18
IMPORTANT:
Never tamper with the
engine governor, which is factory set for
proper engine speed. Over speed ing
the engine above the factory high speed
setting can be dangerous. If you think
the engine-governed high speed needs
adjusting, contact a Sears or other
qualifi ed service center, which has proper
equip ment and ex pe ri ence to make any
nec es sary adjustments.
CARBURETOR
Your carburetor is not adjustable. If your
engine does not operate properly due
to suspected carburetor problems, take
your lawn mower to a Sears or other
qualifi ed service center for repair and/or
ad just ment.
STORAGE
Immediately prepare your lawn mower for
storage at the end of the season or if the
unit will not be used for 30 days or more.
LAWN MOWER
When lawn mower is to be stored for a
period of time, clean it thor oughly, remove
all dirt, grease, leaves, etc. Store in a
clean, dry area.
1. Clean entire lawn mower (See
“CLEANING” in the Maintenance sec-
tion of this manual).
2. Lubricate as shown in the Main te nance
section of this manual.
3. Be sure that all nuts, bolts, screws, and
pins are securely fas tened. Inspect
moving parts for damage, breakage
and wear. Replace if necessary.
4. Touch up all rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly before painting.
HANDLE
You can fold your lawn mower han dle for
storage.
1. Loosen the two “star” handle knobs on
sides of the upper handle and allow
handle to fold down to the rear.
2. Remove the two “standard” handle
knobs and carriage bolts on sides
of the lower handle and pivot entire
handle as sem bly forward and allow it
to rest on mower.
3. Reinstall “standard” knobs and car-
riage bolts to lower handle for safe
keeping.
• When setting up your handle from the
storage position, the lower han dle will
require manually locking into the mow-
ing position.
IMPORTANT:
When folding the handle
for storage or transportation, be sure to
fold the handle as shown or you may dam-
age the control cables.
FOLD
FORWARD
FOR
STORAGE
MOWING
POSITION
Lower handle
Operator
presence
control bar
Upper
handle
Upper handle
knob (“star”)
Lower handle knob
(“standard”)
Handle
bracket
Knob
Bolt
ENGINE
FUEL SYS TEM
IMPORTANT
: It is important to prevent
gum deposits from forming in essential
fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel
fi lter, fuel hose, or tank during storage.
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.
15
4. Wipe off any spilled oil from lawn
mower or side of engine.
5. Slowly pour oil down the oil fi ll spout,
stopping every few ounces to check
the oil level with the dipstick.
6. Stop adding oil when you reach the
FULL mark on the dipstick. Wait a
minute to allow oil to settle.
7. Continue adding small amounts of oil,
rechecking the dipstick until oil level
settles at FULL. DO NOT overfi ll, or
engine will smoke heavily from the
muffl er on startup.
8. Always be sure to retighten oil dipstick
before starting engine.
9. Re
con nect spark plug wire to spark
plug.
AIR FILTER
Your engine will not run properly and may
be damaged by using a dirty air fi lter.
Replace the air fi lter cartridge every 100
hours of op er a tion or every season, which-
ev er occurs fi rst. Service air cleaner more
often under dusty conditions.
TO CLEAN AIR FILTER
1. Loosen screw and tilt cover to re move.
2. Carefully remove cartridge.
3. Clean by gently tapping on a fl at sur-
face. If very dirty, replace car tridge.
CAUTION:
Pe tro leum solvents, such
as ker o sene, are not to be used to clean
car tridge. They may cause de te ri o ra tion
of the cartridge. Do not oil car tridge. Do
not use pres sur ized air to clean or dry
car tridge.
4. Install cartridge, then replace cover
making sure the tabs are aligned with
the slots in the back plate. Fasten
screw securely.
GRASS CATCHER
• The grass catcher may be hosed with
water, but must be dry when used.
• Check your grass catcher often for dam-
age or de te ri o ra tion. Through normal
use it will wear. If catcher needs replac-
ing, replace only with ap proved replace-
ment catcher shown in the Repair Parts
section of this manual. Give the lawn
mower model number when ordering.
GEAR CASE
• To keep your drive system working
properly, the gear case and area around
the drive should be kept clean and free
of trash build-up. Clean under the drive
cover twice a season.
• The gear case is fi lled with lubricant to
the proper level at the factory. The only
time the lubricant needs attention is if
service has been performed on the gear
case.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Use only high quality detergent oil rated with
API service classifi cation SG–SL. Select the
oil's SAE viscosity grade according to your
expected operating temperature.
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
-20 0 30 40
80
100
-30
-20 0 20 30
40
F
C
32
-10
10
60
5W-30
SAE 30
2. Remove engine oil cap; lay aside on a
clean surface.
3. Tip lawn mower on its side as shown
and drain oil into a suitable container.
Rock lawn mower back and forth to re-
move any oil trapped inside of engine.
NOTE:
Although multi-viscosity oils
(5W30, 10W30 etc.) improve starting in
cold weather, these multi-viscosity oils will
result in in creased oil consumption when
used above 32°F. Check your engine oil
level more frequently to avoid possible
engine damage from running low on oil.
Change the oil after every 25 hours of op-
eration orat least once a year if the mower
is not used for 25 hours in one year.
Check the crankcase oil level before
starting the engine and after each fi ve (5)
hours of continuous use. Tighten oil plug
securely each time you check the oil level.
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL
NOTE
: Before tipping lawn mower to drain
oil, empty fuel tank by running engine until
fuel tank is empty.
1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark
plug and place wire where it cannot
come in contact with plug.
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