Craftsman 917.38765 Owner'S Manual Download Page 16

16

Loss of power        

1.   Rear of mower housing or       1.   Raise cutting height.    

                                      blade dragging in grass.               

                                2.   Cutting too much grass.           2.   Raise cutting height.
                                3.   Dirty air fi lter.                           3.   Clean/replace air fi lter.
                                4.   Buildup of grass, leaves,          4.   Clean underside of mower 

                                      and trash under mower.                 housing. 

 

                                5.   Too much oil in engine.            5.   Check oil level.
                                6.   Walking speed too fast.           6.   Cut at slower walking speed.

Poor cut –               

1.   Worn, bent or loose blade.      1.   Replace blade. Tighten  

uneven                    

                                                           blade bolt.

                                2.   Wheel heights uneven.            2.   Set all wheels at same  
                                                                                            height.

 

                               3.   Buildup of grass, leaves           3.   Clean underside of  

 

                                      and trash under mower.                 mower housing.

Excessive

              1.   Worn, bent or loose blade.      1.   Replace blade. Tighten  

vibration                 

                                                           blade bolt.

                                2.   Bent engine crankshaft.           2.   Contact a Sears or other
                                                                                            qualifi ed service center.

Starter rope

           1.   Engine fl ywheel brake is on     1.   Depress control bar to 

hard to pull                  

when control bar is released.         upper handle before    

                                                                                            pulling starter rope.
                                2.   Bent engine crankshaft.           2.   Contact a Sears or other
                                                                                            qualifi ed service center.
                                3.   Blade adapter broken.             3.   Replace blade adapter.
                                4.   Blade dragging in grass.          4.   Move lawn mower to cut  
                                                                                            grass or to hard surface.

Grass catcher

        1.  Cutting height too low.             1.   Raise cutting height.

not fi lling

               2.   Lift on blade worn off.              2.   Replace blade. 

(If so equipped)

     3.   Catcher not venting air.            3.   Clean grass catcher.

Hard to push

         1.   Grass is too high or wheel       1.   Raise cutting height.

                                      height is too low.
                                2.   Rear of lawn mower                 2.   Raise rear of lawn mower
                                      housing or cutting blade                housing one (1) setting
                                      dragging in grass.                          higher.
                                3.   Grass catcher too full.              3.   Empty grass catcher.
                                4.   Handle height position not       4.   Adjust handle height to suit.
                                      right for you.

PROBLEM                 CAUSE                                       CORRECTION 

TROUBLESHOOTING - See appropriate section in manual unless directed 
to a Sears Parts & Repair Center.

Summary of Contents for 917.38765

Page 1: ...llow all Safety Rules and Instructions before operating this equipment Owner s Manual ROTARY LAWN MOWER 4 5 Horsepower 22 Side Discharge Sears Roebuck and Co Hoffman Estates IL 60179 U S A Visit our Craftsman website www sears com craftsman ...

Page 2: ...nter in the United States This warranty applies only while this product is used in the United States This Warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state Sears Roebuck And Co D 817 WA Hoffman Estates Il 60179 IMPORTANT This cutting machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throw ing objects Failure to observe the following safety...

Page 3: ...ch anism or drive clutch on mowers so equipped before starting the engine If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally stop the engine motor and check immediately for the cause Vibra tion is generally a warning of trouble Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields when operating mower II SLOPE OPERATION Slopes are a major factor related to slip fall accidents which can r...

Page 4: ...ep equip ment in good condition Never tamper with safety devices Check their proper operation regularly Keep machine free of grass leaves or other debris build up Clean oil or fuel spillage Allow machine to cool before storing Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object Repair if necessary before restarting Never attempt to make wheel height adjustments while the engine is running Grass...

Page 5: ...be fixed Discount of 10 from regular price of service and service related parts not covered by the agreement also 10 off regular price of preventive mainte nance check Fast help by phone phone support from a Sears technician on products requiring in home repair plus conve nient repair scheduling Once you purchase the Agreement a simple phone call is all that it takes for you to schedule service Yo...

