenandpetsat least75feetfromthe machinewhile itisin operation.Stopmachineifanyoneenters

thearea.

• Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentisto be used. Removeallstones,sticks,wire,bones,toys,andotherforeign objectswhichcouldbe pickedupandthrownbythe blade(s). Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.

• Planyourmowingpatternto avoiddischargeofmaterialtoward roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthelike.Also,avoiddischarg- ingmaterialagainstawallorobstructionwhichmaycause dischargedmaterialto ricochetbacktowardthe operator.

Your Responsibility--Restricttheuseof thispowermachineto personswhoread,understandandfollowthewarningsandinstruc-

tionsin thismanualandon the machine.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

• Alwayswearsafetyglassesorsafetygogglesduringoperation andwhileperformingan adjustmentorrepairto protectyoureyes. Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseseriousinjuryto the eyes.

• Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fittingslacksand

shirts.Loosefittingclothesandjewelrycanbe caughtinmovable parts.Neveroperatethismachineinbarefeetorsandals.

• Beawareofthemowerandattachmentdischargedirectionand do notpointit at anyone.Donotoperatethemowerwithoutthe dischargecoverorentiregrasscatcherin its properplace.

Donot puthandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor underthe cutting

deck.Contactwiththe blade(s)canamputatehandsandfeet. A missingordamageddischargecovercancausebladecontact

or thrownobjectinjuries.

• Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggraveldrives,walks,orroads andwhilenotcuttinggrass.

• Watchfor trafficwhenoperatingnearorcrossingroadways.This

machineis notintendedforuseonanypublicroadway.

• Donot operatethemachinewhileundertheinfluenceof alcohol or drugs.

• Mowonlyindaylightorgoodartificiallight.

Nevercarrypassengers.

• Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.Backup slowly. Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackingtoavoida

back-overaccident.

• Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethemachinesmoothly.Avoid erraticoperationandexcessivespeed.

Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandwaituntil theblade(s)cometoa completestopbeforeremovinggrass catcher,emptyinggrass,uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor debris,or makinganyadjustments.

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysturnoff blade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeybefore dismounting.

Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthemachineintoa trailerortruck.Thismachineshouldnotbedrivenupor down ramp(s),becausethemachinecouldtip over,causingserious personalinjury.Themachinemustbe pushedmanuallyon ramp(s)to loador unloadproperly.

Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea burn.Donot touch.

Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedrivingunderlow hangingtree branches,wires,dooropeningsetc.,wherethe operatormaybestruckor pulledfromthemachine,whichcould resultinseriousinjury.

Disengageallattachmentclutchesanddepressthebrakepedal completelybeforeattemptingto startengine.

Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidentialgrassofa heightnomorethan10".Donotattemptto mowthroughunusually tall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)orpiles of dryleaves.Drygrassor leavesmaycontacttheengineexhaustand/orbuilduponthe mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfirehazard.

Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedfor this machine bythe machinemanufacturer.Read,understandandfollowall instructionsprovidedwiththe approvedaccessoryorattachment. Fora list ofapprovedaccessoriesandattachments,call 1-800-

659-5917. Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsandabove,are

involvedin a largepercentageofridingmower-relatedinjuries. Theseoperatorsshouldevaluatetheirabilityto operatetheriding mowersafelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom seriousinjury.

If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,usecare andgoodjudgment.Contact1-800-659-5917forinformationand

assistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedtolossof controlandtip-over accidentswhichcanresultinsevereinjuryor death.Allslopesrequire extracaution.Ifyoucannotbackuptheslopeor if youfeeluneasyon it, do notmowit.

Foryoursafety,usetheSlopeGuideincludedaspartofthis manual to measureslopesbeforeoperatingthismachineona slopedor hilly area.Iftheslopeisgreaterthan15degreesasshownonthe Slope Guide,do notoperatethis machineonthatareaor seriousinjurycould

result.

Do:

Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exerciseextremecaution

whenchangingdirectionon slopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orother hiddenobjects.

Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeedsettingsothat youwill nothaveto stopor shiftwhileon the slope.Tiresmay losetractionon slopeseventhoughthe brakesarefunctioning properly.Alwayskeepmachinein gearwhengoingdownslopes totakeadvantageof enginebrakingaction.

• Followthe manufacturer'srecommendationsforwheelweights or counterweightstoimprovestability.Forrecommendations,call

1-800-659-5917.

• Useextracarewithgrasscatchersor otherattachments.These canchangethestabilityofthe machine.

Keepallmovementontheslopesslowandgradual.Donotmake suddenchangesinspeedor direction.Rapidengagementor brakingcouldcausethefrontofthemachinetolift andrapidlyflip overbackwardswhichcouldcauseseriousinjury.

• Avoidstartingorstoppingona slope.Iftireslosetraction,disen- gagetheblade(s)andproceedslowlystraightdownthe slope.

DoNot:

• Donot turnon slopesunlessnecessary;then,turnslowlyand graduallydownhill,ifpossible.

• Donot mowneardrop-offs,ditchesor embankments.Themower couldsuddenlyturnoverifa wheelis overtheedgeofa cliff, ditch,or ifan edgecavesin.

• Donot try tostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfooton the ground.

• Donot usea grasscatcheron steepslopes.

• Donot mowon wetgrass.Reducedtractioncouldcausesliding.

• Donot attempttocoastdownhill.Over-speedingmaycausethe operatortolosecontrolofthe machineresultinginseriousinjury

or death.

• Donot towheavypull behindattachments(e.g.loadeddumpcart, lawnroller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan5 degrees.Whengoing downhill,theextraweighttendstopushthe tractorandmay causeyouto loosecontrol(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingand steeringabilityarereduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeandcause tractorto overturn).

CHILDREN

Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatorisnotalerttothepresence ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedtothemachineandthe mowing activity.Theydonotunderstandthedangers.Neverassumethat childrenwillremainwhereyoulastsawthem.

• Keepchildrenoutofthemowingareaand inwatchfulcareof a responsibleadultotherthantheoperator.

• Bealertandturnmachineoff ifa childentersthe area.

• Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindanddownforsmall children.

Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththe blade(s)shutoff.Theymay falloffandbe seriouslyinjuredorinterferewithsafemachine operation.

• Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,doorways, shrubs,treesorotherobjectsthatmayblockyourvisionofa child whomayrunintothe machine.

Toavoidback-overaccidents,alwaysdisengagethecutting blade(s)beforeshiftingintoReverse.Ifequipped,the"Reverse CautionMode"(bladesoperatewhilemachineridesinreverse)

shouldnotbe usedwhenchildrenor othersarearound. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycansuffer

burnsfroma hotmuffler.

• Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedtopreventunauthorized operation.

Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsofagetooperatethismachine. Children14andovershouldreadandunderstandthe instructionsand

safeoperationpracticesinthismanualandon the machineandshould betrainedandsupervisedbyan adult.

TOWING

Towonlywitha machinethathasahitchdesignedfortowing.Do notattachtowedequipmentexceptatthehitchpoint.

Followthemanufacturersrecommendationforweightlimitsfor towedequipmentandtowingonslopes.For recommendations,

call1-800-659-5917. Neverallowchildrenor othersinoron towedequipment.

Onslopes,theweightof thetowedequipmentmaycauselossof tractionandlossof control.

Alwaysuseextracautionwhentowingwitha machinecapableof makingtightturns(e.g."zero-turn"ride-onmower). Makewide turnstoavoidjack-knifing.

Travelslowlyandallowextradistanceto stop. Donotcoastdownhill.

SERVICE

SafeHandlingof Gasoline

Toavoidpersonalinjuryorpropertydamageuseextremecarein

handlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammableandthe vaporsare explosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhengasolineisspilled on yourselforyourclotheswhichcanignite.Washyourskinand changeclothesimmediately.

• Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

Neverfill containersinsidea vehicleorona truckortrailerbed

witha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainerson thegroundaway fromyourvehiclebeforefilling.

Whenpractical,removegas-poweredequipmentfromthe truck or trailerandrefueliton theground.Ifthis isnotpossible,then

refuelsuchequipmentona trailerwitha portablecontainer,rather

thanfroma gasolinedispensernozzle.

Keepthenozzleincontactwiththerim ofthefueltankor containeropeningat all timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donot use a nozzlelock-opendevice.

Extinguishall cigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersourcesof

ignition.

• Neverfuel machineindoors. Neverremovegascapor addfuelwhilethe engineis hotorrun-

ning.Allowengineto coolat leasttwominutesbeforerefueling. Neveroverfillfueltank. Filltanktono morethan1/2inchbelow

bottomoffillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

• Ifgasolineisspilled,wipeitoff theengineandequipment.Move machineto anotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe

engine.

