MTD 440, E459 User Manual
Operator’s Manual
Model Series
440 Thru E459
IMPORTANT: Read safety rules and instructions carefully before operating equipment.
Warning:
covered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting
applicable local or state laws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator.
In the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have
similar laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized
service dealer or contact the service department, P.O. Box 368022 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-9722.
This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-
MTD PRODUCTS INC. P.O. BOX 368022 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-9722
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO.
770-10134A.fm
(3/00)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Important Safe Operation Practices................................................................... 3 Thru 5
Slope Gauge...................................................................................................... 6
Unpacking.......................................................................................................... 7
Assembling Your Lawn Mower........................................................................... 7
Know Your Lawn Mower .................................................................................... 11
Operating Your Lawn Mower ............................................................................. 12
Maintaining Your Lawn Mower ........................................................................... 14
Making Adjustments .......................................................................................... 15
Service............................................................................................................... 15
Off- Season Storage .......................................................................................... 18
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 19
Parts List............................................................................................................ 21
Engine Shrouds ................................................................................................. 26
FINDING MODEL NUMBER
This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new Lawn Mower. It will help you assemble, prepare
and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.
Before you start assembling your new equipment, please locate the model plate on the
equipment and copy the information from it in the space provided below. The information on
the model plate is very important if you need help from our Customer Support Department or
an authorized dealer.
• You can locate the model number by standing behind the unit in the operating position and looking
down at the rear of the deck. A sample model plate is explained below. For future reference, please
copy the model number and the serial number of the equipment in the space below.
(Model Number)
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136
(Serial Number)
MTD PRODUCTS INC
Copy the model number here:
Copy the serial number here:
CALLING CUSTOMER SUPPORT
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or
maintenance of this unit, please call the Customer Support Department.
Call 1- (330) 220-4MTD (4683) or 1- (800)-800-7310 to reach a Customer Support
representative. Please have your unit’s model number and serial number ready when you
call. See previous section to locate this information. You will be asked to enter the serial
number in order to process your call .
2
SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could
endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all
instructions in this manual before attempting to operate your lawn mower. Failure to comply with
these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, heed its warning.
WARNING: The Engine Exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
DANGER: Your lawn mower was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this
manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can
result in serious injury. This lawn mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.
GENERAL OPERATION
• Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety
before attempting to assemble this machine. Read,
understand, and follow all instructions on the
machine and in the manual(s) before operation. Be
completely familiar with the controls and the proper
use of this machine before operating it. Keep this
manual in a safe place for future and regular
reference and for ordering replacement parts.
• Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power
equipment, not a plaything. Therefore, exercise
extreme caution at all times. Your unit has been
designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do not
use it for any other purpose.
• Never allow children under 14 years old to operate
a power mower. Children 14 years old and over
should only operate mower under close parental
supervision. Only responsible individuals who are
familiar with these rules of safe operation should be
allowed to use your mower.
• Keep the area of operation clear of all persons,
particularly small children and pets. Stop engine
when they are in the vicinity of your mower to help
prevent blade contact or thrown object injury.
Although the area of operation should be
completely cleared of foreign objects, an object
may have been overlooked and could be
accidentally thrown by the mower in any direction
and cause serious personal injury to the operator or
any others allowed in the area.
• Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and closefitting slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover
the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are
recommended. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or
jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never
operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light
weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.
• Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles
during operation or while performing an adjustment
or repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects that
may be thrown from the machine in any direction.
• Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment
is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire,
bones, toys and other foreign objects which could
be picked up and thrown by the mower in any
direction and cause serious personal injury to the
operator or any others allowed in the area. Plan
your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material
toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like.
To help avoid a thrown objects injury, keep
children, bystanders and helpers at least 75 feet
from the mower while it is in operation.
• Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating
parts. Keep clear of discharge opening at all times
as the rotating blade can cause injury.
• Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being
pulled over the foot during a fall. Do not hang on to
the mower if you are falling; release the handle
immediately.
• Never pull the mower toward you while you are
walking. If you must back the mower away from a
wall or obstruction first look down and behind, and
then follow these steps:
• Step back from the mower to fully extend your
arms.
• Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
• Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way
toward you.
• Repeat these steps as needed.
• Do not operate the mower while under the influence
of alcohol or drugs.
• Do not adjust the throttle control with the engine
running.
• Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on
units so equipped while starting engine.
3
• The blade control handle is a safety device. Never
attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes
the safety device inoperative and may result in
personal injury through contact with the rotating
blade. The blade control handle must operate
easily in both directions and automatically return to
the disengaged position when released.
• Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be
sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold on the
handle and walk, never run. If you feel you are
losing your footing, RELEASE THE BLADE
CONTROL HANDLE IMMEDIATELY and the blade
will stop rotating within three seconds.
• Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
• Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks
or roads.