Page 6: ...pt padding between upper and lower handle and padding holding operator presence control bar to upper handle 4 Roll lawn mower out of carton and check carton thoroughly for additional loose parts HOW TO SET UP YOUR MOWER TO UNFOLD HANDLE IMPORTANT Unfold handle carefully so as not to pinch or damage control cables 1 Raise handles until lower handle sec tion locks into place in mowing position 2 Rem...

Page 7: ...lter Wheel adjuster on each wheel MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS Sears rotary walk behind power lawn mowers conform to the safety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the U S Consumer Product Safety Com mission The blade turns when the engine is running Operator presence control bar must be held down to the handle to start the engine Release to stop the engine Starter handle ...

Page 8: ...r without discharge guard approved grass catcher or mulcher plate in place Hooks Housing opening Mulcher plate Hinge rod Tab Discharge guard BEFORE STARTING ENGINE ADD OIL Your lawnmower is shipped without oil in the engine For type and grade of oil to use see ENGINE in the Maintenance section of this manual CAUTION DO NOT overfill engine with oil or it will smoke heavily from the muffler on start...

Page 9: ...less grass To prevent this regularly hose catcher off with water and let dry before using Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff This will help engine air flow and extend engine life MULCHING MOWING TIPS IMPORTANT For best performance keep mower housing free of built up grass and trash See CLEANING in the Maintenance section of this manual The special mulchi...

Page 10: ...tabilizer BEFORE EACH USE AFTER EACH USE EVERY 10 HOURS EVERY 25 HOURS OR SEASON EVERY 100 HOURS BEFORE STORAGE 1 Change more often if operating under a heavy load or in high outdoor temperatures 2 Service more often if operating in dirty or dusty conditions 3 Replace blades more often when mowing in sandy soil 4 Charge 48 hours at end of season 5 And after each 5 hours of use if so equipped Elect...

Page 11: ...ware bolt lock washer hardened washer NOTE Remove the blade adapter and check the key inside hub of blade adapter The key must be in good condition to work properly Replace adapter if damaged TO REPLACE BLADE 1 Position the blade adapter on the en gine crankshaft Be sure key in adapter and crankshaft keyway are aligned 2 Position blade on the blade adapter aligning the two 2 holes in the blade wit...

Page 12: ...l GRASS CATCHER If purchased as an accessory The grass catcher may be hosed with water but must be dry when used Check your grass catcher often for dam age or deterioration Through normal use it will wear If catcher needs replac ing replace only with approved replace ment catcher shown in the Repair Parts section of this manual Give the lawn mower model number when ordering ENGINE LUBRICATION Use ...

Page 13: ...al REAR DEFLECTOR Thereardeflector attachedbetweentherear wheelsofyourmower isprovidedtominimize the possibility that objects will be thrown out of the rear of the mower into the operator s mowing position If the deflector becomes damaged it should be replaced DISCHARGE GUARD The discharge guard attached to the discharge opening of your lawn mower is provided to prevent the possibility of injury r...

Page 14: ...storage Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage Empty the fuel tank by starting the en gine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur Use fresh fuel next season NOTE Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable alternative in minimizing the formation of fuel gum deposit...

Page 15: ...condensation to form and will cause your unit to rust IMPORTANT Never cover mower while engine and exhaust areas are still warm CAUTION Never store the lawn mower with gasoline in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure Does not start 1 Dirty air filter 1 Clean replace air filter 2 Out of fuel 2 Fill fuel tank...

Page 16: ...ngine flywheel brake is on 1 Depress control bar to hard to pull when control bar is released upper handle before pulling starter rope 2 Bent engine crankshaft 2 Contact a Sears or other qualified service center 3 Blade adapter broken 3 Replace blade adapter 4 Blade dragging in grass 4 Move lawn mower to cut grass or to hard surface Grass catcher 1 Cutting height too low 1 Raise cutting height not...

Page 17: ...ht U S A only www sears com Your Home For repair in your home of all major brand appliances lawn and garden equipment or heating and cooling systems no matter who made it no matter who sold it For the replacement parts accessories and owner s manuals that you need to do it yourself For Sears professional installation of home appliances and items like garage door openers and water heaters 1 800 4 M...

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