• Toreducefirehazards,keepmachinefree ofgrass,leaves,or

otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanup oilor fuelspillageandremoveany fuelsoakeddebris.

• Neverstorethemachineorfuelcontainerinsidewherethereisan

openflame,sparkor pilotlight as ona waterheater,spaceheater, furnace,clothesdryeror othergasappliances.

Allowa machineto coolatleastfiveminutesbeforestoring.

GeneralService

• Neverrunanengineindoorsorinapoorlyventilatedarea.Engine exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorless,anddeadlygas.

• Beforecleaning,repairing,orinspecting,makecertainthe blade(s)andallmovingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthespark plugwireandgroundagainsttheenginetopreventunintended starting.

• Periodicallychecktomakesurethebladescometocomplete stopwithinapproximately(5)fivesecondsafteroperatingthe bladedisengagementcontrol.Ifthebladesdonotstopwithinthe thistimeframe,yourmachineshouldbeservicedprofessionally byaSearsorotherqualifiedservicedealer.

• Checkbrakeoperationfrequentlyasitissubjectedtowearduring normaloperation.Adjustandserviceasrequired.

• Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingboltsatfrequent intervalsforpropertightness.Also,visuallyinspectblade(s) fordamage(e.g.,excessivewear,bent,cracked).Replacethe blade(s)withtheoriginalequipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.) blade(s)only,listedinthismanual.Useofpartswhichdonot meettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmayleadtoimproper performanceandcompromisesafety!

• Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrapthebladeorweargloves,anduse extracautionwhenservicingthem.

• Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstighttobesuretheequipmentis

insafeworkingcondition.

• Nevertamperwiththesafetyinterlocksystemor othersafety devices.Checktheirproperoperationregularly.

• Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stoptheengine,disconnectthe sparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughly inspectthemachineforanydamage.Repairthedamagebefore startingandoperating.

• Neverattempttomakeadjustmentsor repairstothemachine whilethe engineis running.

• Grasscatchercomponentsandthedischargecoverare subject towearanddamagewhichcouldexposemovingpartsor allow objectsto bethrown.Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheck componentsand replaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthis manual.Useof partswhichdo not meettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmay leadtoimproperperformanceandcompromisesafety!

• Donot changetheenginegovernorsettingsorover-speedthe engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe maximumsafeoperatingspeed ofthe engine.

Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,as necessary.

• Observeproperdisposallawsandregulationsfor gas,oil, etc.to protecttheenvironment.

• Accordingto the ConsumerProductsSafetyCommission(CPSC) andthe U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),thisproduct hasanAverageUsefulLifeof seven(7)years,or 270hours ofoperation.AttheendoftheAverageUsefulLife,buy anew machineor havethemachineinspectedannuallybya Searsor otherqualifiedservicedealerto ensurethatall mechanicaland safetysystemsareworkingproperlyandnot wornexcessively.

Failuretodosocanresultinaccidents,injuriesor death.

DO NOT MODIFY ENGINE

Toavoid seriousinjuryor death,do notmodifyengineinanyway. Tamperingwiththe governorsettingcanleadtoa runawayengineand causeittooperateat unsafespeeds.Nevertamperwithfactorysetting ofenginegovernor.

NOTICE REGARDING EMISSIONS

Engineswhicharecertifiedto complywithCaliforniaandfederal

EPAemissionregulationsfor SORE(SmallOffRoadEquipment)are certifiedto operateonregularunleadedgasoline,andmayinclude thefollowingemissioncontrolsystems:EngineModification(EM)and ThreeWayCatalyst(TWO)if soequipped.

SPARK ARRESTOR

Thismachineisequippedwithan internalcombustionengineand shouldnotbe usedonor nearanyunimprovedforest-covered, brushcoveredorgrass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaust systemisequippedwitha sparkarrestormeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any).

Ifa sparkarrestoris used,it shouldbemaintainedin effectiveworking orderbytheoperator.IntheStateof Californiatheaboveis required bylaw (Section4442of the CaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Other statesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.

A sparkarrestorforthemuffleris availablethroughyournearestSears

PartsandRepairServiceCenter.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

Thispagedepictsanddescribessafetysymbolsthatmayappearonthis product.Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionson themachine beforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate.

READ THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL(S) Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble and operate

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES Never carry passengers. Never carry children, even with the blades off.

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

Always look down and behind before and while backing to avoid a back-over accident.

WARNING-- ROTATING BLADES

Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.

WARNING--THROWN OBJECTS This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.

BYSTANDERS Keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in

operation.

WARNING-- SLOPE OPERATION

Do not operate this machine on a slope greater than 15 degrees.

WARNING-- HOT SURFACE

Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine and muffler to cool before touching.

DANGER- ROTATING BLADES

To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover or grass

catcher is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.

Sight and hold this

levelwith avertical tree...

| I | | I

| |

or acorner of a building...

15 °

Use this page as a guideto determine slopes where you may not operate safely.

Donot operateyourlawnmoweron suchslopes.Donotmowon inclineswitha slopeinexcessof 15degrees(ariseof approximately2-1/2feetevery10feet). A riding

mowercouldoverturnandcauseseriousinjury.Operateridingmowersupanddownslopes,neveracrossthefaceofslopes.

ROTATING BLADES CAUSE

SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH

DONOTMOWWHENCHILDRENOROTHERSARE AROUND

NEVERCARRYCHILDRENEVENWITHBLADE(S)OFF. LOOKDOWNANDBEHINDBEFOREANDWHILE BACKING.

MOWINGINREVERSEISNOTRECOMMENDED.

WARNING

Thissymbol points out important safety instructions which, if notfollowed,could endangerthe personal

safety and/or propertyof yourself and others. Readand follow allinstructions inthis manualbeforeattempting

to operatethis machine.Failureto comply with these instructions mayresultin personalinjury.When you see this symbol HEED ITS WARNING!

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe useof this powermachineto persons who

read, understand,and follow thewarnings and instruc- tions in this manual and on the machine.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroil in theengine. However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Refertothe Service& Maintenancesectionforinstructionson checkingtheoil

level. Attaching the Battery Cables

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato

causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

Whenattachingbatterycables,alwaysconnectthePOSITIVE(Red) wireto its terminalfirst,followedby theNEGATIVE(Black)wire.

Forshippingreasons,bothbatterycablesonyourequipmentmay havebeenleftdisconnectedfromtheterminalsatthefactory.To connectthebatterycables,proceedasfollows:

NOTE:ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).Thenegative batteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).

1. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe positivebattery terminaland attachthe redcableto thepositivebatteryterminal (+)withthebolt andhexnut.See Figure1.

2. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe negativebattery terminaland attachtheblackcabletothe negativebattery terminal(-) withthe bolt andhex nut.SeeFigure1.

Shipping Brace Removal

Makesurethe ridingmower'sengineisoff,removetheignitionkey,

andset the parkingbrakebeforeremovingtheshippingbrace.Refer

ItotheOperationsectionfor instructionsonhowto setthe parking lbrake.

• Locatethe shippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccompanyingwarning tagfoundonthe rightsideof themower,betweenthedischarge chutedeflectorandthe cuttingdeck.SeeFig.2.

Figure2

Figure1

3. Positionthe redrubberbootoverthepositivebatteryterminalto helpprotectit fromcorrosion.

NOTE:If thebatteryisputinto serviceafterthedateshownon topof battery,chargethebatteryas instructedintheService& Maintenance sectionofthis manualpriortooperatingthetractor.

Placethedecklift leverinthehighestcuttingposition.Referto

SettingtheCuttingHeightin the Operationsectionofthismanual. Whilepushingthedischargechuteddlectortowardsthemachinewith

yourlefthand,removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandbygrasp- ingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerandrotatingitclockwise.

Theshippingbrace,usedfor packagingpurposesonly,mustbe

removedand discardedbeforeoperatingyourridingmower.

Themowingdeckiscapableofthrowingobjects.Failureto operate the ridingmowerwithoutthedischargecoverin theproperoperating

Ipositioncouldresultin seriouspersonalinjuryand/orproperty ldamage.

Attaching The Steering Wheel

Ifthesteeringwheelforyourtractordid notcomeattached,the hardwareforattachingithasbeenpackedwithinthesteeringwheel, beneaththesteeringwheelcap.Carefullypryoff thesteeringwheel capandremovethe hardware.

