Weed Eater 545137271, MX557 User Manual

R Trademark

Please do not return unit to retailer.
Por favor, no devuelva el aparato al lugar de compra.
Veuillez ne pas retourner l’outil au détaillant.

1-800-554-6723

www.weedeater.com

Instruction Manual

Manual de Instrucciones

Manuel d’Instructions

MX557

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

For Occasional Use Only

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 de instrucciones y siga todas las advertencias e
instrucciones de seguridad. El no hacerlo puede resultar en lesiones
graves.

AVERTISSEMENT:

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

WEED EATER
1030 Stevens Creek Road
Augusta, GA 30907

6150 McLaughlin Road

Mississauga, Ontario L5R 4C2

545137271 11/30/06

WEED EATER

FRANÇAIS

SAFETY RULES

WARNING: When using gardening

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

This power unit can be dangerous! Operator is
responsible for following instructions and warn­ings on unit and in manual. Read entire instruc­tion 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
have read, understand, and will follow the
instructions and warnings on the unit and in the
manual. Never allow children to operate this
unit.

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL

DANGER: Never use blades or flail-

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

WARNING: Trimmer line throws ob-

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

Eye Protection

Boots

Keep children, bystanders, and animals 50 feet
(15 meters) away. Stop unit immediately if ap­proached.
If situations occur which are not covered in
this manual, use care and good judgment. If
you need assistance, contact your authorized
service dealer or call 1--800--554--6723.

OPERATOR SAFETY

S Dress properly. Always wear safety

glasses or similar eye protection when op­erating, or performing maintenance, on
your unit (safety glasses are available).
Eye protection should be marked Z87.

S Always wear face or dust mask if operation

is dusty.

S Always wear heavy, long pants, long sleeves,

boots, and gloves. Wearing safety leg guards
is recommended.

SAFETY INFORMATION

ON THE UNIT

Hazard Zone

50 ft.

(15 m)

S Always wear foot protection. Do not go

barefoot or wear sandals. Stay clear of
spinning line.

S Secure hair above shoulder length. Secure

or remove loose clothing or clothing with
loosely hanging ties, straps, tassels, etc.
They can be caught in moving parts.

S Being fully covered also helps protect you

from debris and pieces of toxic plants
thrown by spinning line.

S Stay Alert. Do not operate this unit when

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

S Wear hearing protection.
S Never start or run inside a closed room or

building. Breathing exhaust fumes can kill.

S Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

UNIT / MAINTENANCE SAFETY

S Disconnect the spark plug before perform-

ing maintenance except carburetor adjust­ments.

S Look for and replace damaged or loose

parts before each use. Look for and repair
fuel leaks before use. Keep in good working
condition.

S Replace trimmer head parts that are

chipped, cracked, broken, or damaged in
any other way before using the unit.

S Maintain unit according to recommended

procedures. Keep cutting line at proper
length.

S Use only 0.080″ (2 mm) diameter WEED

EATER brand replacement line. Never use
wire, rope, string, etc.

S Install required shield properly before using

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

S Make sure unit is assembled correctly as

shown in this manual.

S Make carburetor adjustments with lower

end supported to prevent line from contact­ing any object.

S Keep others away when making carburetor

adjustments.

S Use only recommended WEED EATER ac-

cessories and replacement parts.

S Have all maintenance and service not ex-

plained in this manual performed by an au­thorized service dealer.

FUEL SAFETY

S Mix and pour fuel outdoors.
S Keep away from sparks or flames.
S Use a container approved for fuel.
S Do not smoke or allow smoking near fuel or

the unit.

S Avoid spilling fuel or oil. Wipe up all fuel

spills.

S Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from

fueling site before starting engine.

S Stop engine and allow to cool before re-

moving fuel cap.

S Always store gasoline in a container ap-

proved for flammable liquids.

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CUTTING SAFETY

WARNING: Inspect the area before

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

sweeping. Do not use for edging, pruning or
hedge trimming.

S Keep firm footing and balance. Do not over-

reach.

S Keep all parts of your body away from muffler

and spinning line. Keep engine below waist
level. A hot muffler can cause serious burns.

S Cut from your left to your right. Cutting on

right side of the shield will throw debris away
from the operator .

S Use only in daylight or good artificial light.
S Use only for jobs explained in this manual.

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

S Allow engine to cool before storing or trans-

porting in vehicle.

S Empty the fuel tank before storing or trans-

porting the unit. Use up fuel left in the carbu­retor by starting the engine and letting it run
until it stops.

