Poulan PP 176 User Manual

Operator’s Manual

Manual del Operador

Manuel de l’utilisateur

U

L

R

For Occasional Use Only

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

R

PP 176

IMPORTANT MANUAL -- Do not throw away
MANUAL IMPORTANTE -- No lo descarte
MANUEL IMPORTANT -- À Conserver

WARNING:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions before
using this product. Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

ADVERTENCIA:

Lea el manual del operador y siga todas las advertencias e instruc­ciones de seguridad. El no hacerlo puede resultar en lesiones graves.

A VERTISSEMENT:

Lire le manuel de l’utilisateur et bien respecter tous les avertisse­ments et toutes les instructions de sécurité. Tout défaut de le faire
pourrait entraîner des blessures graves.

Electrolux Home Products
North America
Div. of WCI Outdoor Products, Inc.
Augusta, GA 30907

CopyrightE2000 WCI Outdoor Products, Inc.

530088835 11/16/00

FRANÇAIS

SAFETY RULES

WARNING:

appliances, basic safety precautions should
always be followed to reduce the risk of fire
and serious injury. Read and follow all
instructions.

This power unit can be dangerous!

is responsible for following unit and manual
instructions and warnings. Read entire Oper­ator’s Manual before using unit! Be thorough­ly familiar with the controls and the proper use
of the unit. Restrict the use of this unit to per­sons who read, understand, and follow unit
and manual instructions and warnings. Never
allow children to operate this unit.

OPERATOR’S
MANUAL

DANGER:

flailing devices. Unit is designed for line trim­mer use only. Use of any other accessories or
attachments will increase the risk of injury.

WARNING:

jects violently. You and others can be blinded/
injured. Wear safety glasses and leg protec­tion. Keep body parts clear of rotating line.

Safety Glasses or similar eye protection

Boots

Keep children, bystanders, and animals 50
feet (15 meters) away. If approached stop unit
immediately.

If situations occur which are not covered in
this manual, use care and good judgement. If
you need assistance, contact your
Authorized Service Dealer or call
1-800-554-6723.

OPERATOR SAFETY

Dress properly. Always wear safety

S

glasses or similar eye protection when op­erating, or performing maintenance, on
your unit (safety glasses are available).
Eye protection should meet the require­ments of ANSI Z87.1.
Always wear face or dust mask if operation

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is dusty.

When using gardening

Operator

SAFETY INFORMATION
ON THE UNIT

Never use blades , wire or

Trimmer line throws ob-

Hazard Zone

50 ft.
(15 m)

Always wear heavy, long pants, long

S

sleeves, boots, and gloves. Wearing safety
leg guards is recommended.
Always wear foot protection. Do not go

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barefoot or wear sandals. Stay clear of
spinning line.
Secure hair above shoulder length. Secure

S

or remove loose clothing or clothing with
loosely hanging ties, straps, tassels, etc.
They can be caught in moving parts.
Being fully covered also helps protect you

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from debris and pieces of toxic plants
thrown by spinning line.
Stay Alert. Do not operate this unit when

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you are tired, ill, or under the influence of al­cohol, drugs, or medication. Watch what
you are doing; use common sense.
Wear hearing protection.

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Never start or run inside a closed room or

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building. Breathing exhaust fumes can kill.
Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

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UNIT/MAINTENANCE SAFETY

Disconnect spark plug before performing

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maintenance except carburetor adjustments.
Look for and replace damaged or loose parts

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before each use. Look for and repair fuel
leaks before use. Keep in good working
condition.
Replace trimmer head parts that are

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chipped, cracked, broken, or damaged in
any other way before using the unit.
Maintain unit according to recommended

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procedures. Keep cutting line at proper
length.
Use only 0.080” (2 mm) diameter Poulan

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PRO!brand line. Never use wire, rope,
string, etc.
Install required shield properly before using

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the unit. Use only specified trimmer head;
make sure it is properly installed and se­curely fastened.
Make sure unit is assembled correctly as

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shown in this manual.
Make carburetor adjustments with lower

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end supported to prevent line from contact­ing any object.
Keep others away when making carburetor

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adjustments.
Use only recommended Poulan PRO!ac-

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cessories and replacement parts.
Have all maintenance and service not ex-

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plained in this manual performed by an au­thorized service dealer.