1. Withthewheelsofthe tractorpointingstraightforward,placethe steeringwheeloverthesteeringshaft.

2. Placethewasher(withthe cuppedsidedown)overthesteering wheeland securewiththehex bolt.SeeFig.3-3.

Figure3

3. Placethe steeringwheelcap overthecenterof the steering wheeland pushdownwarduntilit"clicks"intoplace.

Attaching The Seat If theseatforyourtractorwasnotattachedatthefactory,refertothe

followingsteps. NOTE: Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastenedtothe tractor

seat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,or mountedbackwardtothepivot bracket.Ineithercase,free the seatfromits shippingpositionand removethe adjustmentknobfromthebottomof seatbeforeproceed- ingwiththeinstructionsbelow.

1. Positionthe shoulderscrews(foundon the baseofthe seat) insidethe slotopeningsintheseatpivotbracket. Fig.4.

2. Slidetheseat slightlyrearwardin theseatpivot bracket,lining up thecenterrearslotin thepivotbracketwiththeremaininghole

in theseat'sbase.

Figure4

3. Selectdesired positionfor theseat,and securewiththeadjust- mentknobremovedearlier.

4. Toadjustthepositionof theseat,loosentheadjustmentknob

on thebottomoftheseat.Slidetheseatforwardor backwardas desired.Retightentheadjustmentknob.

Tire Pressure

Maximumtire pressureunderanycircumstancesis 30 psi.Equal

tirepressureshouldbe maintainedatall times.Neverexceedthe

_maxmum nfatonpressureshownonthesdewa of thet re. Therecommendedoperatingtirepressureis:

Approximately10psi forthe reartires Approximately14psiforthefronttires

IMPORTANT: Refertothe tire sidewallforexacttire manufacturer's recommendedormaximumpsi.Donot overinfiate.Uneventirepres-

surecouldcausethecuttingdeckto mowunevenly.

Figure5

A SpeedControlLever/ ParkingBrakeLever B Throttle/chokecontrollever

C IgnitionSwitch D Deck LiftLever

E PTOLever(BladeEngage)

F Cup Holder

G ShiftLever H Clutch-BrakePedal

NOTE: AnyreferenceinthismanualtotheRIGHTor LEFTsideofthe tractorisobservedfromoperator'sseat positionfacingforwardtowardsthefrontof tractor.

Meets ANSi Safety Standards

CraftsmanTractorsconformtothesafetystandardof theAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI).

SPEED CONTROL LEVER

Thespeedcontrollever,locatedontheleft sideofthe tractor'sdashconsole,allowsyouto regulatetheground speedof thelawntractor.Touse,depresstheclutch- brakepedalandmovethe leveroutofthe parkingbrake notchandforwardtoincreasethetractor'sgroundspeed. Whenadesiredspeedhasbeenreached,releasethe leverintoanappropriatenotchto maintainthatspeed.

Toslowthetractor'sgroundspeed,depressthe clutch- brakepedalandmovethe speedcontrolleverrearward

andreleaseit intoa notch.

PARKING BRAKE

Tosetthe parkingbrake,fullydepresstheclutch-brake _._J pedal.Movethe speedcontrolleverallthe waydownand BRAKE intothe parkingbrakeposition.Releasethe clutch-brake pedaltoallowtheparkingbraketo engage.

Toreleasetheparkingbrake,depresstheclutch-brakepedaland movethespeedcontrolleveroutofthenotchestothedesiredposition. Releasethe speedcontrolleverandthe clutch-brakepedal.

NOTE:The parkingbrakemustbe setif theoperatorleavestheseat withtheenginerunningor theenginewill automaticallyshutoff.

THROTTLE/CHOKE CONTROL LEVER

Thethrottle/chokecontrolleverislocatedon therightsideof thetrac- tor'sdashpanel.Thislevercontrolsthe speedofthe engineandwhen pushedallthewayforward,thechokecontrolalso.Whensetin agiven position,thethrottlewillmaintaina uniformenginespeed.

iMPORTANT:Whenoperatingthetractorwiththecuttingdeck engaged,thethrottle/chokecontrollevermustalwaysbein theFAST (rabbit)position.

IGNITION SWITCH

Thekeyswitchmoduleisusedto startand stoptheengine.Insert keyintothe keyswitchmodule

andturnclockwiseto theSTART position.Releasethe keyintothe

normalmowingpositiononceen- ginehasstarted.The headlights willbeactivatedautomatically.

Tostopthe engine,turnthe ignitionkeycounterclockwiseto theSTOPposition.

IMPORTANT:Priorto operatingthetractor,refertoboththe"Safety InterlockSystem"and"StartingTheEngine"laterinthissectionofthis manualfordetailedinstructionsregardingtheIgnitionSwitchModule.

PARK

SHIFT LEVER

Theshift leverislocatedontheleft

sideof thefenderandhasthree positions,FORWARD,NEUTRAL

and REVERSE.Theclutch-brake

pedalmustbedepressedandthe

tractormustnotbe inmotionwhen themovingshift lever.

iMPORTANT:Neverforcethe shiftlever.Doingsomayresultin

seriousdamagetothetractor's

transmission.

DECK LIFT LEVER

Foundonyour tractor'srightfender,thedeckliftleveris used

tochangetheheightofthecuttingdeck.Touse,movethe

levertotheleft,thenplaceinthenotchbestsuitedforyour

application.

PTO (BLADE ENGAGE) LEVER

Foundonthe tractor'srightfender,the PTO(bladeengage) leveris usedtoengagepowertothecuttingdeckorother (separatelyavailable)attachments.Tooperate,movethe leverallthewayforward.Movingthe leveralltheway rearwardintothePTOOFFpositiondisengagespowertothe

cuttingdeck/attachment.

NOTE:The PTO(bladeengage)levermustbe inthe

disengaged(PTOOFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine.

CUP HOLDER

Thetractor'scupholderis locatedonthe fendertothe left of theseat.

SEAT ADJUSTMENT KNOB

Theseatadjustmentknobislocatedonthebottomsideofthe seat.

Usethisknobtoadjustthe seatforwardor rearwardto a comfortable operatingpositionbylooseningtheknob,positioningthe seatto the desiredpreference,thenretighteningthe knob.

CLUTCH-BRAKE PEDAL

Theclutch-brakepedalislocatedontheleft sideofthelawntractor, alongtherunningboard.Depressthe clutch-brakepedalpartway downwhenslowingthetractorbychangingspeeds(Referto Speed

ControlLever).Depressthepedalall thewaydownto engagethedisc

brakeandbringthe tractortoa completestop.

NOTE:The pedalmustbe depressedtostartthe engine.Referto

SafetyInterlockSwitcheslaterin thissectionof thismanual.

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.AlwaysdisengagePTO (BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverintoneutralposition,setpark- ingbrake,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintendedstarting.

Gas and Oil Fill=up 0il

iMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroil intheengine.

However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Becareful notto overfill.

Forinstructionsonhowto checktheengineoil, refertoCheckingThe EngineOilin the ServiceandMaintenancesectionofthis manual.

Alwayschecktheengineoil levelbeforeeachuseas instructedin theMaintenancesection.Addoilas necessary.Failuretodo somay resultin seriousdamagetoyourengine.

Gasoline

Thegasolinetankis locatedunderthehood.Donotoverfill.

Useextremecarewhenhandlinggasoline.Gasolineis extremely flammableandthevaporsareexplosive.Neverfuelmachineindoors

orwhilethe engineis hotor running.Extinguishcigarettes,cigars,

_ppes,andothersourcesof gn ton. NOTE : Purchasegasolineinsmallquantities.Donotuse gasolineleft

overfromthe previousseason,to minimizegumdepositsinthefuel system.

• Thisengineiscertifiedto operateonunleadedgasoline.For best results,fillthe fueltankwithonlyclean,fresh,unleadedgasoline witha pumpstickeroctaneratingof 87or higher.

• Gasohol(upto 10%ethylalcohol,90%unleadedgasolineby volume)isanapprovedfuel.Othergasoline/alcoholblends,such asE85,arenotapproved.

• MethylTertiaryButylEther(MTBE)andunleadedgasolineblends (uptoa maximumof 15%MTBEbyvolume)are approvedfuels. Othergasoline/etherblendsare notapproved.

• Fillfuel tankoutdoorsorin well-ventilatedarea.

• Donotoverfillfueltank.Filltanktono morethan 1/2inchbelow bottomoffillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Neverremovegas capor addfuel whiletheengineis hot or run- ning.Allowenginetocoolat leasttwo minutesbeforerefueling.

• Ifgasolineisspilled,wipe itoff theengineandequipment.Move machineto anotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe engine.

To Add Gasoline

1. Turntheengineoff andletenginecool atleast2 minutesbefore removingthe fuelcap.Thegasolinetankis locatedunderthe hood.Removethe fuelcapbyturningitcounterclockwise.

