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8
3
Setting Up
Your Lawn
Tractor
WARNING
Use extreme care when
handling gasoline.
Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the
vapors are explosive.
Never fuel machine
indoors or while the en-
gine is hot or running.
Extinguish cigarettes,
cigars, pipes, and other
sources of ignition.
Make sure the riding
mower’s engine is off,
remove the ignition
key, and set the parking
brake before removing
the shipping brace.
The deck chute shipping
brace, used for shipping
purposes only, must be
removed and discarded
before operating your
riding mower.
Opening the Tractor Hood
To attach the negative battery cable and check the
engine oil level the hood must be open. Locate the hood
lift notch (Refer to Figure 4 on page 10) at the front/cen-
ter of the dash panel. Grasping the hood at the notch,
lift and pivot the hood forward to open.
Attaching the Battery Cables
The tractor is shipped with an activated sealed battery.
The positive battery cable is factory connected. The
negative cable must be connected. The positive battery
terminal is marked Pos. (+). The negative battery
terminal is marked Neg. (–).
IMPORTANT: Make sure the ignition switch is in the
“OFF” position before attaching the battery cables.
• From the center notch at the front of the dash panel,
lift the tractor hood and pivot forward to open.
• Remove the hex shoulder bolt and wing nut from the
negative (black)cable.
• Pull the protective cap, if present, off the negative
battery terminal. Attach the negative cable (heavy
black wire) to the negative battery terminal (–) with
the bolt and wing nut. See Figure 1.
• The positive cable (red cable) is secured to the
positive battery terminal (+) with a carriage bolt and
hex sems nut at the factory. Make certain that the
rubber boot covers the positive battery terminal.
NOTE: If the battery is put into service after the date
shown on top of battery, charge the battery as instructed
on page 24 of this manual prior to operating the tractor.
Gas and Oil Fill-up
WARNING: Use extreme care when
handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the vapors are explosive.
Never fuel machine indoors or while
the engine is hot or running. Extinguish
cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other
sources of ignition.
NOTE: Purchase gasoline in small quantities. Do not use
gasoline left over from the previous season, to minimize
gum deposits in the fuel system.
• This engine is certified to operate on unleaded
gasoline. For best results, fill the fuel tank with only
clean, fresh, unleaded gasoline with a pump sticker
octane rating of 87 or higher. In countries using the
Research method, it should be 90 octane minimum.
• Unleaded gasoline is recommended because it leaves
less combustion chamber deposits and reduces
harmful exhaust emissions. Leaded gasoline is not
recommended and must not be used where exhaust
emissions are regulated.
• Gasohol (up to 10% ethyl alcohol, 90% unleaded
gasoline by volume) is an approved fuel. Other
gasoline/alcohol blends are not approved.
• Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and unleaded
gasoline blends (up to a maximum of 15% MTBE by
volume) are approved fuels. Other gasoline/ether
blends are not approved.
The gasoline tank is under the rear fender, with the fuel
fill cap located in the center of the rear fender. The fuel
cap is tethered to the tractor to prevent its loss. Do not
attempt to remove the cap from the tractor.
IMPORTANT: Your tractor is shipped with motor oil in the
engine. However, you MUST check the oil level before
operating. Refer to ‘checking the oil level in the Maintain-
ing your Tractor - Section 6 of this manual. Be careful not
to overfill.
Mulching Plug and Shipping Brace
Removal
WARNING: Make sure the riding
mower’s engine is off, remove the
ignition key, and set the parking brake
before removing the shipping brace.
WARNING: The shipping brace, used
for packaging purposes only, must be
removed and discarded before operating
your riding mower.
Figure 1
Shoulder Bolt
Wing Nut
Negative
Battery
Cable