MTD S230, S260, S250, S261, S240 User Manual

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Safety • Set-Up • Operation • Adjustments • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Parts Lists • Warranty

OPERATOR’S MANUAL

Model 230, S230 Model 240, S240 Model 250, S250 Model 260, S260 Model 261, S261

Single-Stage Snow Thrower

IMPORTANT

READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION

Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-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 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.

FORM NO. 769-00805D

07/12/07

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

For US Customers: MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019

For Canadian Customers: MTD Products Ltd., P.O. BOX 1386, KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2G 4J1

This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new snow thrower. It will help you assemble,

prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.

Table of Contents

Safety Safe

Set Up & Adjustment ..........................................6

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

Operation ............................................................. 8

Labels ......................................................3

Operation Practices ................................... 4

Finding and Recording Model Number

BEFORE YOU START ASSEMBLING YOUR NEW EQUIPMENT, please locate the model plate on the equipment and copy the the model number and the serial number to the sample model plate provided to the right. You can locate the model plate by standing at the operating position and looking down at the frame.

Adjustments & Maintenance ...........................10

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

Trouble

Illustrated Parts Lists .......................................

Warranty ............................................................

Shooting .............................................. 13

14 18

Customer Support

Please do

If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or maintenance of this unit, you can seek help from the experts. Choose from the options below:

1. Visit www.mtdcanada.ca for many useful suggestions, click on Customer Support button.

2. Call a Customer Support Representative: For US Customers: 1-330-220-4MTD (4683)or 1-800-800-7310

3. The engine manufacturer is responsible for all enigne-related issues with regards to performance, power-rating, specifica tions, warranty and service. Please refer to the engine manufacturer’s Owner’s/Operator’s Manual, packed separately with your unit, for more information.

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.

NOT

return the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased,

without ﬁrst contacting Customer Support.

For Canadian Customers: 1-800-668-1238

FOR TURNING,

NOT LIFTING

POUR TOURNER,

PAS POUR LE LEVAGE

Safety

Labels

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 this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol.

HEED ITS 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.

WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Safe

Operation

Practices

WARNING

ITS 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.

DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the safe operation practices 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 machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

Training

1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine and in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.

2. Be familiar with all controls and their proper operation. Know how to stop the machine and disengage them quickly.

3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the instructions and safe operation practices in this manual and on the machine and be trained and supervised by an adult.

4. Never allow adults to operate this machine without proper instruction.

5. Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury. Plan your snow-throwing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads, bystanders and the like.

6. Keep bystanders, helpers, pets and children at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.

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

Preparation

1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all doormats, newspapers, sleds, boards, wires and other foreign objects, which could be tripped over or thrown by the auger/impeller.

2. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes.

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

4. Use a grounded three-wire extension cord and receptacle for all units with electric start engines.

5. Adjust collector housing height to clear gravel or crushed rock surfaces.

6. Disengage all control levers before starting the engine.

7. Never attempt to make any adjustments while engine is running, except where specifically recommended in the operator’s manual.

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

Safe Handling of Gasoline

To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes, which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.

a. Use only an approved gasoline container. b. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources

of ignition. c. Never fuel machine indoors. d. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine is hot

or running. e. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refuel

ing. f. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½ inch

below bottom of filler neck to provide space for fuel

expansion. g. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely. h. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equip

ment. Move machine to another area. Wait 5 minutes

before starting the engine. i. Never store the machine or fuel container inside where

there is an open flame, spark or pilot light (e.g. furnace,

water heater, space heater, clothes dryer etc.). j. Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.

Operation

1. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts, in the auger/impeller housing or chute assembly. Contact with the rotating parts can amputate hands and feet.

2. The auger/impeller control lever is a safety device. Never bypass its operation. Doing so makes the machine unsafe and may cause personal injury.

3. The control levers must operate easily in both directions and automatically return to the disengaged position when released.

4. Never operate with a missing or damaged chute assembly. Keep all safety devices in place and working.

5. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas.

6. Do not operate machine while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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

8. Exercise extreme caution when operating on or crossing gravel surfaces. Stay alert for hidden hazards or traffic.

9. Exercise caution when changing direction and while operat ing on slopes.

10. Plan your snow-throwing pattern to avoid discharge towards windows, walls, cars etc. Thus, avoiding possible property damage or personal injury caused by a ricochet.