2. Fillthefueltankwithgasoline.Useonlyclean,fresh(nomorethan 30daysold),unleadedgasoline.Filltanktonomorethan1/2inch belowbottomof fillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

3. Reinstallthefuelcap.

iMPORTANT: Donotoverfillthe tank.Filltanktonomorethan 1/2 inchbelowbottomoffillerneckto allowspaceforfuelexpansion.See

Fig.6.

Figure 6

SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

Thesafetyinterlocksystemis designedforsafeoperationofthe trac- tor.If thissystemshouldevermalfunction,donotoperatethetractor, immediatelycontact1-800-4-MY-HOMEto havethesystemserviced.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventstheenginefromstarting unlesstheparkingbrakeisengagedandthe PTO(BladeEngage) leveris inthe disengaged(OFF)position.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwill automaticallyshutoffthe engineif theoperatorleavestheseatbeforeengagingtheparkingbrake.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwillautomaticallyshutoff theengineif theoperatorleavesthetractor'sseatwiththePTO(BladeEngage) leverengaged,regardlessof whethertheparkingbrakeisengaged.

• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff ifthe PTO(BladeEngage) leveris movedintotheengaged(ON) positionwiththe shiftlever

in Reverse.

Avoid Serious injury or Death

• Goup anddownslopes,notacross.

• Avoidsuddenturns.

• Donotoperatetheunitwhereitcouldsliportip.

• If machinestopsgoinguphill,stopbladesandbackdownhill slowly.

• Donotmowwhenchildrenorothersarearound.

• Nevercarrychildren,evenwithbladesoff.

• Lookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebacking.

• Keepsafetydevices(guards,shields,andswitches)inplace andworking.

• Removeobjectsthatcouldbethrownbythe blades.

• Knowlocationandfunctionofall controls.

• Be surebladesandengineare stoppedbeforeplacinghandsor feetnearblades.

• Beforeleavingoperator'sposition,stoptractor,disengage blades,engageparkingbrake,shutengineoff,andremovekey.

Read Operator's Manual

iGNiTiON SWITCH

Theignitionswitchisactivatedtostarttheengine.Insertkeyintothe ignitionswitchandturnclockwisetotheSTARTposition.Releasethe

keyintotheONpositiononceenginehasfired.SeeFig.7. Tostopthe engine,turnthe ignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheOFF

position.SeeFig.7.

NEVERleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysdisengage PTO,moveshiftleverintoneutralposition,setparkingbrake,stop engneandremovekeytopreventunntendedstartng.

Start

off

SETTING THE CUTTING HEIGHT

1. Selecttheheightpositionofthecuttingdeckby placingthedeck liftleverinanyof thesixdifferentcuttingheightnotchesonthe rightsideofthefender.

Keephandsandfeetawayfromthedischargeopeningofthecutting

deck.

STARTING THE ENGINE

Donot operatethetractoriftheinterlocksystemismalfunctioning.

Thissystemwasdesignedforyoursafetyand protection.

NOTE:Referto the GasolineandOilfill-upinstructionsearlierin this section.

1. Insertthetractorkeyintothe ignitionswitch.

2. PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF) position.

3. Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.

4. Activatethechokecontrolbymovingthethrottle/chokeleverall

thewayupintothechokeposition.

5. Turnthe ignitionkeyclockwisetotheSTARTposition.Afterthe

enginestarts,releasethekey.Itwill returntothe ON(or Normal

Mowing)position.

Figure 7

iMPORTANT: Priortooperatingthetractor,refertobothSafety

InterlockSystemandStartingTheEngineinthe Operationsectionof thismanualforfurtherdetailedinstructions.

ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE

To engage the parking brake:

1. Fullydepresstheclutch-brakepedalandholditdownwithyour foot.

2. Movethespeedcontrolleverallthewaydownandintothe parkingbrakeposition.

3. Releasethedutch-brakepedaltoallowthe parkingbraketo engage.

To release the parking brake:

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedalandmovethespeedcontrollever outof the parkingbrakepositionand intoa desiredspeed.

DO NOTholdthekeyintheSTARTpositionforlongerthanten

secondsata time. Doingsomaycausedamagetoyour engine's electricstarter.

6. Aftertheenginestarts,deactivatethechokecontrolandplacethe throttlecontrolin theFASTposition.

NOTE:Do NOTleavethechokecontrolonwhileoperatingthetractor. Doingsowillresultina "rich"fuelmixtureandcausetheenginetorun poorly.

STOPPING THE ENGINE

If youstrikea foreignobject,stoptheengine,disconnectthespark plugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughlyinspectthe machinefor anydamage.Repairthedamagebeforerestartingand operating

1. Ifthe bladesareengaged,placethePTO(BladeEngage)leverin thedisengaged(OFF)position.

2. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOPposition.

3. Removethe keyfromtheignitionswitchto preventunintended starting.

DRIVING THE TRACTOR

Avoidsuddenstarts,excessivespeedandsuddenstops.

Donotleavetheseatof thetractorwithoutfirstplacingthePTO

(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)position,depressing Ithe brakepedalandengagingtheparkingbrake.Ifleavingthetractor [unattended,alsoturntheignitionkeyoffand removethekey.

Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackinguptoavoida

back-overaccident.

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedaltoreleasetheparkingbrakeand

thenlet thepedalup.

2. MovethethrottleleverintotheFAST(rabbit)position.

3. Placethe shiftleverineitherthe FORWARDor REVERSE

position.

IMPORTANT: DoNOTusetheshiftleverto changethedirectionof travelwhenthe tractorisin motion.Alwaysusetheclutch-brakepedal tobringthetractortoa completestopbeforeshifting.

4. Releasetheparkingbrakebydepressingtheclutch-brakepedal

andpositioningthe speedcontrolleverinthe desiredposition.

IMPORTANT: First-timeoperatorsshouldusespeedpositions1or

2.Becomecompletelyfamiliarwiththetractor'soperationandcontrols beforeoperatingthe tractorinhigherspeedpositions.

5. Releaseclutch-brakepedalslowlytoputunit intomotion.

6. Thelawntractorisbroughttoa stopbydepressingthe clutch-

brakepedal.

NOTE: Whenoperatingthe unitinitially,therewillbe littledifference betweenthe highesttwospeedsuntil afterthe beltshaveseated themselvesintothepulleysduringthebreak-inperiod.

WARNING!Beforeleavingtheoperator'spositionfor any reason,

disengagetheblades,placetheshiftleverinneutral,engagethe

parkingbrake,shutengineoff andremovethe key.

1. Placetheshiftleverinneutral,

2. Engagetheparkingbrake,

3. Shutengineoffand removethekey.Doingsowillminimizethe possibilityofhavingyourlawn"browned"byhotexhaustfrom yourtractor'srunningengine.

Ifunitstallswithspeedcontrolinhighspeed,orif unitwillnotoperate

withspeedcontrolleverina lowspeedposition,proceedas follows:

1. PlaceshiftleverinNEUTRAL.

2. Restartengine.

3. Placespeedcontrolleverinhighestspeedposition.

4. Releaseclutch-brakepedalfully.

5. Depressclutch-brakepedal.

6. Placespeedcontrolleverindesiredposition.

7. PlaceshiftleverineitherFORWARDor REVERSE,andfollow normaloperatingprocedures.

DRIVING ON SLOPES

Refertothe SLOPEGAUGEinthe SafetyInstructionssectionofthe manualto helpdetermineslopeswhereyoumayoperatethistractor safely.

Donot mowon inclineswitha slopeinexcessof 15degrees(a rise ofapproximately2-1/2feetevery10feet).The tractorcouldoverturn andcauseseriousinjury.

• Mowupanddownslopes,NEVERacross.

• Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orother hiddenobjects. Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

• Avoidturnswhendrivingona slope.If a turnmustbe made,turn

downthe slope.Turningupa slopegreatlyincreasesthe chance ofa rollover.

• Avoidstoppingwhendrivingup a slope.If itis necessarytostop

whiledrivingupa slope,startupsmoothlyandcarefullyto reduce thepossibilityof flippingthetractoroverbackward.

ENGAGING THE BLADES

Engagingthe PTO(BladeEngage)transferspowertothe cuttingdeck or other(separatelyavailable)attachments.Toengagetheblades, proceedasfollows:

1. Movethethrottle/chokecontrollevertotheFAST(rabbit)position.

2. Graspthe PTO(BladeEngage)leverandpivotitall theway

forwardintotheengaged(ON)position.

3. KeepthethrottleleverintheFAST(rabbit)positionfor themost

efficientuseof the cuttingdeckorother(separatelyavailable) attachments.

NOTE:The enginewillautomaticallyshutoff if the PTO(Blade

Engage)leverismovedintothe engaged(ON)positionwiththeshift leverin Reverse.