FUEL SAFETY

Mix and pour fuel outdoors.

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Keep away from sparks or flames.

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Use a container approved for fuel.

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Do not smoke or allow smoking near fuel or

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the unit.
Avoid spilling fuel or oil. Wipe up all fuel

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spills.
Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from

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fueling site before starting engine.
Stop engine and allow to cool before re-

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moving fuel cap.
Always store gasoline in a container ap-

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proved for flammable liquids.

2

CUTTING SAFETY

WARNING:

each use. Remove objects (rocks, broken
glass, nails, wire, etc.) which can be thrown
by or become entangled in line. Hard objects
can damage trimmer head and be thrown
causing serious injury.

Use only for trimming, mowing, and sweep-

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ing. Do not use for edging, pruning, or
hedge trimming.
Keep firm footing and balance. Do not over-

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reach.
Keep all parts of your body away from spin-

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ning line and muffler.Keep engine below waist
level. A hot muffler can cause serious burns.
Cutting with the line on right side of the

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shield will throw debris away from the oper­ator.
Use only in daylight or good artificial light.

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Inspect the area before

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

Allow the engine to cool; secure unit before

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storing or transporting in vehicle.
Empty the fuel tank before storing or trans-

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porting the unit. Use up fuel left in the car­buretor by starting the engine and letting it
run until it stops.
Store unit and fuel in an area where fuel va-

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pors cannot reach sparks or open flames
from water heaters, electric motors or
switches, furnaces, etc.
Store unit so line limiter blade cannot acci-

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dentally cause injury. Unit can be hung by
the tube.
Store the unit out of the reach of children

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If situations occur which are not covered in
this manual, use care and good judgment. If
you need assistance, call 1-800-554-6723.

SAFETY NOTICE:

through prolonged use of gasoline powered
hand tools could cause blood vessel or nerve
damage in the fingers, hands, and joints of
people prone to circulation disorders or ab­normal swellings. Prolonged use in cold
weather has been linked to blood vessel dam­age in otherwise healthy people. If symptoms
occur such as numbness, pain, loss of
strength, change in skin color or texture, or
loss of feeling in the fingers, hands, or joints,
discontinue the use of this tool and seek med­ical attention. An anti--vibration system does
not guarantee the avoidance of these prob­lems. Users who operate power tools on a
continual and regular basis must monitor
closely their physical condition and the condi­tion of this tool.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

with a temperature limiting muffler and spark
arresting screen which meets the require­ments of California Codes 4442 and 4443. All
U.S. forest land and the states of California,

Exposure to vibrations

This unit is equipped

Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ore­gon, and Washington require by law that
many internal combustion engines be
equipped with a spark arresting screen. If you
operate in a locale where such regulations ex­ist, you are legally responsible for maintaining
the operating condition of these parts. Failure
to do so is a violation of the law. For normal
homeowner use, the muffler and spark arrest­ing screen will not require any service. After
50 hours of use, we recommend that your
muffler be serviced or replaced by your Au­thorized Service Dealer.

ASSEMBLY

WARNING:

properly assembled and all fasteners are se­cure.

ADJUST THE HANDLE

Loosen wing nut or plastic knob on handle.

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Rotate handle to upright position and tight-

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en in a comfortable position between the
trigger and the safety label on the tube.
Tighten handle securely.

ATTACH THE SHIELD

WARNING:

erly installed. The shield provides partial
protection from the risk of thrown objects to
the operator and others and is equipped with
a line limiter blade which cuts excess line. The
line limiter blade (on underside of shield) is
sharp and can cut you.

Insert bracket into slot on shield.

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Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole in

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bracket.
Securely tighten wing nut.

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Remove packing cover from the arbor shaft

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if so equipped.
Thread trimmer head onto shaft; tighten se-

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curely against dust cup.

