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5
AIR FILTER MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Air Filter
Failure to maintain your air filter properly can re
s
ult in poor performance or
can cau
s
e permanent damage to your engine.
1. To open the air filter cover, pu
s
h the loc
k
ing tab on the right
s
ide of the
cover inward and pull the air filter cover
s
lightly out and to the left (Fig.
17).
2. Remove the air filter (Fig. 18).
3. Wa
s
h the filter in detergent and water. Rin
s
e the filter thoroughly and
allow it to dry.
4. Apply enough clean
S
AE 30 motor oil to lightly coat the filter.
5.
S
queeze the filter to
s
pread and remove exce
ss
oil.
6. Replace the filter (Fig. 18).
NOTE:
If the unit i
s
operated without the air filter, you will VOID the
warranty.
7. To rein
s
tall the air filter cover, po
s
ition the hoo
ks
on the left
s
ide of the
air filter cover into the
s
lot
s
at the left
s
ide of the bac
k
plate (Fig. 18).
8.
S
wing the cover to the right and pre
ss
clo
s
ed
s
o the air filter cover tab
s
nap
s
into the
s
lot on the bac
k
plate (Fig. 19).
CLEANIN
G
U
s
e a
s
mall bru
s
h to clean off the out
s
ide of the unit. Do not u
s
e
s
trong detergent
s
. Hou
s
ehold cleaner
s
that contain aromatic oil
s
s
uch a
s
pine and lemon, and
s
olvent
s
s
uch a
s
k
ero
s
ene, can damage the
pla
s
tic hou
s
ing or handle. Wipe off any moi
s
ture with a
s
oft cloth.
The fuel i
s
old (over 30 day
s
) and/or improperly mixed
Drain the fuel tan
k
and add fre
s
h, properly mixed fuel
The air filter i
s
plugged
Clean or replace the air filter
The
s
par
k
plug i
s
fouled
Clean, gap or replace the
s
par
k
plug
The fuel i
s
old (over 30 day
s
) and/or improperly mixed
Drain the fuel tan
k
and add fre
s
h, properly mixed fuel
The air filter i
s
plugged
Clean or replace the air filter
The fuel tan
k
i
s
empty
Fill the fuel tan
k
with properly mixed fuel
The primer bulb wa
s
not pre
ss
ed enough
Pre
ss
the primer bulb fully and
s
lowly 10 time
s
The engine i
s
flooded
Move the cho
k
e lever to Po
s
ition 3, hold down the
trigger and pull the
s
tarter rope
The fuel i
s
old (over 30 day
s
) and/or improperly mixed
Drain the fuel tan
k
and add fre
s
h, properly mixed fuel
The
s
par
k
plug i
s
fouled
Clean, gap or replace the
s
par
k
plug
The air filter i
s
plugged
Clean or replace the air filter
The fuel i
s
old (over 30 day
s
) and/or improperly mixed
Drain the fuel tan
k
and add fre
s
h, properly mixed fuel
Improper idle
s
peed
Adju
s
t according to the
Idle Speed Adju
s
tment
s
ection
TROUBLESHOOTIN
G
THE EN
G
INE WILL NOT START
THE EN
G
INE WILL NOT IDLE
THE EN
G
INE WILL NOT ACCELERATE
THE EN
G
INE LACKS POWER OR STALLS
Engine Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air-Cooled, 2-Cycle
Di
s
placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 cc
Blower Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 150 mph (240
k
mh)
Blower Air Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 450 cfm (12.7 cmm)
Mulching Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 10:1
S
par
k
Plug Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.025 in. (0.635 mm)
Lubrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel/Oil Mixture
Fuel/Oil Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40:1
Fuel Tan
k
Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 oz. (414 ml)
Vacuum Bag Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 bu
s
hel (35 l)
Approximate Weight (no fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 lb
s
. (5.44
k
g)
SPECIFICATIONS*
*
All
s
pecification
s
are ba
s
ed on the late
s
t product information available at the time of printing. We
re
s
erve the right to ma
k
e change
s
at any time without notice.
WARNIN
G
:
To avoid
s
eriou
s
per
s
onal injury, alway
s
turn your unit off and allow it to cool
before you clean or do any maintenance on it.
CLEANIN
G
AND STORA
G
E
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS
WARNIN
G
:
To prevent
s
eriou
s
injury, never perform maintenance or repair
s
with unit
running. Alway
s
s
ervice and repair a cool unit. Di
s
connect the
s
par
k
plug wire to en
s
ure
that the unit cannot
s
tart.
FREQUENCY
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
SEE
Every 10 hour
s
(every 5 hour
s
in vacuum mode)
Clean and re-oil the air filter
p. 5
Every 25 hour
s
Chec
k
the
s
par
k
plug condition and gap
p. 5
CAUSE
SOLUTION
WARNIN
G
:
To avoid
s
eriou
s
per
s
onal injury, alway
s
turn your trimmer off and allow it to
cool before you clean or
s
ervice it.
WARNIN
G
:
Wear glove
s
to prevent injury when handling unit.
Fig. 17
Loc
k
ing Tab
Air Filter Cover
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Loc
k
ing Tab
Air Filter Cover
Air Filter
Bac
k
Plate
Slot
Slot
s
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Perform the
s
e required maintenance procedure
s
at the frequency
s
tated in the table. The
s
e
procedure
s
s
hould al
s
o be a part of any
s
ea
s
onal tune-up.