IMPORTANT:Whenstoppingthetractorforanyreasonwhileon a grasssurface,always:

MULCHING

A mulch kit is available as an attachment. Mulching is a process of recirculating grass clippings repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine clippings are then forced back into the lawn where they act as a natural fertilizer.

A mulchkit canbe purchased.SeetheReplacementParts& Attach- mentssectionofthis manualformoreinformation.

USING THE DECK LIFT LEVER

Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethedecklift levertothe left,thenplace itin thenotchbestsuitedforyourapplication.RefertoSettingThe CuttingHeightearlierinthis Operationsection.

MOWING

Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,keepbystand- ers,helpers,childrenandpetsat least75feetfromthemachine whileit is inoperation.Stopmachineif anyoneentersthearea.

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthecuttingdeck withyourtractor:

Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialstoward roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthelike.Also,avoiddischarging materialagainsta wallor obstructionwhichmaycausedischarged materialto ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

HEADLIGHTS

• ThelampsareONwheneverthe tractor'sengineis running.

• ThelampsturnOFFwhentheignitionkeyis movedto theSTOP position.

• Donotmowat highgroundspeed,especiallyifa mulchkitor grasscollectoris installed.

• Forbestresultsitis recommendedthatthefirsttwolaps becut withthedischargethrowntowardsthecenter.Afterthefirsttwo laps,reversethedirectionto throwthedischargetothe outside forthe balanceofcutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearanceto the

lawn.

• Donotcut thegrasstoo short.Shortgrassinvitesweedgrowth andyellowsquicklyindryweather.

• Mowingshouldalwaysbedonewiththeengineatfullthrottle.

• Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessarytogo backoverthe cutareaa secondtimetogeta cleancut.

• DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsandextremely tallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedto mowlawns,NOTclear

brush.

• Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhenworn.Refer toCuttingBladesintheServicesectionofthis manualforproper bladesharpeninginstructions.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Beforeperforminganytypeofmaintenance/service,disengageall controlsandstoptheengine.Waituntilallmovingpartshavecometo acompletestop.Disconnectsparkplugwireandgrounditagainstthe enginetopreventunintendedstarting.Alwayswearsafetyglassesduring operationor whileperforminganyadjustmentsorrepairs.

BeforeEachUse

Inthe FirstFiveHours Every10Hours

Every25 hours

Every50 hours

Annually

BeforeStorage

*Servicemorefrequentlyunderdustyconditions.

1. Engineoil level

2. Mufflerareaandcontrols

3. Fingerguard

7. EngineOil

9. Hood/Dashairvents

10. Batteryterminals

11. Deckspindlesandidler bracket

15. Air filter'sprecleaner*

16. Air filter*

17. Midsteeringarms,pivot shafts,andaxles

18. Frontwheelbearings

19. Frontdeckwheels

25. Engineoil/Oil filter

26. Muffler

29. Air filter

30. Air filter'spre-cleaner

31. Sparkplug

32. Air coolingsystem*

33. Fuelfilter

34. SteeringGears

35. RearWheels

43. Hood/Dashairvents

44. Batteryterminals

45. Midsteeringarms,pivot shafts,andaxles

46. Frontwheelbearings

47. Frontdeckwheels

48. Deckspindlesand idler bracket

49. Pedalpivotpoints

4. Check

5. Clean

6. Clean

8. Change

12. Clean

13. Clean

14. Lubricate

20. Clean

21. Clean

22. Lubricate

23. Lubricate

24. Lubricate

27. Change/Replace

28. Check

36. Replace

37. Replace

38. Replace

39. Clean

40. Replace

41. Clean

42. Removeandgreaseaxles

50. Clean

51. Clean

52. Lubricate

53. Lubricate

54. Lubricate

55. Lubricate

56. Lubricate

Followthe maintenanceschedulegivenbelow.Thischartdescribes serviceguidelinesonly.UsetheServiceLogcolumntokeeptrack ofcompletedmaintenancetasks.Tolocate the nearest Parts&

RepairService Centeror to scheduleservice,simplycontact

1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

Beforeperforminganymaintenanceor repairs,disengagethePTO (BladeEngageLever),engagetheparkingbrake,stoptheengine

and removethekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

Iftheenginehasbeen recentlyrun,theengine,mufflerandsur- roundingmetalsurfaceswill behotand cancauseburnsto the skin.

Exercisecautiontoavoidburns.

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

Checking the Engine Oil Onlyuse highqualitydetergentoilratedwithAPIserviceclassification

SF,SG,SH,or SJ, Selecttheoil'sSAEviscositygradeaccordingto theexpectedoperatingtemperature.Followthe chartbelow.

Althoughmulti-viscosityoils (5W20,10W30,etc.)improvestarting in coldweather,theywillresultinincreasedoil consumptionwhen

usedabove32°ECheckyourengineoillevelmorefrequentlytoavoid possibleenginedamagefromrunninglowonoil.

('_older _ 32°F _War me'_r

Oil Viscosity Chart

Tochecktheengineoil,proceedasfollows:

• Ensurethatthe tractorisona levelsurface.

• Cleantheoil fill areaof anydebris.

1. Removethedipstickandwipewithacleancloth.

2. Insertandtightendipstick.

3. Removethedipstickandchecktheoil level.It shouldbeatthe Full markon thedipstick.SeeFigure9.

Dipstick-_

Changing Engine Oil

Theengineoil shouldbechangedinthefirst5 hoursandthenevery 50 hoursoroncea season.Tochangetheengineoil,proceedas

follows:

1. WithengineOFFbutstillwarm,disconnectsparkplugwireand keepit awayfromsparkplug.

2. Removethe oilfill cap/dipstickfromtheoil fill tube.SeeFigure9.

3. Turnthe steeringwheelallthewaytotherightto betterexpose thedrainplug.

4. Cliptheoildrainsleeve(packedwiththis manual)ontothe oil drainport. Routetheoppositeendofthesleeveintoanappropri- ateoilcollectioncontainerwitha capacitygreatenoughtocollect

theusedoil.

5. Removethe oildrainplug,Theoilwillbegintodrainoutof the engine.

6. Aftertheoil hasfinisheddraining,replacethe oil drainplugand tighten.Becarefulnot to overtighten.

7. Removetheoildrainsleeveandstorefor lateruse.

8. Refillthe enginewithnewmotoroil untiltheoillevelonthe dipstickreadsFULL.Replacetheoil fillcap/dipstick.

Usedoil isa hazardouswasteproduct.Disposeof usedoil properly. Donotdiscardwithhouseholdwaste.Checkwithyourlocalauthori-

ties oror contact1-800-4-MY-HOMEfor alist ofsafedisposal/

recyclingfacilities.

Changing the Oil Filter

1. Draintheoil fromthe engineas describedabove.

2. Removethe oilfilteranddisposeofproperly.SeeFigure10.

OilDrain

Valve

Oil Drain Sleeve

Figure9

Iflow,addoilslowlyintotheengineoilfill.Donotoverfill.Afteradding oil,waitone minuteandthenrechecktheoil level.

Donotoverfill.Overfillingwithoil maycausetheenginetonotstart, hardstarting,orenginesmoking.IfovertheFULLmarkonthe dipstick,drainoil toreduceoil leveltoFULLmarkondipstick.

5. Replaceandtightendipstick.

Figure10

3. Beforeyouinstallthenewoilfilter,lightlylubricatetheoilfiltergasket withfresh,cleanoil.

4. Installtheoil filterbyhanduntilthe gasketcontactstheoil filter adapter,then tightentheoilfilter 1/2to3/4 turns.

5. Addoil as describedabove.

6. Startandruntheengine.Astheenginewarrnsup,checkforoilleaks.

7. Stoptheengineandchecktheoillevel.ItshouldbeattheFULLmark on thedipstick.

Fuel Filter Air Cleaner

Gasolineand itsvaporsareextremelyflammableandexplosive.Fire orexplosioncancausesevereburnsor death.

• Keepgasolineawayfromsparks,openflames,pilotlights,heat, andotherignitionsources.

• Checkfuellines,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyforcracksor leaks.Replaceif necessary.

• Beforereplacingthe fuelfilter,drainthefueltankasperthe instructionsbelow.

• Donotdrainfuel whentheengineishot.Allowtheengine

adequatetimetocool. Drainfuelintoan approvedcontainer outdoors,awayfromopenflame.

• Drainanylargevolumeoffuelfromthetankbydisconnectingthe fuellinefromthein-linefuelfilterneartheengine.

• RemovethefuellinefromtheIn-lineside(sidetowardsthefuel tank)of thefuel filter.

