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The dirt washes off the tines easier if rinsed off im-
mediately instead of after it dries. Always towel dry the 
tiller afterwards and apply a light coat of oil or silicone to 
prevent rusting or water damage.

IMPORTANT: 

 Never use a “pressure washer” to clean 

your tiller. Water can penetrate tight areas of the tiller and 
its chain case and cause serious damage to the unit.

Belt Replacement

Your tiller has been engineered with a belt made of special 
material (Kevlar Tensile) for longer life and better perfor-
mance. It should not be replaced with an off-the-shelf belt. 
Order all belts through you authorized service dealer.
•  Disconnect and ground the spark plug wire against the 

engine.

•  Remove the belt cover from the left side of the tiller by 

remove two torx screws from the top of belt cover. See 
Figure 8.

•  Remove the hex cap nut and flat washer from the side 

of the belt cover and remove the self tap screw at the 
bottom of the front of the cover. 

•  Remove the belt keeper bracket located behind the 

engine pulley by removing two hex bolts and lock 
washers. See Figure 9.

•  Remove belt and reassemble new belt. Follow instruc-

tions in reverse order.

NOTE:  

Upon reassembly, make certain the belt is routed 

over the idler pulley and inside of belt keepers by engine 
pulley. See Figure 9.

WARNING:  Disconnect the spark plug 
wire and ground it against the engine 
before performing any repairs.

Engine

Refer to the separate engine manual for engine 
maintenance instructions.
Maintain 

engine oil 

as instructed in the separate 

engine manual packed with your unit. Read and follow 
instructions carefully.
Service 

air cleaner 

every ten hours under normal 

conditions. Clean every hour under extremely dusty 
conditions. Poor engine performance and flooding 
usually indicates that the air cleaner should be serviced. 
To service the air cleaner, refer to the separate engine 
manual packed with your unit.

IMPORTANT: 

Never run your engine without air cleaner 

completely assembled.
The 

spark plug 

should be cleaned and the gap 

reset every 25 hours of engine operation. Spark plug 
replacement is recommended at the start of each tiller 
season; check engine manual for correct plug type and 
gap specification.

Clean the engine 

regularly with a cloth or brush. Keep 

the cooling system (blower housing area) clean to 
permit proper air circulation which is essential to engine 
performance and life. Be certain to remove all dirt and 
combustible debris from muffler area.

Lubrication

Transmission

The transmission is pre-lubricated and sealed at the 
factory. It requires no checking unless the transmission 
is disassembled. To fill with grease, lay the right half of 
the transmission on its side, add 22 ounces of Benalene 
920 grease, and assemble the left half to it. This grease 
can be obtained at your nearest authorized dealer by 
ordering part number 737-0300.

Clutch Handle

Lubricate the pivot point on the clutch handle and the 
cable at least once a season with light oil. The control 
must operate freely in both directions.

Pivot Points

Lubricate all pivot points and linkages at least once a 
season with light oil.

Tine Shafts

Remove tine assemblies and lubricate the tine shafts at 
least once a season.

Wheel Shafts

Remove wheel assemblies and lubricate the axle shafts 
at least once a season.

Cleaning Tine Area

Clean the underside of the tine shield after each use. 

7

Maintaining 

Your Tiller

WARNING

Disconnect the spark 
plug wire and ground 
it against the engine 
before performing 
any repairs or  
maintenance.

Torx Screws

Belt Cover

Hex Cap Nut & 

Flat Washer

Self Tap Screw

Figure 8

Summary of Contents for 450 Series

Page 1: ...ined in effective working order by the operator In the State of California the above is required by law Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code Other states may have similar laws Federal...

Page 2: ...orized service dealer Please do NOT return the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased without rst contacting Customer Support Customer Support If you have difficulty assembling this product...

Page 3: ...CHILDREN OR UNINSTRUCTED ADULTS TO OPERATE TILLER 5 SHUT OFF ENGINE BEFORE U NCLOGGING TINES OR MAKING REPAIRS 6 KEEP BYSTANDERS AWAY FROM M ACHINE 7 KEEP AWAYFROM ROTATING PARTS 8 USE EXTREME CAUTION...