Bracket

Slot

Shield

Make sure your unit is

The shield must be prop-

Wing Nu

Hole

Dust Cup

t

3

FUEL YOUR UNIT

This engine is certified to operate on un­leaded gasoline. Gasoline must be mixed
with a good quality 2-cycle air-cooled engine
oil designed to be mixed at a ratio of 40:1.
Poulan PRO!brand oil is recommended. (A
40:1 ratio is obtained by mixing 3.2 ounces of
oil with 1 gallon of unleaded gasoline). When
mixing fuel follow the instructions printed on
the container. Always read and follow the
safety rules under

FUEL SAFETY

.

STARTING

Allow the engine to run 10 seconds, then

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move choke lever to OFF CHOKE position.

RESTARTING A WARM ENGINE

Move choke lever to HALF CHOKE posi-

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tion

.

Pull starter rope handle until engine runs.

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If engine does not start in 5 pulls, follow in-

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structions in STARTING A COLD ENGINE.

USING YOUR UNIT

OPERATING POSITION

ALWAYS WEAR:

Eye
Protection

HOW TO STOP YOUR UNIT

To stop the engine, move the ON/OFF switch
to the OFF position.

HOW TO START YOUR UNIT

Starting Position

Starter
Handle

WARNING:

turn while starting the engine. Avoid any con­tact with the muffler. A hot muffler can cause
serious burns.

Choke lever

Primer Bulb

Muffler

The trimmer head will

COLD ENGINE STARTING (or a warm
engine after running out of fuel)

Rest engine and shield on ground.

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Move the ON/OFF switch to the ON posi-

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tion.
Slowly press the primer bulb 6 times.

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Move choke lever to FULL CHOKE posi-

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tion

.

Squeeze and hold throttle trigger through

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all remaining steps.

Pull starter rope handle sharply 6 times.

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Move the choke lever to HALF CHOKE

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position.
Pull the starter rope handle no more than 6

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pulls, until engine runs.

Long Pants

Heavy Shoes

Cut from your left to your right.

ADVANCING THE CUTTING LINE

Advance line by tapping the bottom of the cut­ting head lightly on the ground while engine is
running at full speed. A metal blade attached
to the shield will cut the line to the proper
length.

REPLACING THE LINE

Press the lock tabs and remove the cover.

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Remove the lock ring, tap button, and

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spool.

Spool

Hub

Tap
Button

Check the indexing teeth on the spool and

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hub for wear.
Use a clean cloth to wipe the inner/outer

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surfaces of the spool and hub.
Use only 0.080 inch (2 mm) diameter line.

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Cut two lengths of line approximately 20

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feet (6 meters).
Insert line into the small hole in the spool.

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Wind the line evenly and tightly onto the

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spool; wind indirection of arrow found on

4

Lock Ring

End of
Line

Arrow on Spool

spool. Leave 4--6 inches (10--15 cm) of line

e

unwound.
Insert line into the line exit hole in the hub.

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Push spool into hub. Press spool down,

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then turn it to catch spool tabs under gear
tabs.
Re-install the tap button, lock ring, and cover.

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Pull the end of the line to set spool in the op-

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erating position.

Carburetor adjustments is a complicated
task. We recommend that you take your unit
to an Authorized Service Dealer. Damage will
occur if you turn the needles beyond the limit­er stops.

IGNITION TIMING

The ignition timing is fixed, non --adjustable.

SPARK PLUG

Replace the spark plug yearly using a Cham­pion RCJ--8Y plug. Spark plug gap is 0.025”.

SERVICE

NEED ASSISTANCE?

We recommend all service and adjustments
not listed in this manual be performed by an
Authorized Service Dealer.

CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENTS

Your carburetor is equipped with limiter caps.

TROUBLESHOOTING TABLE

WARNING:

recommended remedies below other than remedies that require operation of the unit.

Always stop unit and disconnect spark plug before performing any of th

TROUBLE CAUSE REMEDY

Engine will not
start.

Engine will not
idle properly.

Engine will not
accelerate,
lacks power,
or dies under
a load.

Engine
smokes
excessively.

Line does not
advance or
breaks while
cutting.

Line welds
onto spool.

Line pulls
back into
head.

Engine flooded.

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Fuel tank empty.

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Spark plug not firing.

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Fuel not reaching carburetor.

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Carburetor requires adjustment.

