Craftsman 917.37658 Owner's Manual
Model No . 917.37658 CA UTION: Read and f ollow all Saf ety Rules and In struc tions bef ore operating this equipment Ownerâ s Manual R O T AR Y LA WN MO WER 6.75 Horsepo wer P o wer-Propelled 22" Multi-Cut Sears, Roeb uck and Co ., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U .S .A. Visit our Craftsman website: www .sears.com/craftsman
2 W arranty ................................................... 2 Saf e ty Rules .......................................... 2-4 Prod uct Spec i ï¬ ca tions .............................. 4 Assembly / Pre-Oper ation ........................ 6 Op er a tion ............................................. 7-11 Maintenance Sched ule ........................... 12 Maintenance ...................................... 12-15 Ser vice and Ad just ments ................... 15-16 Stor age .............................................. 16-17 T rou ble shoot ing ................................. 17-18 Sears Ser vice .......................... Bac k Cov er T ABLE OF CONTENTS SAFETY R ULES W ARRANTY LIMITED TWO YEAR W ARRANTY ON CRAFTS MAN PO WER MOWER F or two years from date of purchase , when this Crafts man Lawn Mow er is maintained, lubricated, and tuned up according to the operating and maintenance in struc tions in the ownerâ s manual, Sears will repair free of charge an y defect in material or work man ship . If this Craftsman La wn Mower is used f or commercial or rental pur poses, this w arranty applies f or only 90 days from the date of purchase . This W arranty does not co ver: ⢠Expendable items which become worn dur ing normal use, such as rotar y mo wer blades , blade adapters , belts, air cleaners and spark plug. ⢠Repairs necessar y because of operator ab use or neg li gence, including bent cr ank- shafts and the failure to main tain the equipment according to the instr uctions con- tained in the ownerâ s manual. W arranty service is av ailable b y re turn ing the Craftsman po wer mower to the near est Sears P ar ts & Repair Center in the United States. This war ran ty ap plies only while this product is used in the United States. This W arranty giv es you speciï¬ c legal r ights , and you ma y also hav e other r ights which v ar y from state to state. Sears, Roeb uck And Co ., D/817 W A, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 IMPORT ANT : This cutting machine is capable of amputating hands and f eet and throw- ing objects. F ailure to obser v e the f ollowing saf ety instr uctions could result in serious injur y or death. Look for this symbol to point out im por tant safety precautions . It means CA U TION!!! BECOME ALER T!!! Y OUR SAFE TY IS INV OL VED . W ARNING: In order to pre vent ac- ci den tal star ting when setting up , trans- por t ing, ad just ing or making repairs, alwa ys dis con nect spark plug wire and place wire where it can not come in con- tact with plug. W ARNING: Engine e xhaust, some of its constituents, and cer tain v ehicle com po - nents contain or emit chem i cals known to the State of Cal i fo r nia to cause can cer and bir th def ects or oth er re pro duc tiv e har m. W ARNING: Batter y posts , ter minals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals kno wn to the State of Cal i fo r nia to cause can cer and bir th def ects or oth er re pro duc tiv e har m. W ash hands after handling. CA UTION: Mufï¬ er and other engine par ts become e xtremely hot dur ing operation and remain hot after engine has stopped. T o a void se v ere burns on contact, sta y aw ay from these areas .
