MTD E173 User Manual

Operator’s Manual

Single Stage

Snowthrower

Model Series

140 through E173

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.

770-10044A.fm

(9/99)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page

Important Safe Operation Practices .................................................................. 3

Assembling Your Snow Thrower ....................................................................... 5

Know Your Snow Thrower ................................................................................. 7

Operating Your Snow Thrower .......................................................................... 8

Making Adjustments .......................................................................................... 9

Service .............................................................................................................. 10

Maintaining Your Snow Thrower ....................................................................... 11

Off-Season Storage .......................................................................................... 12

Troubleshooting ................................................................................................ 13

Parts List ........................................................................................................... 14

FINDING MODEL NUMBER

This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new snow thrower. It will help you to assemble, prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.

Before you start assembling your new snow thrower, 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 dash panel . 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)

(Serial Number)

Copy the model number here:

Copy the serial number here:

MTD PRODUCTS INC

P.O. BOX 368022

CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136

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 .

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 snow thrower. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, heed its warning.

DANGER: Your snow thrower 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. If you violate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.

WARNING: The Engine Exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of

California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Training

• Read this operator's manual carefully in its entirety before attempting to assemble or operate this machine. 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.

• Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a snow thrower. Children 14 years old and over should only operate snow thrower under close parental supervision. Only persons well acquainted with these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use your snow thrower.

• No one should operate this unit while intoxicated or while taking medication that impairs the senses or reactions.

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

• Exercise caution to avoid slipping or falling, especially when operating in reverse.

Preparation

• Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used and remove all door mats, sleds, boards, wires and other foreign objects.

• Disengage all clutches and shift into neutral before starting engine.

• Do not operate equipment without wearing adequate winter outer garments. Do not wear jewelry, long scarfs or other loose clothing which could become entangled in moving parts. Wear footwear which will improve footing on slippery surfaces.

• Before working with gasoline, extinguish all cigarettes and other sources of ignition. Check the fuel before starting the engine. Gasoline is an extremely flammable fuel. Do not fill the gasoline tank indoors, while the engine is running, or until engine has been allowed to cool at least two minutes. Replace gasoline cap securely and wipe off any spilled gasoline before starting the engine as it may cause a fire or explosion.

• Use a grounded three wire plug-in for all units with electric drive motors or electric starting motors.

• Adjust collector housing height to clear gravel or crushed rock surface.

• Never attempt to make any adjustments while engine is running (except where specifically recommended by manufacturer).

• Let engine and machine adjust to outdoor temperature before starting to clear snow.

• Always wear safety glasses or eye shields 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.

Operation

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

• Exercise extreme caution when operating on or crossing gravel drives, walks, or roads. Stay alert for hidden hazards or traffic.

• After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove wire from spark plug, and thoroughly inspect the snow thrower for any damage. Repair the damage before restarting and operating the snow thrower.

• If the snow thrower should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.

• Stop engine whenever you leave the operating position, before unclogging the collector/impeller housing or discharge guide, and making any repairs, adjustments, or inspections. Never place your hand in the discharge or collector openings. Use a stick or wooden broom handle to unclog the discharge opening.

• Take all possible precautions when leaving the unit unattended. Disengage the collector/impeller, shift into neutral, stop the engine, and remove the key.

• When cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain collector/impeller and all moving parts have

stopped. Disconnect spark plug wire and keep away from plug to prevent accidental starting.

• Do not run engine indoors, except when starting engine and transporting snow thrower in or out of building. Open doors. Exhaust fumes are dangerous.

• Do not clear snow across the face of slopes. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. Do not attempt to clear steep slopes.

• Never operate snow thrower without guards, plates, or other safety protection devices in place.

• Never operate snow thrower near glass enclosure, automobiles, window wells, drop off, etc., without proper adjustments of snow thrower discharge angle. Keep children and pets away.

• Do not overload machine capacity by attempting to clear snow at too fast a rate.

• Never operate the machine at high transport speeds on slippery surfaces. Look behind and use care when backing.

• Never direct discharge at bystanders or allow anyone in front of unit.

• Disengage power to collector/impeller when transporting or not in use.

• Use only attachments and accessories approved by the manufacturer of snow thrower (such as wheel weights, counter weights, cabs, etc.).

• Never operate the snow thrower without good visibility or light. Always be sure of your footing and keep a firm hold on the handles. Walk, never run.

• Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not touch.