NOTE:
S
ome maintenance procedure
s
may require
s
pecial tool
s
or
sk
ill
s
. If you are un
s
ure about
the
s
e procedure
s
, ta
k
e the unit to an MTD authorized
s
ervice dealer.
NOTE:
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of the emi
ss
ion control device
s
and
s
y
s
tem may be
performed by an MTD authorized
s
ervice dealer.
NOTE:
Plea
s
e read the California/EPA
s
tatement that came with the unit for a complete li
s
ting of
term
s
and coverage for the emi
ss
ion
s
control device
s
,
s
uch a
s
the
s
par
k
arre
s
tor, muffler,
carburetor, etc.
IF FURTHER ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER.
REPLACIN
G
THE SPARK PLU
G
U
s
e a replacement part number
753-06193
. The correct
s
par
k
gap i
s
0.025 in. (0.635 mm)
.
1.
S
top the engine and allow it to cool.
2. Gra
s
p the plug boot firmly and pull the cap from the
s
par
k
plug.
3. Clean dirt from around the
s
par
k
plug. Remove the
s
par
k
plug from the cylinder head by turning a
5/8 in.
s
oc
k
et countercloc
k
wi
s
e.
4. Replace crac
k
ed, fouled or dirty
s
par
k
plug.
S
et the
s
par
k
gap at 0.025
in. (0.635 mm) u
s
ing a feeler gauge (Fig. 21).
5. In
s
tall a correctly-gapped
s
par
k
plug in the cylinder head. Turn the 5/8
in.
s
oc
k
et cloc
k
wi
s
e until
s
nug.
If u
s
ing a torque wrench, torque to:
110-120 in.•lb. (12.3-13.5 N•m) Do not over tighten.
6. Rein
s
tall the
s
par
k
plug boot.
CAUTION:
Do not
s
and bla
s
t,
s
crape, or clean electrode
s
. Grit in the engine could
damage the cylinder.
Fig. 21
0.025 in.
(0.635 mm)
IDLE SPEED ADJUSTMENT
The idle
s
peed of the engine i
s
adju
s
table. An idle adju
s
tment
s
crew i
s
between the air filter cover and the engine
s
tarter hou
s
ing (Fig. 20).
NOTE:
Carele
ss
adju
s
tment
s
can
s
eriou
s
ly damage your unit. An
authorized
s
ervice dealer
s
hould ma
k
e carburetor adju
s
tment
s
.
If, after chec
k
ing the fuel and cleaning the air filter, the engine
s
till will not
idle, adju
s
t the idle
s
peed
s
crew a
s
follow
s
:
1.
S
tart the engine and let it run at a high idle for a minute to warm up.
Refer to
Starting/Stopping In
s
truction
s
.
2. Relea
s
e the throttle trigger and let the engine idle. If the engine
s
top
s
,
in
s
ert a
s
mall Phillip
s
in between the air filter cover and the engine cover (Fig. 20). Turn the idle
s
peed
s
crew in, cloc
k
wi
s
e, 1/8 of a turn at a time (a
s
needed) until the engine idle
s
s
moothly.
Chec
k
ing the fuel, cleaning the air filter, and adju
s
ting the idle
s
peed
s
hould
s
olve mo
s
t engine
problem
s
. If not and all of the following are true:
• the engine will not idle
• the engine he
s
itate
s
or
s
tall
s
on acceleration
• there i
s
a lo
ss
of engine power
Have the carburetor adju
s
ted by an authorized
s
ervice dealer.
WARNIN
G
:
Thi
s
unit will need to be running during idle
s
peed adju
s
tment. Wear
protective clothing and ob
s
erve all
s
afety in
s
truction
s
to prevent
s
eriou
s
per
s
onal injury.
Al
s
o, DO NOT
s
et unit on any
s
urface except a clean, hard area while
s
tarting or performing
any adju
s
tment
s
. Debri
s
,
s
uch a
s
gravel,
s
and, du
s
t, gra
ss
, etc., could be thrown by the
blower tube and damage property or cau
s
e
s
eriou
s
injury to by
s
tander
s
or operator.
Fig. 20
Idle Adju
s
tment
Screw
STORA
G
E
• Never
s
tore a fueled unit where fume
s
may reach an open flame or
s
par
k
.
• Allow the engine to cool before
s
toring.
•
S
tore the unit loc
k
ed up to prevent unauthorized u
s
e or damage.
•
S
tore the unit in a dry, well-ventilated area.
•
S
tore the unit out of the reach of children.
Long Term Storage
1. Remove the fuel cap, tip the unit and drain the fuel into an approved container.
NOTE:
Do not u
s
e fuel that ha
s
been
s
tored for more than 30 day
s
. Di
s
po
s
e of the old fuel/oil mix in
accordance with federal,
s
tate and local regulation
s
.
2.
S
tart the engine and allow it to run until it
s
tall
s
. Thi
s
en
s
ure
s
that all fuel ha
s
been drained from the
carburetor.
3. Allow the engine to cool. Remove the
s
par
k
plug and put 5 drop
s
of any high quality motor oil or
2-cycle oil into the cylinder. Pull the
s
tarter rope
s
lowly to di
s
tribute the oil. Rein
s
tall the
s
par
k
plug.
NOTE:
Remove the
s
par
k
plug and drain all of the oil from the cylinder before attempting to
s
tart the
unit after
s
torage.
4. Thoroughly clean the unit and in
s
pect it for any loo
s
e or damaged part
s
. Repair or replace damaged
part
s
and tighten loo
s
e
s
crew
s
, nut
s
or bolt
s
. The unit i
s
ready for
s
torage.