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Carburetor requires adjustment.

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Throttle trigger screw too

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tight.

Air filter dirty.

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Spark plug fouled.

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Carburetor requires adjustment.

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Fuel mixture incorrect.

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Air filter dirty.

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Carburetor requires adjustment.

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Line improperly routed in head.

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Line improperly wound in

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spool.
Line size incorrect.

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Line size incorrect.

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Incorrect spool.

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Line is being crowded against

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material being cut.

Too little line outside of head.

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Line size incorrect.

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Need Assistance?

Call 1-800-554-6723.

Need Service Part?

Contact your dealer.

See “Starting.”

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Fill tank with correct fuel mixture.

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Install new spark plug.

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Check for dirty fuel filter; replace.

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Check for kinked or split fuel line;
repair or replace.
See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

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See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

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Loosen screw.

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Clean or replace air filter.

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Clean or replace spark plug; re-gap.

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See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

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Empty fuel tank and refill with

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correct fuel mixture.
Clean or replace air filter.

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See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

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Check line routing.

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Rewind line tightly and evenly.

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Use only 0.080” (2 mm) dia. line.

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Use only 0.080” (2 mm) dia. line.

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Replace with correct spool.

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Cut with tip of line fully extended.

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Remove spool and pull 4 -- 6 inches

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(10 -- 15 cm) of line outside of head.
Use only 0.080” (2 mm) dia. line.

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5

LIMITED WARRANTY

ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
NORTH AMERICA, Division of WCI Out­door Products, Inc., warrants to the original

purchaser that each new Poulan PRO
brand gasoline tool or attachment is free from
defects in material and workmanship and
agrees to repair or replace under this war­ranty any defective gasoline product or at­tachment as follows from the original date of
purchase.
2 YEARS-- Parts and Labor, when used for
household purposes.
60 DAYS -- Parts and Labor, when used for
commercial, professional, or income produc­ing purposes.
30 DAYS -- Parts and Labor, if used for rental
purposes.
This warranty is not transferable and does not
cover damage or liability caused by improper
handling, improper maintenance, or the use
of accessories and/or attachments not spe­cifically recommended by ELECTROLUX
HOME PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA for
this tool. Additionally , this warranty does not
cover tune-ups, spark plugs, filters, starter
ropes, starter springs, cutting line, or rotating
head parts that will wear and require replace­ment with reasonable use during the warranty
period. This warranty does not cover prede­livery setup or normal adjustments explained
in the operator’s manual.
THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC
LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY HAVE
OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM
STATE TO STATE.
NO CLAIMS FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR
OTHER DAMAGES WILL BE ALLOWED,
AND THERE ARE NO OTHER EXPRESS
WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EX­PRESSLY STIPULATED HEREIN.
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITA­TIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WAR­RANTY LASTS OR THE EXCLUSION OR
LIMITATIONS OF INCIDENTAL OR CON­SEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE
LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT
APPLY TO YOU.

ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
NORTH AMERICA policy is to continuously
improve its products. Therefore, ELECTRO­LUX HOME PRODUCTS NORTH AMER­ICA reserves the right to change, modify, or

discontinue models, designs, specifications,
and accessories of all products at any time
without notice or obligation to any purchaser.

!!!!

U.S. EPA

EMISSION CONTROL

WARRANTY STATEMENT

YOUR WARRANTY RIGHTS AND OB­LIGATIONS: The U. S. Environmental

Protection Agency and POULAN/WEED

EATER, DIVISION OF WCI OUTDOOR
PRODUCTS are pleased to explain the emis-

sions control system warranty on your lawn
and garden equipment engine. All new utility
and lawn and garden equipment engines
must be designed, built, and equipped to meet
the stringent anti--smog standards. POU-

LAN/WEED EATER must warrant the emis-

sion control system on your lawn and garden
equipment engine for the periods of time listed
below provided there has been no abuse, ne­glect, or improper maintenance of your lawn
and garden equipment engine. Your emission
control system includes parts such as the
carburetor and the ignition system. Where a
warrantable condition exits, POULAN/WEED