Page 4: ...ry can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite Wash your skin and change clothes immediately 7 Use only an approved gasoline container 8 Extinguish all cigarettes c...

Page 5: ...es Check their proper operation regularly 2 Check bolts and screws for proper tightness at frequent intervals to keep the machine in safe working condition Also visually inspect machine for any damage...

Page 6: ...pth stake assembly Place flat washer on the hex bolt and thread T knob onto the hex bolt Tighten securely See Figure 1 Tip the tiller back down so it rests on the tines Attaching Handle Assembly Remov...

Page 7: ...bail engaged adjust by unthreading the internally threaded tube at the end of the cable a few turns clockwise when standing in operator s position and then retighten the nut against the tube Now move...

Page 8: ...he reverse tine drive when tilling virgin ground sod or hard soil Use the forward tine drive when cultivating or tilling soft ground NOTE If difficulty is encountered in moving the gear selection hand...

Page 9: ...to enrich the fuel mixture in the carburetor when starting a cold engine This symbol points out important safety instructions which if not followed could endanger the personal safety and or property...

Page 10: ...ace the engine speed control in the START position Move choke lever to CHOKE position or if equipped push primer two 2 or three 3 times Wait about two 2 seconds between each push NOTE A warm engine ma...

Page 11: ...t the wheel drive only WARNING Do not push down on the handles so that the wheels are lifted off the ground while using the tine drive or the tiller could move backward and cause personal injury For b...

Page 12: ...remely dusty conditions Poor engine performance and flooding usually indicates that the air cleaner should be serviced To service the air cleaner refer to the separate engine manual packed with your u...

Page 13: ...Fill tank with clean fresh gasoline Fuel will not last over thirty days unless a fuel stabilizer is used Move throttle lever to start position Clean fuel line Refer to the engine manual packed with y...

Page 14: ...13 29 35 16 53 35 16 46 31 28 12 45 17 17 44 36 6 3 33 15 27 5 36 43 4 20 40 21 1 34 18 10 42 23 7 22 36 8 47 32 37 50 25 10 9 24 36 51 34 45 26 41 36 35 16 29 19 49 44 33 14 35 16 2 14 28 35 16 14 11...

Page 15: ...fting Fork 22 717 1582 Spur Gear 44T 23 717 1583 Spur Gear 30T 24 717 1584 Spur Gear 30T 25 717 1585 Spur Gear 44T 26 717 1587 Spur Gear 44T Ref Part No Part Description 27 717 1594 Spur Gear 16T 28 7...

Page 16: ...23 10 1 60 61 37 62 25 34 27 64 30 39 63 26 32 36 33 31 29 66 26 41 30 30 24 28 35 40 26 49 44 50 59 51 65 53 55 56 54 57 58 44 46 42 4 9 11 16 6 3 14 7 19 5 17 2 60 61 12 15 12 38 21 22 67 70 70 68 6...

Page 17: ...69 Lock Washer 3 8 30 712 04063 Flange Nut 5 16 18 31 726 0106 Cap Nut 32 738 0849 Hex Screw 5 16 18 x 75 33 747 0432 Rod 34 750 0885A Spacer 322 x 625 x 2 0 Ref Part No Part Description 35 786 0090 S...

Page 18: ...18 33 35 4 38 37 34 24 7 41 3 16 15 13 21 25 14 1 11 2 8 6 27 5 39 20 31 32 29 Wheel shaft shown for reference only 36 18 12 26 43 42 17 28 40 44 45 9...

Page 19: ...ey Half 23 756 0972 Inner Engine Pulley Half Ref Part No Part Description 24 756 1162 Input Pulley 25 786 0064A Idler Bracket 26 786 0185 Belt Keeper Bracket 27 786 0187 Shift Cover Bracket 28 786 019...

Page 20: ...the exterior finish due to use or exposure d Service completed by someone other than an authorized service dealer e MTD does not extend any warranty for products sold or exported outside of the United...

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