Maintenance And Storage

• Check shear bolts, engine mounting bolts, etc., at frequent intervals for proper tightness to be sure equipment is in safe working condition.

• Never store the machine with fuel in the fuel tank inside a building where ignition sources are present, such as hot water and space heaters, clothes dryers, and the like. Allow engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.

• Always refer to operator's manual instructions for important details if snow thrower is to be stored for an extended period.

• Run machine a few minutes after throwing snow to prevent freeze up of collector/impeller.

• Check clutch controls periodically to verify they engage and disengage properly and readjust if necessary. Refer to operator's manual for adjustment instructions.

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. Some of the safety labels are reproduced below. Review them and follow their instructions.

SECTION 2: ASSEMBLING YOUR SNOW THROWER

Unpacking from carton

• Cut along corners of the carton and lay it down flat. See Figure 1. Remove packing material.

• Remove any loose parts included with unit (i.e., operator’s manual, etc.).

• Roll unit out of carton. Check carton thoroughly for any remaining loose part.

Remove loose parts

Roll unit out

Figure 1

NOTE: This operator’s manual covers several models

of snow throwers. Use only the information that is appropriate for your model.

Hardware pack

1. Ignition Keys (2) One key may be in the switch on snow thrower.

Models with optional extended chute crank (Figure 2)

2. Eyebolt

3. Saddle Washer 5/16" I.D.

4. Hex Nuts 5/16-18 Thread (2)

5. Cotter Pin

Raising upper handle

• Loosen the hand knob on each side of the handle. Remove packing material, if any.

Raise handle to here

Hand Knob

Figure 3

• Raise the upper handle in the direction shown in Figure 3 till it clicks into the operating position. Make sure not to pinch or crimp the cable.

• Tighten the hand knobs.

Attaching control cable

The control cable may already be attached to the control handle. If not attached, complete the following steps to attach it to the snow thrower housing.

• Route the control cable over the lower handle. Insert the end of the cable into the hole in the control housing as shown in Figure 4. Push the plastic fitting until it locks into the control housing.

Eye Bolt

Saddle Washer

Hex Nut

Cotter Pin

Figure 2

Items required for assembly

1. Pair of pliers (not necessary, but helpful)

2. Two cycle engine oil

3. Fresh gasoline

NOTE: All references to left or right side of the snow thrower is from the operating position only.

Bottom Hole In Control Handle

Control Housing

• Lift the control handle up, and hook the “Z” end of the control cable into the bottom hole in the control handle, from the outside to the inside. If necessary, pull up on the end of the cable with a

“Z” End of Cable

Figure 4

Plastic Fitting

pair of pliers to obtain slack in order to hook it into the control handle. Hold the “Z” fitting with the pliers, not the cable, to avoid damaging the cable.

NOTE: The upper hole in the control handle provides for adjustment in belt tension. Refer to Belt Tension Adjustment Section of this manual for instructions.

• Secure eyebolt with 5/16” saddle washer and hex nut. The cupped side of washer goes against the handle. Adjust lower hex nut until the eyebolt is positioned so that the chute crank turns freely (does not bind).

• Move upper hex nut down against the lower handle. Tighten lower hex nut securely.

Installing chute crank

Models with optional extended chute crank only

• Thread one 5/16” hex nut all the way onto the eyebolt. See Figure 5. All necessary hardware is included in the hardware pack shipped with your unit. See Figure 2 for more details.

• Slide the eyebolt onto the chute crank. Insert eyebolt into the hole in the lower handle.

Chute Crank

Eye Bolt

Hex

Nuts

Saddle

Washer

Assembling the chute

The snow thrower has been shipped with the upper chute pivoted all the way down. Assemble as follows:

• Turn the chute crank until the chute faces straight to the front. See Figure 7 .

Flat

Hand Knob

Front

Upper Chute

Washer

Carriage

Bolt

Figure 5

• Insert the chute crank into the coupler at the top right side of the snow thrower. See Figure 6.

• Rotate the crank to align holes, and insert the cotter pin. Bend ends of cotter pin in opposite directions to secure. See Figure 6.

Cotter Pin

Chute Crank

Coupler

Figure 6

Figure 7

• Remove the hand knob, flat washer and carriage bolt from the upper chute. See Figure 7.

• Pivot the upper chute up so that there is no gap between the upper and the lower chute. See Figure 8. Secure with hardware just removed.

