Weed eater PL 500 User Manual

Trademark

R

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

Operator’s Manual

Manual del Operador

ENGLISH

Manuel de L’utilisateur

PL 500

U

L

R

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 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

Copyright E2000 WCI Outdoor Products, Inc.

530088828

10/30/00

ESPAÑOL

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.

OPERATORS
MANUAL

DANGER:

flailing devices. This 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.

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 face or dust mask if operation

S

is dusty.
Always wear heavy, long pants, long

S

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

S

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

S

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

S

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 the spark plug before perform-

S

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

S

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

S

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

S

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

S

Eater!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

S

shown in this manual.
Make carburetor adjustments with lower

S

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

S

adjustments.
Use only recommended Weed Eater!ac-

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

S

plained in this manual performed by an au­thorized service dealer.

FUEL SAFETY

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

S

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

S

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

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fueling site before starting engine.

2

Stop engine and allow to cool before re-

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

S

proved for flammable liquids.

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 the trimmer head and be thrown
causing serious injury.

Use only for trimming, mowing, and sweep-

S

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 muf-

S

fler and spinning line. Keep engine below
waist level. A hot muffler can cause serious
burns.
Cutting on left side of the shield will throw

S

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

S

Inspect the area before

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

Allow the engine to cool; secure unit before

S

storing or transporting in vehicle.
Empty fuel tank before storing or transport-

S

ing the unit. Use up fuel left in the carburetor
by starting 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

S

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 require-

Exposure to vibrations

This unit is equipped

ments 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 your Au­thorized Service Dealer.

ASSEMBLY

WARNING:

ly assembled and all fasteners are secure.

ADJUST THE HANDLE

Loosen wing nut or plastic knob on handle.

S

Rotate handle to upright position and tight-

S

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.

S

Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole in

S

bracket.
Securely tighten wing nut.

S

Remove packing cover from the arbor shaft

S

if so equipped. Thread trimmer head onto
shaft; tighten securely against dust cup.

Bracket

Slot

Make sure unit is proper-

The shield must be prop-

Wing Nut

Dust Cup

Shield

3

FUEL YOUR UNIT

n

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/Weed Eater 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

SAFETY.

FUEL

STARTING

Pull starter rope handle until engine runs.

S

If engine does not start in 5 pulls, follow

S

instructions in STARTING A COLD ENGINE.

USING YOUR UNIT

OPERATING POSITION

ALWAYS WEAR:

Long Pants

Heavy Shoes

Eye Protectio

HOW TO STOP YOUR UNIT

To stop the engine, push and release the en­gine STOP switch. The switch will automati­cally return to the ON position. Wait 5 sec­onds before attempting to restart unit to allow
switch to reset.

HOW TO START YOUR UNIT

Starting Position

Choke lever

Trigger

Primer Bulb

Muffler

WARNING:

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

The trimmer head will

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

Set unit on a flat surface.

S

Slowly press the primer bulb 6 times.

S

Move choke lever to FULL CHOKE posi-

S

tion.
Squeeze the throttle trigger fully and hold

S

through

all remaining steps

Pull starter rope handle sharply 6 times.

S

Move choke lever to HALF CHOKE posi-

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tion.
Pull starter rope handle no more than 6

S

pulls, until engine runs.
Allow engine to run 10 seconds, then move

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choke lever to OFF CHOKE position.

.

STARTING A WARM ENGINE

Move choke lever to OFF CHOKE position.

S

Cut from your right to your left.

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. The metal line limiter
blade attached to the shield will cut the line to
the proper length.

REPLACING THE LINE

Remove spool by firmly pulling on tap but-

S

ton.
Clean entire surface of hub and spool.

S

Replace with a pre-wound spool, or cut two

S

lengths of
eter Weed Eaterrbrand line. Never use
wire, rope, string, etc., which can break off
and become a dangerous missile.
Insert ends of the line about 1/2 inch (1 cm)

S

into the small hole on the inside of spool.

Spool

Line exit holes

Hub

Wind the line evenly and tightly onto the

S

spool. Wind in the direction of the arrows
found on the spool.
Push the lines into the notches, leaving 3 to

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5 inches (7 -- 12 cm) unwound.
Insert the lines into the the exit holes in the

S

hub as shown in the illustration.
Align the notches with the line exit holes.

S

Push spool into hub until it snaps into place.

S

Pull the lines extending outside of the hub to

S

release them from the notches.