11. Never direct discharge at children, bystanders and pets or allow anyone in front of the machine.

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

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

14. Disengage power to the auger/impeller when transporting or not in use.

15. Never operate machine at high transport speeds on slippery surfaces. Look down and behind and use care when backing up.

16. If the machine should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire and ground it against the engine. Inspect thoroughly for damage. Repair any damage before starting and operating.

17. Disengage all control levers and stop engine before you leave the operating position (behind the handles). Wait until the auger/impeller comes to a complete stop before unclogging the chute assembly, making any adjustments, or inspections.

18. Never put your hand in the discharge or collector openings. Always use the clean-out tool provided to unclog the discharge opening. Do not unclog chute assembly while engine is running. Shut off engine and remain behind handles until all moving parts have stopped before unclogging.

19. Use only attachments and accessories approved by the manufacturer (e.g. wheel weights, tire chains, cabs etc.).

20. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and good judgment. Call customer assistance for the name of your nearest servicing dealer.

Maintenance & Storage

1. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly. Refer to the maintenance and adjustment sections of this manual.

2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting machine disengage all control levers and stop the engine. Wait until the auger/impeller come to a complete stop. Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent unintended starting.

3. Check bolts and screws for proper tightness at frequent intervals to keep the machine in safe working condition. Also, visually inspect machine for any damage.

4. Do not change the engine governor setting or over-speed the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe operating speed of the engine.

5. Snow thrower shave plates and skid shoes are subject to wear and damage. For your safety protection, frequently check all components and replace with original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) parts only. “Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety!”

6. Check controls periodically to verify they engage and

disengage properly and adjust, if necessary. Refer to the

adjustment section in this operator’s manual for instructions.

7. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as neces sary.

8. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations for gas, oil, etc. to protect the environment.

9. Prior to storing, run machine a few minutes to clear snow from machine and prevent freeze up of auger/impeller.

10. Never store the machine or fuel container inside where there is an open flame, spark or pilot light such as a water heater, furnace, clothes dryer etc.

11. Always refer to the operator’s manual for proper instructions on off-season storage.

Do not modify engine

To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any way. Tampering with the governor setting can lead to a runaway engine and cause it to operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper with factory setting of engine governor.

Notice regarding Emissions

Engines which are certiﬁed to comply with California and federal EPA emission regulations for SORE (Small Off Road Equipment) are certiﬁed to operate on regular unleaded gasoline, and may include the following emission control systems: Engine Modiﬁcation (EM) and Three Way Catalyst (TWC) if so equipped.

Average Useful Life

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this product has an Average Useful Life of seven (7) years, or 60 hours of operation. At the end of the Average Useful Life, buy a new machine or have the machine inspected annually by an authorized service dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety systems are working properly and not worn excessively. Failure to do so can result in accidents, injuries or death.

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 this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, HEED IT’S 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.

Setup And

Adjustment

NOTE: This Operator’s Manual covers several models. Snow thrower features vary by model. Not all features discussed in this manual are applicable to all snow thrower models.

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

Contents of Carton

Carton contents are listed below with part numbers in parentheses.

1. Two Ignition Keys (725-0201)

2. 2.6 oz Bottle of 2 Cycle Oil (737-04037)

3. Extension Cord (if so equipped) (629-0236)

WARNING: Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground it against the engine to prevent unintended starting.

Positioning the Upper Handle

1. Remove packing material, if present.

2. Making sure not to pinch the cable in the process, pivot the upper handle into the operating position as illustrated in Figure 1 until it clicks into place.

Figure 1

3. Tighten the wing knobs to secure the handle in place as in Figure 1.

Assembling the Discharge Chute

For shipping reasons, the snow thrower has been

Figure 2

packaged with the upper chute pivoted all the way down. To pivot it upward, proceed as follows:

1. Turn the chute until the chute opening is facing straight ahead. Remove the wing knob and carriage bolt from the lower chute. See Figure 2.

2. Pivot the upper chute upward over the lip on the lower chute so that there is NO gap between the upper chute and the lower chute.

3. Resecure with the hardware just removed. If installed correctly, your snow thrower should look like Figure 3.

IMPORTANT: Do not use the chute handle to lift the snow thrower.

IMPORTANT:

Do not use the chute handle to lift the snow thrower.

Chute Handle

Figure 3

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