Gap

Pivot upper

chute

Figure 8

SECTION 3: KNOW YOUR SNOW THROWER

Read this owner’s manual and safety rules and labels before operating your snow thrower. Compare the illustrations in Figure 9 with your equipment to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

The operation of any snow thrower can result in foreign objects being thrown into the operator’s eyes and causing severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses while operating the snow thrower, or while performing any adjustments or repairs on it.

Auger Control Handle

Extended Chute Crank

Chute Crank

Upper Handle

(Models 142,152, 172 & 173)

Discharge Chute

Shave Plate

Auger

IMPORTANT: This unit is shipped without gasoline or

oil. See separate engine operator’s manual for proper fuel and engine oil recommendations.

Choke Lever

Place choke lever in “ON” position to start a cold engine.

Primer Button

Used to inject fuel directly into the carburetor to insure fast starts in cold weather.Follow engine manual to prime engine.

Ignition Key

Used to start engine. Put key in “ON” position to start.

Starter Handle

Used to manually start the engine.

Electric Starter (Optional)

Used to start engine with a 120V power source

Plug for Electric Start (Optional)

Requires use of a two prong outdoor extension cord

and a 120V power source

Figure 9

Spark

Plug

Cover

Choke Lever Off

Primer Button

Starter Handle

Ignition Key

Plug for Electric

Starter

(Optional)

Electric Starter

(Optional)

Spark Plug Cover

Spark plug located under the cover.

Auger Control Handle

Located on the upper handle, the auger control handle is used to engage and disengage the augers. The snow thrower is designed to be propelled by the rotation of the augers. Pull the control handle back against the upper handle to engage the augers; release to disengage.

Chute Crank

Located on right side of dash panel, the chute crank determines the direction that snow will be discharged. Turn clockwise to discharge snow to the left; turn counterclockwise to discharge to the right.

Discharge Chute

The angle of the discharge chute controls the distance that the snow is thrown. Tilt the discharge chute up for greater distance; tilt down for less distance. Loosen the hand knob on the side of the discharge chute to adjust. Tilt the chute to the desired position, and tighten the knob.

SECTION 4: OPERATING YOUR SNOW THROWER

Fuel and oil mixture

WARNING: Handle gasoline carefully; remember that it is highly flammable. Never fill fuel tank indoors, when engine is running or while engine is still hot. Do not smoke when filling fuel tank.

Your snow thrower uses a two cycle engine that requires a mixture of gasoline and two cycle engine oil. Refer to the engine operator’s manual for proper oil and fuel recommendations.

• A plastic cup was provided inside the fuel fill opening on the fuel tank. Remove and discard this cup before filling up the tank. Use the seperate fuel tank cap to close after fill-up.

Starting engine

• To start the engine of your snow thrower, follow the starting instructions in the engine operator’s manual.

Operating snow thrower

• Adjust the discharge chute up or down as desired. Then use the chute crank to position the discharge

chute in order to discharge snow with the wind.

Hand Knob

• Release the auger control handle to stop the snow throwing action and the forward motion.

Press auger control handle to engage auger

Turn handle to change discharge direction

Figure 11

Stopping engine

• Run the engine for a few minutes before stopping to help dry any moisture on the engine.

• Turn ignition key to OFF position and remove it from the snow thrower.

IMPORTANT: Keep the ignition key in a safe place. Engine will not start without it.

• Wipe all snow and moisture from the unit. Move the choke lever back and forth several times and leave it in the ON position.

Operating tips

• For most efficient snow removal, remove snow immediately after it falls.

• Discharge snow downwind whenever possible. Slightly overlap each previously cleared path.

• Lifting up on the handle will allow the rubber on the augers to propel the snow thrower forward. Pushing downward on the handle will raise the augers off the ground and stop the forward motion.

Figure 10

WARNING: Do not throw snow towards a building as objects could be discharged with enough force to cause damage.

• After making sure no bystanders or obstacles are in front of the unit, engage the auger control handle. See Figure 11. As the snow thrower starts to move, maintain a firm hold on the handle, and guide the snow thrower along the path to be cleared.

NOTE: Excessive upward pressure on the handle will result in premature wear on the rubber auger blades which would not be covered by warranty.

• Run the engine for a few minutes before stopping to help dry any moisture on the engine.

• Clean the snow thrower thoroughly after each use.

WARNING: Do not operate this snow thrower on gravel as loose gravel can easily be picked up and thrown by the auger, causing injury to people around and/or damage to the snow thrower.

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