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Section 5: Maintenance
ENGINE CLEANING
• Stop engine, wait for parts to stop
moving, disconnect spark plug wire,
and allow engine to cool before in-
specting or cleaning engine.
• Daily or more often, before running en-
gine, remove grass and chaff from recoil
finger guard or rotating screen to prevent
engine damage caused by overheating.
Also keep cooling vanes, governor link-
age, springs and controls free of debris.
• Daily or more often, before running en-
gine, clean muffler area (be sure muffler
is cool) to remove all grass and com-
bustible debris. If engine is equipped
with a spark arrestor screen, remove as-
sembly every 50 hours for cleaning and
inspection. Replace if damaged.
• Grass or chaff may clog engine's air
cooling system, especially after pro-
longed operation cutting tall, dry grass.
See Engine Owner's Manual for instruc-
tions on cleaning underneath the engine
blower housing.
AIR CLEANER SERVICE
Improper air cleaner maintenance can
cause engine damage. Refer to the
Engine Owner's Manual for more com-
plete air cleaner service information.
SERVICE SCHEDULE:
Outer foam pre-cleaner - wash and re-oil
every 25 operating hours or every sea-
son, whichever occurs first.
Inner paper cartridge - clean or replace
every 100 operating hours or every sea-
son, whichever occurs first.
To Service Air Cleaner (Figure 5-3):
1. Stop engine, wait for parts to stop
moving, and disconnect spark plug
wire.
2. Unscrew mounting screws and/or re-
move knobs (D). Remove covers (E).
Remove paper cartridge (B) and foam
pre-cleaner (A). Separate foam pre-
cleaner from paper cartridge.
3. Wash foam pre-cleaner (A) in liquid
detergent and warm water. Squeeze dry
in a clean cloth.
4. Saturate foam pre-cleaner in clean
engine oil. Wrap in clean, absorbent
cloth and squeeze to remove all excess
oil.
5. Replace paper cartridge (B), if
necessary.
6. Reassemble air cleaner components.
Tighten knobs/screws (D) securely.
Secure cover assembly (E) on air
cleaner body.
SPARK PLUG
Inspect the spark plug (Figure 5-4) after
every 100 hours of operation. Be sure
the gap is set at .030". Do not reuse plug
if it is severely worn or damaged.
Best results are obtained with a new
plug. See Engine Owner's Manual to de-
termine proper replacement plug. Use
of incorrect plug can cause engine dam-
age.
NOTE: Do not clean spark plug in ma-
chines which use abrasive grit. Clean
spark plug by scraping or wire brushing,
or washing with a commercial solvent.
BATTERY (if applicable)
Charge battery if unit is to be stored for
longer than three weeks. During the
mowing season, the battery is kept
charged by the charging system on the
engine.
To Charge Battery:
1. Plug charger connector into wire har-
ness connector located below ignition
switch in handlebar console.
2. Plug charger into 120V wall outlet.
(Note that battery charger is designed for
use indoors and should not be exposed to
rain or snow.)
3. Charge battery for 24-48 hours if unit
is to be stored for longer than three
weeks.
4. After charging, unplug charger from
outlet, then unplug charger from con-
nector on wire harness located below
handlebar console.
CARBURETOR
The carburetor is adjusted at the factory.
It should not need to be reset. If black
exhaust is noted, check the air cleaner
first. An over-rich mixture is usually
caused by a poorly serviced or clogged
air cleaner element, not an improperly
adjusted carburetor. If readjustment is
necessary, refer to Engine Owner's
Manual or contact your engine dealer.
Figure 5-3: Briggs and Stratton air cleaner
assembly.
E
D
B
A
Figure 5-4: Spark plug.
.030" Feeler Gauge
Charge battery only with charger sup-
plied with machine. Do not short circuit
battery wires. Remove any jewelry be-
fore working on or near the battery or
electric start system. Failure to follow
these instructions could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage.
WARNING
Before inspecting, cleaning or servicing the machine, shut off engine, wait for moving parts to stop, disconnect spark
plug wire and move wire away from spark plug. Remove ignition key (electric start models).
Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury or property damage.
WARNING