S Store unit and fuel in area where fuel vapors

cannot reach sparks or open flames from
water heaters, electric motors or switches,
furnaces, etc.

S Store unit so line limiter blade cannot acci-

dentally cause injury. The unit can be hung
by the shaft.

S Store unit out of reach of children.

ASSEMBLY

SAFETY NOTICE: Exposure to vibrations

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. Ifsymptoms
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: This unit is equipped

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,
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 an autho­rized service dealer.

WARNING: If received assembled,

repeat all steps to ensure your unit is properly
assembled and all fasteners are secure.

Examine parts for damage. Do not use dam­aged parts.

NOTE: If you need assistance or find parts

missing or damaged, call 1-800-554-6723.
It is normal for the fuel filter to rattle in the

empty fuel tank.
Finding fuel or oil residue on muffler is normal

due to carburetor adjustments and testing
done by the manufacturer.

ADJUSTING THE HANDLE

WARNING: When adjusting the assist

handle, be sure it remains above the safety label
and below the mark or arrow on the shaft.

1. Loosen wing nut on handle.

2. Rotate the handle on the shaft to an upright
position; retighten wing nut.

ATTACHING SHIEL D

WARNING: The shield must be prop-

erly installed. The shield provides partial protec­tion to the operator and others from the risk of
thrown objects, and is equipped with a line limit­er blade which cuts excess line to the proper
length. The line limiter blade (on underside of
shield) is sharp and can cut you.
For proper orientation of shield, see KNOW
YOUR TRIMMER illustration in OPERATION
section.

1. Remove wing nut from shield.

2. Insert bracket into slot as shown.

3. Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole
in bracket.

4. Securely tighten wing nut onto bolt.

Slot

Shield

Gearbox

Wing Nut

Bracket

PIVOT

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OPERATION

KNOW YOUR TRIMMER

READ THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR UNIT.

Compare the illustrations with your unit to familiarize yourself with the location of the various controls

and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

Trimmer
Head

Shaft

Safety Label

Assist Handle

Shaft Mark or Arrow

Muffler

Shield

Line Limiter Blade

STOP
Switch

STOP SWITCH

The STOP switch is used to stop the engine. To
stop the engine, push and hold the switch in the
STOP position until the engine stops.

Spark Plug

PRIMER BULB

The PRIMER BULB removes air from the car­buretor and fuel lines and fills them with fuel.
This allows you to start the engine with fewer
pulls on the starter rope. Activate the primer

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE

WARNING: Be sure to read the fuel

information in the safety rules before you be­gin. If you do not understand the safety rules,
do not attempt to fuel your unit. Call
1-800-554--6723.

FUELING ENGINE

WARNING: Remove fuel cap slowly

when refueling.

HELPFUL TIP

Toobtain the correct oil mix
ratio, pour 3.2 ounces of
2--cycle synthetic oil into

This engine is certified to operate on unleaded
gasoline. Before operation, gasoline must be
mixed with a good quality synthetic 2-cycle
air-cooled engine oil designed to be mixed at a
ratio of 40:1. Poulan/WEED EATER brand
synthetic oil is recommended. Mix gasoline and
oil at a ratio of 40:1. A 40:1 ratio is obtained by
mixing 3.2 ounces (95 ml) of oil with 1 gallon (4
liters) of unleaded gasoline. DO NOT USE
automotive oil or marine oil. These oils will

one gallon of fresh gas.

Primer Bulb

Starter Handle

bulb by pressing it and allowing it to return to
its original form.

Throttle Trigger

Fuel Mix Fill Cap

Choke Lever

CHOKE

The CHOKE helps to supply fuel to the engine
toaidincoldstarting.Activatethechokeby
moving the choke lever to the FULL CHOKE
position. After the engine attempts to start, move
the choke lever to the HALF CHOKE position.
Once engine has started, move the choke lever
to the RUN position.

cause engine damage. When mixing fuel, follow
instructions printed on container. Once oil is
added to gasoline, shake container momentarily
to assure that the fuel is thoroughly mixed.
Always read and follow the safety rules relating
to fuel before fueling your unit.

IMPORTANT

Experience indicates that alcohol blended fuels
(called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol)
can attract moisture which leads to separa­tion and formation of acids during storage.
Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an
engine while in storage. To avoid engine
problems, empty the fuel system before stor­age for 30 days or longer. Drain the gas tank,
start the engine and let it run until the fuellines
and carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel next
season. Never use engine or carburetor
cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent
damage may occur. See the STORAGE sec­tion for additional information.

HELPFUL TIP

If your engine switch reads
“push to stop”, it is always
in the ON position.

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