• Replacementpartsmustbethesameand installedinthe same positionastheoriginalparts.

• Iffuelspills,waituntilitevaporatesbeforestartingengine.

• Beforereplacingthe fuelfilter,drainthefueltank.Otherwisefuel

canleakoutandcausea fireor explosion.

ToDrainthe fuel:

1. Locatethefuelfilter,whichisroutedontheleftsideoftheengine betweenthefueltankandthecarburetor,andmaybeattachedto theenginewitha tiestrap.Cutthetie strap,ifpresent,then pinch thein-lineclamponthefuelfilterwitha pairofpliers,slidethe clampupthefuelline.Pullthefuellinefreefromthefilterandplace theopenendof the lineintoanapprovedcontainertodrainthefuel.

Tochangethe fuel filter:

1. Useplierstosqueezethetabsontheotherclamp(theout-line sideof thefuelfilter),thenslidethe clampawayfromthe fuelfilter. Twistandpullthefuellineoff ofthefuelfilter.SeeFigure11.

2. Checkthefuellinesforcracksor leaks.Replaceifnecessary.

3. Replacethefuelfilterwithanoriginalequipmentreplacementfilter. Call1-800-4-MY-HOME®to purchasetheoriginalequipment replacementfilter.

4. Securethefuellineswiththeclamps.

Clamp

Fuel Line

Iffilters,or coversarenotinstalledcorrectlyseriousinjuryordeath

couldresultfrombackfire.Do notattemptto startthe enginewith themremoved.

Donot usepressurizedair or solventstocleantheaircleaner

cartridge.

Theairfiltersystemusesa cylindricalcartridge.Thismodelalso includesa pre-cleanerthatcan bewashedand reused.

1. Removethefasteners(A)andtheairfiltercover(B).SeeFigure12.

2. Toremovethefilter(C),lifttheendofthefilterandthenpullthefilter off theintake(D).

3. Removethe pre-cleaner(E), if equipped,fromthe filter.

4. Toloosendebris,gentlytapthefilteronahardsurface,ifthefilteris excessivelydirty,replacewithanewfilter.

f --,,,

Figure12

5. Washthepre-cleanerinliquiddetergentandwater.Thenallowit to thoroughlyair dry.Donotoil thepre-cleaner.

6. Assemblethedrypre-cleanertothefilter.

7. Installthefilterontheintake.Pushtheendofthefilterintothebaseas shown.Makesurefilterfitssecurelyinthebase.

8. Installairfiltercoverandsecurewithfasteners.

Tab

... J

Figure11

Spark Plug

1. Cleanareaaroundthe sparkplugbase.Do notsandblastspark plug,Sparkplugshouldbecleanedbyscrapingorwirebrushing andwashingwitha commercialsolvent

Removeandinspectthesparkplug.Checkgap tomakesureit is setat.030".SeeFigure13.

Electrode Porcelain

_.030 (.76 mm) gap

Figure13

3. Replacethesparkplug(Champion®RC12YC)once a season.

Muffler

Temperatureof mufflerandnearbyengineareasmayexceed150°F

(65°0).Avoidcontactwiththeseareas.

• inspectmufflerperiodically,and replaceifnecessary.Replace- mentpartsforthemufflermustbethesameand installedin the samepositionasthe originalparts.

Clean Engine

• Dailyor beforeeveryuse,cleangrass,chafforaccumulated debrisfromengine.Keeplinkage,spring,andcontrolsclean.

Keepareaaroundandbehindmufflerfreeofanycombustible debris.

Keepingenginecleanallowsair movementaroundengine.

• Enginepartsshouldbekeptcleanto reducetheriskofoverheat- ingandignitionofaccumulateddebris.

Donotusewatertocleanengineparts.Watercouldcontaminatefuel system.Useabrushordrycloth.

Carburetor Adjustment

• Thecarburetoronthisengineisnot adjustable.

LUBRICATION

Beforelubricating,repairing,or inspecting,alwaysdisengagePTO (BladeEngageLever),moveshift leverintoneutralposition,set parkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintended starting.

Pivot Points & Linkage Lubricateallthepivotpointsonthedrivesystem,parkingbrakeandlift

linkageatleastoncea seasonwithlightoil. Rear Wheels

Therearwheelsshouldberemovedfromtheaxlesoncea season.

Lubricatetheaxlesandthe rimswellwithan all-purposegreasebefore re-installingthem.

Front Axles

Eachendof thetractor'sfrontpivotbar maybeequippedwitha grease fitting.Lubricatewitha greasegunafterevery25hoursoftractor operation.

Battery Thebatteryissealedandismaintenance-free.Acidlevelscannotbe

checked.

Alwayskeepthebatterycablesandterminalscleanandfree of corrosivebuild-up.

Aftercleaningthebatteryandterminals,applya lightcoatof

petroleumjellyorgreasetobothterminals.

Alwayskeepthe rubberbootpositionedoverthepositiveterminal to preventshorting.

iMPORTANT:if removingthebatteryforanyreason,disconnectthe

NEGATIVE(Black)wirefromitsterminalfirst,followedbythePOSI- TIVE(Red)wire.When re-installingthebattery,alwaysconnectthe

POSITIVE(Red)wiretoits terminalfirst,followedbythe NEGATIVE

(Black)wire.Becertainthatthewiresareconnectedtothe correct terminals;reversingthemcouldchangethe polarityandresultin damageto yourengine'salternatingsystem.

Cleaning Battery

Cleanthebatteryby removingitfromthetractorandwashingwith a bakingsodaandwatersolution.Ifnecessary,scrapethe battery terminalswitha wirebrushto removedeposits.Coatterminalsand exposedwiringwithgreaseor petroleumjellytopreventcorrosion.

Battery Failures

Somecommoncausesfor batteryfailureare:

incorrectinitialactivation Overcharging

Freezing Undercharging

Corrodedconnections

ThesefailuresareNOTcoveredbyyourtractor'swarranty.

CLEANING THE ENGINE AND DECK

Anyfuel oroil spilledonthe machineshouldbewipedoff promptly.Do NOTallowdebristoaccumulatearoundthe coolingfinsofthe engine oron anyotherpartof themachine.

IMPORTANT: Theuseof a pressurewasherto cleanyourtractoris NOTrecommended.It maycausedamagetoelectricalcomponents, spindles,pulleys,bearingsortheengine.

A screwplugcanbefoundon yourtractor'sdecksurfaceasseenin Fig. 14.Thisplugcanbe replacedwitha waterporttobeusedaspart ofa separately-availabledeckwashsystem.

TheDeckWashSystemTM is usedto rinsegrassclippingsfromthe deck'sundersideandpreventthebuildupofcorrosivechemicals.

NOTE: Adeckwashsystemcanbepurchasedthroughtheretail locationinwhichyoupurchasedthistractor.For moreinformation, simplycall 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

2. Measurethedistancefromthe frontof thebladetiptothe ground andthe rearofthebladetip to theground.Thefirstmeasure-

menttakenshouldbe between1A"and3A"lessthanthe second measurement.Determinethe approximatedistancenecessaryfor

properadjustmentandproceed,if necessary,to thenextstep.

3. Locatetheflangelocknutonthefrontsideofthestabilizer bracket.SeeFig.15.

Tightentheflangelocknuttoraisethe frontofthedeck; Loosentheflangelocknutto lowerthefrontof thedeck.

Figure14

ADJUSTMENTS

Neverattempttomakeanyadjustmentswhiletheengineis running, exceptwherespecifiedinthe operator'smanual.

Leveling the Deck NOTE: Checkthetractor'stirepressurebeforeperforminganydeck

levelingadjustments.Referto Tiresinthe Servicesectionofthis manualformoreinformationregardingtire pressure.

Front To Rear Thefrontof the cuttingdeckissupportedby a stabilizerbarthatcan

beadjustedtolevelthe deckfromfrontto rear.Thefrontof the deck shouldbebetween1A-inchand3A-inchlowerthantherearofthedeck.

Adjustif necessaryas follows:

1. Withthetractorparkedon a firm,levelsurface,placetheleverfor liftingtheplatformon thesecondtothetop notch(secondhighest position)androtatethebladeasclosetothe dischargechannel thatisparalleltothe tractor.

Figure15

Side to Side

Ifthecuttingdeckappearstobemowingunevenly,a sideto side

adjustmentcan beperformed.Adjustifnecessaryasfollows:

1. Withthetractorparkedonafirm,levelsurface,placethedeckliftlever in thesecondfromthetopnotch(secondhighestposition)and

rotatebothbladessothattheyare perpendicularwiththetractor.