EATER will repair your lawn and garden

equipment engine at no cost to you. Ex­penses covered under warranty include diag­nosis, parts and labor. MANUFACTURER’S
WARRANTY COVERAGE: If any emissions
related part on your engine (as listed under
Emissions Control Warranty Parts List) is de­fective or a defect in the materials or work­manship of the engine causes the failure of
such an emission related part, the part will be
repaired or replaced by POULAN/WEED

EATER. OWNER’S WARRANTYRESPON-

SIBILITIES: As the lawn and garden equip­ment engine owner, you are responsible for
the performance of the required maintenance
listed in your Owner’s Manual. POULAN/

WEED EATER recommends that you retain

all receipts covering maintenance on your
lawn and garden equipment engine, but POU-

LAN/WEED EATER cannot deny warranty

solely for the lack of receipts or for your failure
to ensure the performance of all scheduled
maintenance. As the lawn and garden equip­ment engine owner, you should be aware that

POULAN/WEED EATER may deny you war-

ranty coverage if your lawn and garden equip­ment engine or a part of it has failed due to
abuse, neglect, improper maintenance, un­approved modifications, or the use of parts
not made or approved by the original equip­ment manufacturer. You are responsible for
presenting your lawn and garden equipment
engine to a POULAN/WEED EATER autho­rized repair center as soon as a problem ex­ists. Warranty repairs should be completed in
a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed
30 days. If you have any questions regarding
your warranty rights and responsibilities, you
should contact your nearest authorized ser­vice center or call POULAN/WEED EATER at

1--800--554--6723. WARRANTY COM-

MENCEMENT DATE: The warranty period
begins on the date the lawn and garden equip­ment engine is purchased. LENGTH OF
COVERAGE: This warranty shall be for a pe­riod of two years from the initial date of pur­chase. WHAT IS COVERED: REPAIR OR
REPLACEMENT OF PARTS. Repair or re­placement of any warranted part will be per­formed at no charge to the owner at an ap­proved POULAN/WEED EATER servicing

6

center. If you have any questions regarding
your warranty rights and responsibilities, you
should contact your nearest authorized ser­vice center or call POULAN/WEED EATER at

1--800--554--6723 WARRANTY PERIOD:

Any warranted part which is not scheduled for
replacement as required maintenance, or
which is scheduled only for regular inspection
to the effect of “repair or replace as neces­sary” shall be warranted for 2 years. Any war­ranted part which is scheduled for replace­ment as required maintenance shall be
warranted for the period of time up to the first
scheduled replacement point for that part.
DIAGNOSIS: The owner shall not be
charged for diagnostic labor which leads to
the determination that a warranted part is de­fective if the diagnostic work is performed at
an approved POULAN/WEED EATER serv­icing center. CONSEQUENTIAL DAM-

AGES: POULAN/WEED EATER may be li-

able for damages to other engine
components caused by the failure of a war­ranted part still under warranty. WHAT IS
NOT COVERED: All failures caused by
abuse, neglect, or improper maintenance are
not covered. ADD--ON OR MODIFIED

PARTS: The use of add--on or modified parts
can be grounds for disallowing a warranty claim.

POULAN/W EED EATER is not liable to cover

failures of warranted parts caused by the use
of add--on or modified parts. HOW TO FILE A
CLAIM: If you have any questions regarding
your warranty rights and responsibilities, you
should contact your nearest authorized ser­vice center or call POULAN/WEED EATER at

1--800--554--6723 . WHERE TO GET WAR-

RANTY SERVICE: Warranty services or re­pairs shall be provided at all POULAN/WEED

EATER service centers. call: 1--800--554--6723

MAINTENANCE, REPLACEMENT AND RE­PA IR OF EMISSION RELATED PARTS:Any

POULAN/WEED EATER approved replace-

ment part used in the performance of any war­ranty maintenance or repair on emission re­lated parts will be provided without charge to
the owner if the part is under warranty. EMIS-

SION CONTROL WARRANTY PARTS
LIST: Carburetor, Ignition System: Spark

Plug (covered up to maintenance schedule),
Ignition Module. MAINTENANCE STATE-
MENT: The owner is responsible for the per­formance of all required maintenance as de­fined in the owner’s manual.

7