OPERATION
ADD GASOLINE
• Fill fuel tank to bottom offiller neck. Do not overfill. Use
fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with aminimum
of 87 octane. (Use of leaded gasoline will increase
carbon and lead oxide deposits and reduce valve life).
Do not mix oil with gasoline. Purchase fuel inquantities
that can be used within 30 days toassure fuel freshness.
i& CAUTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or
fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline
near an open flame.
IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING INTEMPERATURES BELOW
32°F(0°0), USE FRESH, CLEAN WINTER GRADE GASOLINE
TO HELP INSURE GOOD COLD WEATHER STARTING.
CAUTION:Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol
or using ethanol or methanol) can attract tools=
ture which leads to separation and formation of
acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage
the fuel system of an engine while in storage.
To avoid engine problems, the fuel system
should be emptied before storage of30 days or
longer. Drain the gas tank, start the engine and
let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are
empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See Storage
Instructions for additional information. Never
use engine or carburetor cleaner products in
the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur.
TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 4)
When starting the engine for the first time or ifthe engine
has run out of fuel, itwill take extra cranking time to move
fuel from the tank to the engine.
• Sit on seat in operating position, depress clutch/brake
pedal and set parking brake.
• Place gear shift lever in neutral (N) position.
• Move attachment clutch to "DISENGAGED" position.
• Move throttle control to choke (1\1)position.
NOTE: Before starting, read the warm and cold starting
procedures below.
• Insert key intoignition and turn key clockwise to "START"
position and release key as soon as engine starts.
Do not run starter continuously for more than fifteen
seconds per minute. If the engine does not start after
several attempts, move throttle control to fast position,
wait a few minutes and try again. If engine still does
not start, move the throttle control back to the choke (
I\1)position and retry.
WARM WEATHER STARTING (50° F and above)
• When engine starts, move the throttle control to the
fast position.
• The attachments and ground drive can now be used. If
the engine does not accept the load, restart the engine
and allow itto warm up for one minute using the choke
as described above.
COLD WEATHER STARTING ( 50° F and below)
• When engine starts, allow engine to run with the throttle
control in the choke (1\1)position until the engine runs
roughly, then move throttle control to fast position. This
may require an engine warm-up period from several sec-
onds to several minutes, depending on the temperature.
• The attachments can also be used during the engine
warm-up period.
NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000 feet) or in cold
temperatures (below 32 F) the carburetor fuel mixture may
need to be adjusted for best engine performance. See "TO
ADJUST CARBURETOR" inthe Service and Adjustments
section of this manual.
MOWING TIPS
• Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing per-
formance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" inthe
Service and Adjustments section of this manual.
• The left hand side ofmower should be used for trimming.
• Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area
that has been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the
machine. This will result in a more even distribution of
clippings and more uniform cutting.
• When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right
so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs,
fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow
in the opposite direction making left hand turns until
finished (See Fig. 8).
J
FIG. 8
• If grass is extremely tall, itshould be mowed twice to
reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip-
pings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the
desired height.
• Do not mow grass when it iswet. Wet grass will plug
mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to
dry before mowing.
• Always operate engine at full throttle when mow-
ing to assure better mowing performance and proper
discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by se-
lecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting
performance as well as the quality of cut desired.
• When operating attachments, select a ground speed
that will suit the terrain and give best performance of
the attachment being used.
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