2. Measurethedistancefromthe outsideoftheleft bladetiptothe groundandthedistancefromthe outsideoftherightbladetip to theground.Bothmeasurementstakenshouldbeequal.Ifthey're not, proceedto thenextstep.

3. Loosen,butdo NOTremove,the hexcap screwonthe leftdeck hangerbracket.SeeFig. 16.

4. Balancethedeckby usinga wrenchtoturntheadjustmentgear (foundimmediatelybehindthehexcap screwjust loosened) clockwise/uporcounterclockwise/down.Thedeckis properly balancedwhenbothbladetip measurementstakenearlierare equal.

5. Retightenthe hexcapscrewon the leftdeckhangerbracketwhen properadjustmentis achieved.

He× Cap Screw

'_. ._

Figure16

Seat Adjustment Refertothe Assemblysectionofthismanualforseatadjustment

instructions. Parking Brake Adjustment

Neverattempttoadjustthe brakeswhiletheengineis running. AlwaysdisengagePTO,moveshift leverintoneutralposition,stop engineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

If thetractordoes notcometoacompletestopwhenthebrakepedal iscompletelydepressed,or ifthe tractor'srearwheelscanrollwiththe parkingbrakeapplied,thebrakeis in needofadjustment.Contactthe nearest SearsService Centerto haveyourbrakesproperlyadjusted.

Tolocatethenearest Parts&RepairServiceCenteror toschedule service,contact 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

Figure17

5. Lookingatthecuttingdeckfromtheleftsideofthetractor,locatethe bow-tiepin thatsecuresthedecksupportrodonthe rearleftside

ofthe deck. SeeFig.18.Removethebow-tiepinthat securesthe decksupportrod,andcarefullyremovethedecksupportfromthe

decklift arm.

Bow-TieClip jj

CUTTING DECK REMOVAL

To remove the cutting deck, proceed as follows:

1. Placethe PTO(Blade Engage)leverin thedisengaged(OFF) positionandengagethe parkingbrake.

2. Lowerthe deck bymovingthe deck lift leverintothe bottom notchon the rightfender.

3. Removetheself-tappingscrew(A) thatsecuresthebelt-keeper rodfromaroundthetractor'sPTOpulley,thenremovethe belt keeperrod(B). SeeFig.17.

NOTE: Makea mentalnotewhatholetheotherendof thebelt-keeper rodisinsertedinforreinstallationpurposes.

4. Removethebelt(C)fromaroundthetractor'sPTOpulley.See Fig.17.

Avoidpinchinginjuries.Neverplaceyourfingersontheidlerspringor betweenthe beltanda pulleywhileremovingthe belt.

/ /

i /

Figure18

6. Repeattheabovestepson thetractor'srightside. NOTE:The bow-tieclipsshouldbe re-installedfromthetopdown.

7. Movethedeckliftleverintothetopnotchontherightfenderto raise

thedecklift armsupandoutof theway.

8, Removethebow-tiecotterpinsecuringthedeckstabilizerrodtothe

deck.Slidethedeck lift rodfromthemountingbracketon the deckasseen in Fig.19.

............./1;_,_......................... / ..............................

The recommended operating tire pressure is:

• Approximately10psiforthereartires

• Approximately14psiforthefronttires

IMPORTANT: Refertothe tire sidewaNfor exacttiremanufacturer's recommendedormaximumpsi.Donot overinflate.Uneventire pres-

surecould causethecuttingdeckto mowunevenly.

BATTERY

CaliforniaProposition65 WARNING!Batteryposts,terminals,and

relatedaccessoriescontainleadandleadcompounds,chemicals knowntothe Stateof Californiatocausecancerandreproductive harm.Washhandsafterhandling.

If removingthe battery,disconnecttheNEGATIVE(Black)wire

fromits terminalfirst,followedbythe POSITIVE(Red) wire.When

relinstallingthe battery,alwaysconnectthePOSITIVE(Red)wire to

Its termna f rst,fo owedby theNEGATVE (Back) wre.

JUMP STARTING

_... j2

Figure19

Carefullyremovethe PTOcablefromtherearofthecuttingdeckby removingthe bow-tiecotterpinwhichsecuresit.Removethe springfromthe deckidlerbracket.SeeFig.20.

PTOCable

Figure20

10. Gentlyslidethecuttingdeck(fromtheleftside)outfromunderneath thetractor.

TIRES

Neverexceedthe maximuminflationpressureshownonthesidewall oftire.

Neverjump starta damagedorfrozenbattery.Becertainthevehicles

do nottouch,andignitionsareoff. Do notallowcable clampsto touch.

1. Connectpositive(+)cableto positivepost(+)ofyourtractor's dischargedbattery.

2. Connecttheotherendof thecabletothe (positive+) postofthe jumperbattery.

3. Connectthesecondcable(negative-) totheother postof the jumperbattery.

4. Connecttheotherendof thenegativecabletotheengineblockof thetractor,awayfromthe battery.Attachtoanunpaintedpartto assurea goodconnection.

Ifthejumper batteryis installedona vehicle(i.e.car,truck),do NOT startthe vehicle'senginewhenjumpstartingyourtractor.

5. Startthetractor(asinstructedearlierinthissectionofthismanual).

6. Setthetractor'sparkingbrakebeforeremovingthejumpercables, in reverseorderofconnection.

CHARGING

Batteries ina wellventilatedareaandkeepawayfroman openflameor pilot

ghtas ona waterheater,spaceheater,furnace,cothesdryeror |

othergas appliances.

Whenchargingyourtractor'sbattery,useonlya chargerdesignedfor I

12Vlead-acidbatteries.ReadyourbatterychargersOwners Manual priortochargingyourtractorsbattery.Alwaysfollowits instructions I

land heed ts warnngs. j

giveoffan explosivegaswhilecharging.ChargethebatteryI

If yourtractorhasnotbeenputinto useforanextendedperiodoftime, chargethebatteryas follows:

1. Setyour batterychargertodeliveramaxof 10amperes.

If yourbatterychargerisautomatic,chargethebatteryuntilthe chargerindicatesthatchargingiscomplete.Ifthechargeris not automatic,chargefor nofewerthaneighthours.

FUSE

One20AMPfuseisinstalledin yourtractor'swiringharnesstoprotect thetractor'selectricalsystemfromdamagecausedbyexcessive

amperage. If theelectricalsystemdoesnot function,or yourtractor'senginewill

notcrank,firstcheckto be certainthatthefusehasnotblown.It can befoundat the rearoftheunit,underneaththefenderlocatedbythe

battery.

Alwaysusea fusewiththe sameamperagecapacityforreplacement.

CUTTING BLADES

Shutthe engineoff andremoveignitionkeybeforeremovingthe cuttingblade(s)forsharpeningor replacement.Protectyourhands byusingheavygloveswhengraspingtheblade.

Removethehexflangenutthatsecuresthebladetothespindle

assembly.SeeFig.21.

Toproperlysharpenthecuttingblades,removeequalamountsof

metalfrombothendsofthebladesalongthecuttingedges, parallelto thetrailingedge,ata250.to 300angle.Alwaysgrind

eachcutting bladeedgeequallytomaintainproperbladebalance.

SeeFig.22.

Periodicallyinspectthebladeand/orspindleforcracksordamage, especiallyafter you'vestrucka foreignobject.Donotoperatethe machineuntil damagedcomponentsare replaced.

Toremovetheblades,proceedasfollows.

1. Removethedeckfrombeneaththetractor,(refertoCuttingDeck Removalearlierinthis section)thengentlyflipthedeckoverto exposeitsunderside.

2. Placea blockofwoodbetweenthe centerdeckhousingbaffle andthecuttingbladeto actasa stabilizer. SeeFig.21.

Figure 22

Ifthecuttingedgeof thebladehaspreviouslybeensharpened,or if

anymetalseparationis present,replacethebladeswithnewones.

A poorlybalancedbladewillcauseexcessivevibration,maycause damagetothetractorand/or resultin personalinjury.

5. Testtheblade'sbalanceusingabladebalancer.Grindmetalfromthe heavysideuntil itbalancesevenly.

NOTE"Whenreplacingtheblade,be suretoinstallthe bladewiththe sideof theblademarked"Bottom"(orwitha partnumberstampedin it)facingthe groundwhenthemowerisintheoperatingposition.

Usea torquewrenchtotightenthe bladespindlehexflangenutto

between70Ibs-ftand 90Ibs-ft.

CHANGING THE DECK BELT

Besureto shutthe engineoff,removeignitionkey,disconnectthe

Isparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengineto preventunin- pnded startingbeforeremovingthe belt.