• If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally,
stop the engine and check immediately for the
cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
• Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes
to a complete stop before removing the grass
catcher or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade
continues to rotate for a few seconds after the
engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body
in the blade area until you are sure the blade has
stopped rotating.
• Never operate mower without proper guards, grass
catcher, plates or other safety protective devices in
place.
• Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a
burn. Do not touch.
• Only use accessories approved for this machine by
the manufacturer. Read, understand, and follow all
instructions provided with the approved accessory.
• If situations occur which are not covered in this
manual, use care and good judgment. Contact your
dealer for assistance.
SLOPE OPERATION
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of
this manual to measure slopes before operating this
unit on a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than
15 degrees as shown on the slope gauge, do not
operate this unit on that area or serious injury could
result.
DO:
• Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction
on slopes.
• Watch for holes, ruts, hidden objects, or bumps.
Tall grass can hide obstacles.
• Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can
cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are
losing your balance release the blade control
handle immediately and the blade will stop in less
than 3 seconds.
DO NOT:
• Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or
embankments. The operator could lose footing or
balance.
• Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as
shown on the slope gauge.
• Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced footing could
cause slipping.
CHILDREN
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to
the presence of children. Children are often attracted to
the mower and the mowing activity. Never assume that
children will remain where you last saw them.
• Keep children out of the mowing area and under
the watchful care of a responsible adult other than
the operator.
• Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the
area.
• Before and while moving backwards, look behind
and down for small children or other objects.
• Never allow children under age 14 to operate the
mower. Children 14 years of age and above should
read and understand the operation instructions and
safety rules in this manual.
• Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,
shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure
your vision of a child or hazard.
SERVICE
• Use extreme care in handling gasoline and other
fuels. They are extremely flammable and the
vapors are explosive.
• Use only an approved gasoline container.
• Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine
is running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes
before refueling.
• Replace gasoline cap securely and wipe off any
spilled gasoline before starting the engine as it may
cause a fire or explosion.
• Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other
sources of ignition.
• Never refuel machine indoors because flammable
vapors will accumulate in the area.
• Never store the machine or fuel container inside
where there is an open flame or spark such as a
gas water heater, space heater, or furnace.
• Never run an engine inside a closed area.
4
• To reduce fire hazard, keep mower free of grass,
leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel
spillage. Allow mower to cool at least 5 minutes
before storing.
• Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make
certain the blade and all moving parts have
stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep
the wire away from the spark plug to prevent
accidental starting.
• We do not recommend the use of pressure
washers or garden hose to clean your unit. They
may cause damage to electric components,
spindles, pulleys, bearings or the engine. The use
of pressure washers will result in shortened life and
reduce serviceability.
• Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at
frequent intervals for proper tightness. Also,
visually inspect blade for damage (e.g., bent,
cracked or worn). Replace with blade which meets
original equipment specifications listed in this
manual.
• Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
WARNING - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY: Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read,
understand and follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the machine.
• Never tamper with safety devices. Check their
proper operation regularly.
• After striking a foreign object, stop the engine,
remove the wire from the spark plug, and
thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage.
Repair the damage before starting and operating
the mower.
• Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height
adjustment while the engine is running.
• Grass catcher components are subject to wear,
damage and deterioration, which could expose
moving parts or allow objects to be thrown. For
safety protection, frequently check components
and replace with manufacturer’s recommended
parts, when necessary.
• Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the
blade(s) or wear gloves, and use extra caution
when servicing them.
• Do not change the engine governor setting or
overspeed the engine. Excessive engine speeds
are dangerous.
5
SECTION 2: SLOPE GAUGE
Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes.
Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes, never up and down slopes.
Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet). A riding mower
could overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk-behind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain
your footing and you could slip, resulting in serious injury.
WARNING
15°
E
P
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F
O
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D
O
N
D
O
T
T
E
D
L
I
N
E
N
,
R
E
P
R
E
S
E
N
T
I
A CORNER OF A BUILDING
SIGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE
A POWER POLE
G
A
1
5
°
S
L
OR A FENCE POST
6
SECTION 3: UNPACKING
Removing Unit From Carton
• Remove staples, break glue on top flaps or cut tape
at carton end and peel along top flap to open
carton.
• Remove loose parts if included with unit (i.e.,
operator's manual, etc.).
• Cut corners and lay carton down flat. Remove
packing material.
• Roll or slide unit out of carton. Check carton
thoroughly for loose parts.
NOTE: Make sure not to crimp the cables while
removing the loose parts or the entire unit from the
carton.
NOTE: Reference to right or left hand side of the mower
is observed from the operating position.
SECTION 4: ASSEMBLING YOUR LAWN MOWER
Tools Required
• Pair of Pliers
• Funnel
• Set of adjustable wrenches
Disconnecting Spark Plug
• Before setting up your lawn mower, disconnect the
spark plug wire from the spark plug, and ground it to
a bolt, retaining post or V-slot on the engine. See
Figure 1.
