MTD 83M Lawn Mower User Manual


 
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4
Operating
Your Lawn
Mower
WARNING
The operation of any
lawn mower can result
in foreign objects
being thrown into
the eyes, which can
damage your eyes
severely. Always wear
safety glasses while
operating the mower,
or while performing
any adjustments or
repairs on it.
Be sure no one other
than the operator is
standing near the
lawn mower while
starting engine or oper
-
ating mower. Never
run engine indoors or
in enclosed, poorly
ventilated areas. En
-
gine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide, an
odorless and deadly
gas. Keep hands, feet,
hair and loose clothing
away from any moving
parts on engine and
lawn mower.
WARNING: The operation of any lawn
mower can result in foreign objects being
thrown into the eyes, which can damage
your eyes severely. Always wear safety
glasses while operating the mower or while perform-
ing any adjustments or repairs on it.
Starting Engine
WARNING: Be sure no one other than the
operator is standing near the lawn mower
while starting engine or operating mower.
Never run engine indoors or in enclosed,
poorly ventilated areas. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas. Keep
hands, feet, hair and loose clothing away from any
moving parts on engine and lawn mower.
1. Pull out the choke knob located on the left side of the
upper handle, Figure 4-2.
Note: Use of the choke may not be necessary if the
engine is warm or the air temperature is high.
2. Standing behind the mower, squeeze and hold the
blade control against upper handle, Figure 4-2.
3. Pull the recoil starter lightly until resistance is felt,
then pull rapidly to overcome compression, prevent
kickback, and start the engine. Repeat if necessary,
Figure 4-2.
Important: Do not allow the recoil starter to snap
back against the rope guide.
4. When engine warms up, push in the choke knob,
Figure 4-2.
Stopping Engine
1. Release blade control to stop the engine and blade.
2. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and
ground against the engine.
WARNING: Wait for the blade to stop
completely before performing any work
on the mower or to remove the grass
catcher.
Using Your Lawn Mower
WARNING: Never operate your mower
without either the rear door or the entire
grass catcher assembly firmly secured.
Be sure lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire, or other
objects which could damage lawn mower or engine.
Such objects could be accidently thrown by the mower
in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the
operator and others.
WARNING: If you strike a foreign object,
stop the engine. Remove wire from the
spark plug, thoroughly inspect mower
for any damage, and repair damage before restart
-
ing and operating. Extensive vibration of mower
during operation is an indication of damage. The
unit should be promptly inspected and repaired.
1. Once the engine is running, squeeze the drive
control to propel mower. For best results, do not cut
wet grass and never cut off more than one-third of
the total length of the grass.
Using as Mulcher
For mulching grass, remove the grass catcher from the
mower and install the mulch baffle, see Setup section.
For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass. New
or thick grass may require a narrower cut. Adjust
ground speed according to condition of lawn.
If the grass has been allowed to grow in excess of
four inches, mulching is not recommended. Use the
grass catcher to bag clippings instead.
Using Grass Catcher
You can use the grass catcher to collect clippings while
you are operating the mower.
1. Attach grass catcher following instructions in Setup
section. Grass clippings will automatically collect in
bag as you run mower. Operate mower till grass bag
is full.
2. Stop engine completely by releasing the blade
control. Make sure that the unit has come to a
complete stop.
3. Lift discharge door and pull grass bag up and away
from the mower to remove the bag. Dispose of the
grass clippings and reinstall the bag when complete.
Figure 4-2: Starting the mower.
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