Figure21

All beltsonyourtractoraresubjectto wearandshouldbereplacedif anysignsof wearare present.

iMPORTANT:The V-beltfoundonyourtractorisspeciallydesigned

toengageanddisengagesafely.A substitute(non-OEM)V-beltcan bedangerousbynotdisengagingcompletely.Fora properworking machine,useidenticalequipmentbeltsas listedinthepartspagesof thisOperator'sManual.

Tochangeor replacethedeckbelt onyourtractor,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethedeckasinstructedearlierinthis section.

2. Removethe beltcoversfromthespindlepulleysby removingthe hexscrewsthatfastenthecoverstothedeck.SeeFig.23,

3. itmayalsobenecessaryto loosenthehex nuton the leftidler pulleyto getthebelt offthe pulleyandaroundthebeltguard.

4. Carefullyremovethedeckbeltfromaroundthetwospindle pulleysandthetwo deckidlerpulleys,SeeFig,23,

5. Toplacethenewbelt,beginbyroutingthebeltaroundthetwo outerspindlepulleysas shownin Fig.23,

6. ThenroutethebeltaroundthetwodeckidlerpulleysasshowninFig.

23.

7. Retightenthebeltkeeperrodloosenedearlier.

8. Remountthebeltguardsremovedearlier,

9. Re-installthedeck,makingsurethe beltremainsroutedaround thepulleysas instructed.Thecompletebeltroutingisshownin Fig,23.

10. Pullthe rightsideofthe belt,and placethenarrowVside of the beltintothePTOpulley.

11. Whileholdingthebeltandpulleytogether,rotatethepulleytotheleft. Continueholdingandrotatingthepulleyandbeltuntilthebelt is fully rolledintothe PTOpulley.

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

Neverattempttoadjustthebrakeswhiletheengineis running.Always

disengagePTO(BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverintoneutral

position,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintendedstarting.

Ifthe tractordoesnot cometoa completestopwhenthe clutch-brake pedaliscompletelydepressed,or ifthetractor'srearwheelscan roll withtheparkingbrakeapplied,the brakeis inneedofadjustment. Contactthe nearest Parts& RepairService Centertohaveyour

brakesserviced.

Tolocatethe nearestParts& RepairServiceCenteror to schedule service,contact1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

CHANGING THE TRANSMiSSiON DRIVE

BELT

NOTE:Severalcomponentsmust beremovedandspecialtools(i.e. air/impactwrench)inordertochangethetractor'sdrivebelt.Contact the nearest Parts& Repair Service Centerto haveyourtransmis-

siondrivebeltserviced. Tolocatethe nearestParts& RepairServiceCenteror to schedule

service, contact 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

Figure 23

Neverstorelawntractorwithfuelintankindoorsorin poorly ventilatedareaswherefuelfumesmayreachanopenflame,spark, orpilotlightas ona furnace,waterheater,clothesdryer,or gas appliance.

PREPARING THE ENGINE

IMPORTANT:Fuelleftin thefueltankduringwarmweatherdeterio-

ratesandwillcauseseriousstartingproblems.

Topreventgumdepositsfromforminginsidetheengine'scarburetor andcausingpossiblemalfunctionof theengine,thefuelsystemmust be eithercompletelyemptied,orthegasolinemustbe treatedwitha stabilizertopreventdeterioration.

1. Ifusingafuel stabilizer: a. Readtheproductmanufacturer'sinstructionsandrecom-

mendations.

b. Addtoclean,freshgasolinethecorrectamountofstabilizer

forthe capacityof thefuelsystem.

c. Fillthe fueltankwithtreatedfuelandruntheenginefor2-3

minutestogetstabilizedfuelintothe carburetor.

2. Ifemptyingthefuelsystem: a. Donotdrainfuelwhentheengineishot.Allowthe engine

adequatetimeto cool.Drainfuelinto anapprovedcontainer outdoors,awayfromopenflame.

b. Drainanylargevolumeof fuel fromthetank bydisconnect-

ing thefuellinefromthein-linefuelfilterneartheengine. SeethecompleteinstructionsforDrainingTheFuellaterin

this section.

DRAiNiNG THE FUEL

1. Locatethefuel filter,whichislocatedonthe leftsideof the engine,andmaybe attachedtotheenginewitha tie strap.

2. Cutthe tiestrap,if present,thenpinchthein-lineclamponthe fuelfilterwitha pairof pliers,slidetheclampupthefuelline.

3. Pullthe fuellinefreefromthefilterandplacetheopenendof the

lineintoanapprovedcontainertodrainthefuel.

PREPARING THE LAWN TRACTOR

1. Cleanandlubricatetractorthoroughlyasdescribedinthelubrica- tioninstructions.

2. Donotusea pressurewasherorgardenhosetocleanyour unit.

3. Storemowerin a dry,cleanarea.Donotstorenextto corrosive materials,suchas fertilizer.

Gasolineisextremelyflammableandcanbeexplosiveundercertain

conditions.Draingasolinebeforestoringtheequipmentfor extended

periods.Drainfuelonlyintoanapprovedcontaineroutdoors,away froman openflame.Allowengineto cool.Extinguishcigarettes, cigars,pipes,andothersourcesofignitionpriortodrainingfuel.

Storegasolineinan approvedcontainerinsafelocation.

c. Reconnectthefuellineandrunthe engineuntilitstartsto

falter,thenusethechoketo keeptheenginerunninguntilall fuelin thecarburetorhasbeenexhausted.

d. Disconnectthefuellineanddrainany remaininggasoline

fromthesystem.

Gasolineisa toxicsubstance.Disposeofgasolineproperly.Contact

yourlocalauthoritiesforapproveddisposalmethods.

3. Removethe sparkplugandpourone(1)ounceofengineoil throughthe sparkplugholeintothecylinder.Cranktheengine severaltimesto distributetheoil. Replacethesparkplug.

Enginefailstostart

1. PTO/BladeEngageleverengaged.

2. Parkingbrakenotengaged.

3. Sparkplugwire(s)disconnected.

4. Throttlecontrollevernotin correctstarting

4. Placethrottleleverto FASTposition.

position.

5. Chokenotactivated

6. Fueltankempty,or stalefuel.

7. Blockedfuelline.

8. Faultysparkplug(s).

9. Engineflooded.

10. BlownFuse(s)

Enginerunserratically

1. UnitrunningwithCHOKEactivated.

2. Sparkplugwire(s)loose.

3. Blockedfuellineor stalefuel.

4. Ventingascapplugged.

4. Clearventor replacecapif damaged.

5. Waterordirtinfuel system.

6. Dirtyaircleaner.

Engineoverheats 1. Engineoillevellow. 1.

2. Air flowrestricted. 2.

Enginehesitatesat highRPM 1. Sparkpluggaptoo close. 1. Engineidles rough 1. Sparkplugfouled,faultyor gaptoowide. 1.

2. Dirtyaircleaner. 2.

Excessivevibration

1. Cuttingbladelooseor unbalanced.

2. Damagedor bentcuttingblade.

Mowerwill notmulchgrass

1. Enginespeedtoolow.

2. Wetgrass.

3. Excessivelyhighgrass.

Unevencut

4. Dullblade.

1. Decknotleveledproperly.

4. Sharpenorreplaceblade.

2. Dullblade.

3. Uneventirepressure.

1. Placeleverindisengaged(OFF)position.

2. Engageparkingbrake.

3. Connectwire(s)to sparkplug(s).

5. PulltheCHOKEcontroloutward.

6. Filltankwithclean,fresh(lessthan30 daysold) gas.

7. Replacethefuel lineandreplacefuelfilter.

8. Clean,adjustgapor replaceplug(s).

9. CrankenginewiththrottleinFASTposition.

10. ReplaceFuse(s)

1. PushCHOKEcontrolin.

2. Connectsparkplugwire(s).

3. Replacethefuel line;filltankwithclean,fresh gasolineandreplacefuelfilter.

5. Drainfueltank.Refillwithclean,freshgasoline.

6. Replaceair cleanerpaperelementorcleanfoam pre-cleaner,ifequipped.

Fillcrankcasewithproperamountandweightof oil. Cleangrassclippingsanddebrisfromaroundthe

engine'scoolingfinsandhousing. Removesparkplugandresetthe gap.

Replacesparkplug.Set pluggap. Replaceair cleanerelementand/orcleanpre-

cleaner.

1. Tightenbladeandspindle.

2. Replaceblade.

1. Placethrottlein FAST(rabbit)position.

2. Donotmulchwhengrassiswet.

3. Mowonceata highcuttingheight,then mowagain atdesiredheightor makea narrowercuttingswath.

1. Performside-to-sidedeckadjustment.

2. Sharpenor replaceblade.

3. Checktirepressureinallfour tires.

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