Assembling Handle
• Remove grass bag from the unit and set it out of the
way. See Figure 2 (step 1).
2. Lift lower handle
3. Lift upper
handle
1. Move bag away
Briggs & Stratton
Spark Plug Wire
With Rubber Boot
Retaining
Post
Spark Plug
Spark Plug Wire
All Engines Tecumseh
With Rubber
Boot
Figure 1
Engines
V-Slot
on Engine
Engines
Spark
Plug
Wire
Spark
Plug
Figure 2
• Raise the lower handle in the direction shown in
Figure 2 (step 2) till it snaps into place.
• Raise the upper handle in the direction shown in
Figure 2 (step 3). Tighten the wing nuts which are
already on the handle. See Figure 5.
Upper Handle
Lower Handle
Tighten
Figure 3
NOTE: Make sure to route the cables outside the lower
handle. Also do not crimp the cables while lifting the
handle up.
Wing Nut
7
• For shipping purposes, the hairpin clip is placed in
the outer hole of the weld pin on the lower handle.
Remove the hairpin clip from the outer hole of the
weld pin.
• Using a pair of pliers, insert the hairpin clip into the
inner hole in the weld pin. Repeat on other side.
See Figure 4.
Move hairpin clip to
this hole
• Slip the rope through the rope guide as shown
below. Tighten the wing nut holding the rope guide
to the upper handle.
Drive Control Lever
Recoil Starter
Rope Guide
Blade Control Handle
Upper Handle
Lower
Handle
Weld Pin
Figure 4
• Insert post of cable ties that are on lower handle
into the holes provided on the lower handle. The
holes may be on the inside or outside. Pull cable
ties tight and cut off the extra. See Figure 5 below.
Cable Tie
Post on
Cable Tie
Figure 5
Attaching Starter Rope
The rope guide is already attached to the right side of
the upper handle of your mower. See Figure 6.
• With the spark plug wire disconnected and
grounded, hold the blade control handle against the
upper handle, and pull the starter rope up to the
rope guide. See Figure 6.
Lower Handle
Wing Nut
Figure 6
Grass Catcher Assembly
NOTE: Make certain the grass bag is turned right side
out before assembling (warning label will be on the
outside).
SOFT GRASS BAG
Parts for Soft Grass Bag:
• Front Frame
• Rear Frame
• Bag
Assemble soft grass bag as follows:
• Join the rear frame and front frame assembly as
shown in Figure 7A.
• Place bag over frame (black plastic side is the
bottom of bag). Slip the openings in the side of the
plastic channels on the bag over the hooks on the
grass catcher frame.
• Secure bag to frame by working the plastic
channels on bag over frame as shown in Figure 7B.
All of the plastic channels except the center top of
the bag attach from the outside of bag. The center
top of the bag attaches from inside the bag.
A
B
Front
Frame
Assembly
Rear
Frame
Bag
Hook
Plastic
Channels
Figure 7
8
HARDTOP GRASS BAG
Parts for Hardtop Grass Bag:
• Rear Frame (packed inside hardtop cover)
• Front Frame
• Bag
• Hardtop Cover
• Mounting Bracket
• Hex Lock Nut
• Phillips Screw
Assemble hardtop grass bag as follows:
• Insert one end of the rear frame into the slit in the
cloth channel on the edge of the grass bag (slits are
approximately 6 inches from the end of the bag).
See Figure 8A. Feed all the bag material on one
side of the frame before working it around frame.
Make certain the other end of rear frame comes out
the slit in the other side. See Figure 8B.
A
Handle
Black
Plastic
Bottom
Figure 9
• Hold the bag and frame so the bag hangs from the
frame (is not bunched around the frame). Slide the
handle on the grass catcher frame down into the
slot in the hardtop cover as shown in Figure 10.
B
Hook
Slit
Rear
Frame
B
Figure 8
• Slide the ends of the front frame assembly into the
ends of the rear frame as shown in Figure 9A. The
handle in front frame assembly goes away from the
black plastic bottom of the bag. Push the two
frames together until the cross piece on the front
frame contacts the rear frame.
• Slip the openings in the side of the plastic channel
on bag over hooks on the grass catcher frame. See
Figure 9B.
• Secure front of bag to front frame by working the
five plastic channels on bottom, sides and top of
bag over frame.
A
Slot In
Hardtop
Cover
Grass
Catcher
Handle
Figure 10
Phillips
Head
Screw
Mounting
Bracket
Hex Lock
Nut
Figure 11
• Press the rear frame into the two tabs at the back of
the hardtop cover and the cross bar on the front
frame into the channel on the front of the hardtop
cover. Some force may be required.
• Place the mounting bracket under the front of the
handle, with the tabs on the bracket facing up.
Insert phillips head screws down through the
hardtop cover and mounting bracket. Secure with
hex lock nuts. See Figure 11.
9
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