4

feet of .080” (2 mm) diam-

12-1/2

Line in Notch

Line in Notch

Small
Holes

We recommend that you take your unit to an

e

SERVICE

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.
Carburetor adjustment is a complicated task.

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”.

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

See “Starting.”

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.

S

Fuel tank empty.

S

Spark plug not firing.

S

Fuel not reaching carburetor.

S

Carburetor requires adjustment.

S

Carburetor requires adjustment.

S

Throttle trigger screw too

S

tight.

Air filter dirty.

S

Spark plug fouled.

S

Carburetor requires adjustment.

S

Fuel mixture incorrect.

S

Air filter dirty.

S

Carburetor requires adjustment.

S

Line improperly routed in head.

S

Line improperly wound on

S

spool.
Line size incorrect.

S

Line size incorrect.

S

Incorrect spool.

S

Line is being crowded against

S

material being cut.

Too little line outside of head.

S

Line size incorrect.

S

S

Fill tank with correct fuel mixture.

S

Install new spark plug.

S

Check for dirty fuel filter; replace.

S

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

S

See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

S

Loosen screw.

S

Clean or replace air filter.

S

Clean or replace spark plug; re-gap.

S

See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

S

Empty fuel tank and refill with

S

correct fuel mixture.
Clean or replace air filter.

S

See “Carburetor Adjustments.”

S

Check line routing.

S

Rewind line tightly and evenly.

S

Use only 0.080” (2 mm) dia. line.

S

Use only 0.080” (2 mm) dia. line.

S

Replace with correct spool.

S

Cut with tip of line fully extended.

S

Remove spool and pull 4 inches

S

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

S

5

NEED ASSISTANCE?

Need Assistance?

Call 1-800-554-6723.

Need Service Parts?

Contact your dealer or place of purchase.

LIMITED WARRANTY

ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
NORTH AMERICA,Division of WCI Out­door Products, Inc.,

purchaser that each new
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--

household purposes.

90 DAYS --

commercial, professional, or income produc­ing purposes.

30 DAYS --

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

HOME PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA

this tool. Additionally , this warranty does not
cover tune-ups, spark plugs, filters, 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’S

ously improve its products. Therefore,

TROLUX HOME PRODUCTS

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

Parts and Labor, when used for

Parts and Labor, when used for

Parts and Labor, if used for rental

warrants to the original

Weed Eater

ELECTROLUX

policy is to continu-

brand

for

ELEC-

reserves the

U.S. EPA

EMISSION CONTROL

WARRANTY STATEMENT

YOUR WARRANTY RIGHTS AND OB­LIGATIONS:

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.

WARRANTY COVERAGE:

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.

SIBILITIES:

ment 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.

MENCEMENT DATE:

The U. S. Environmental

MANUFACTURER’S

If any emissions

OWNER’S WARRANTY RESPON-

As the lawn and garden equip-

WARRANTY COM-

The warranty period

6

begins on the date the lawn and garden equip­ment engine is purchased.

COVERAGE:

riod of two years from the initial date of pur­chase.

REPLACEMENT OF PARTS.

placement of any warranted part will be per­formed at no charge to the owner at an ap­proved POULAN/WEED EATER servicing
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

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:

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.

AGES:

able for damages to other engine

This warranty shall be for a pe-

WHAT IS COVERED: REPAIR OR

WARRANTY PERIOD:

The owner shall not be

CONSEQUENTIAL DAM-

POULAN/WEED EATER may be li-

LENGTH OF

Repair or re-

components caused by the failure of a war-

ranted part still under warranty.

NOT COVERED

abuse, neglect, or improper maintenance are
not covered.

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.

CLAIM:

your warranty rights and responsibilities, you
should contact your nearest authorized ser­vice center or call POULAN/WEED EATER at

1--800--554--6723 .

RANTY SERVICE:

pairs shall be provided at all POULAN/WEED

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

MAINTENANCE, REPLACEMENT AND RE­PA IR OF EMISSION RELATED PARTS

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.

SION CONTROL WARRANTY PARTS
LIST:

Plug (covered up to maintenance schedule),
Ignition Module.

MENT:

formance of all required maintenance as de­fined in the owner’s manual.

The use of add--on or modified parts

If you have any questions regarding

Carburetor, Ignition System: Spark

The owner is responsible for the per-

: All failures caused by

ADD--ON OR MODIFIED

WHERE TO GET WAR-

Warranty services or re-

MAINTENANCE STATE-

WHAT IS

HOW TO FILE A

:Any

EMIS-

7