3 I. GENERAL OPERA TION ⢠Read, understand, and follo w all in str uc tions on the machine and in the manual(s) bef ore star ting. Be thor ough ly f amiliar with the controls and the proper use of the machine bef ore star ting. ⢠Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating par ts. K eep clear of the dis- charge opening at all times. ⢠Only allow responsible individuals , who are f amiliar with the in struc tions, to oper- ate the machine. ⢠Clear the area of objects such as rocks, to ys, wire, bones , sticks , etc., which could be pick ed up and thrown b y blade . ⢠Be sure the area is clear of other people bef ore mowing. Stop ma chine if anyone enters the area. ⢠Do not operate the mower when bare- foot or wearing open sandals. Al wa ys wear substantial f oot wear . ⢠Do not pull mower bac kwards unless absolutely nec es sar y . Alwa ys look down and behind bef ore and while moving backw ards. ⢠Nev er direct discharged material toward any one. A void discharging material against a wall or obstruction. Material ma y r ichochet bac k tow ard the opera- tor . Stop the blade when crossing gr av el surf aces. ⢠Do not operate the mower without proper guards, plates , grass catcher or oth er safety protectiv e de vices in place. ⢠See manufacturerâ s instructions f or proper operation and installation of accessories. Only use accessories ap- prov ed by the man ufacturer . ⢠Stop the blade(s) when crossing gra v el drives , walks, or roads . ⢠Stop the engine (motor) whenev er you leav e the equip ment, bef ore clean ing the mow er or unclogging the chute. ⢠Shut the engine (motor) off and wait until the blade comes to complete stop bef ore removing g rass catcher . ⢠Mow only in da ylight or good ar tiï¬ cial light. ⢠Do not operate the machine while under the inï¬ uence of alcohol or drugs. ⢠Nev er operate machine in wet g rass. Alwa ys be sure of your f ooting: keep a ï¬ rm hold on the handle; walk, ne v er r un. ⢠Disengage the self-propelled mech- a nism or dr iv e clutch on mowers so equipped bef ore star ting the engine. ⢠If the equipment should star t to vi brate abnor mally , stop the engine (motor) and check immediately f or the cause. Vibra- tion is generally a w ar ning of trouble . ⢠Alwa ys wear saf ety goggles or safe ty glasses with side shields when op er at ing mow er . II. SLOPE OPERA TION Slopes are a major f actor related to slip & f all accidents which can result in sev ere in- jur y . All slopes require e xtra caution. If y ou f eel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. DO: ⢠Mow across the f ace of slopes: ne v er up and down. Ex ercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. ⢠Remove obstacles such as roc ks, tree limbs, etc. ⢠Watch f or holes, ruts, or b umps. T all grass can hide obstacles . DO NO T : ⢠Do not tr im near drop-offs, ditches or embankments. The operator could lose f ooting or balance. ⢠Do not tr im e xcessiv ely steep slopes. ⢠Do not mow on wet gr ass. Reduced f oot- ing could cause slipping. III. CHILDREN T ragic accidents can occur if the op er a tor is not aler t to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the ma chine and the mowing activity . Ne ver assume that children will remain where you last saw them. ⢠K eep children out of the trimming area and under the watchful care of an oth er re spon si ble adult. ⢠Be aler t and tur n machine off if chil dren enter the area. ⢠Before and while w alking back wards, look behind and down f or small chil dren. ⢠Nev er allow children to operate the ma- chine. ⢠Use extra care when approaching b lind cor ners , shr ubs , trees, or other objects that ma y obscure vision. IV . SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE Use e xtreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is e xtremely ï¬ ammable and the v apors are explosiv e. ⢠Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources of ignition. ⢠Use only an approved container . ⢠Nev er remov e gas cap or add fuel with the engine running. Allow engine to cool bef ore refueling. ⢠Nev er refuel the machine indoors. ⢠Nev er store the machine or fuel contain- er where there is an open ï¬ ame , spar k or pilot light such as a water heater or on other appliances.
4 ⢠Nev er ï¬ ll containers inside a vehicle , on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner . Alwa ys place containers on the ground aw a y from your v ehicle before ï¬ lling. ⢠Remove gas-po wered equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possib le, then refuel such equipment with a por table container , rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle. ⢠Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open de vice. ⢠If fuel is spilled on clothing, change clothing immediately . ⢠Nev er ov erï¬ ll fuel tank. Replace gas cap and tighten securely . V . GENERAL SER VICE ⢠Nev er run a machine inside a closed area. ⢠Nev er make adjustments or repairs with the engine (motor) running. Dis con nect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire aw a y from the plug to prev ent ac ci den tal star ting. ⢠K eep nuts and bolts , especially blade attachment bolts, tight and k eep equip- ment in good condition. ⢠Ne ver tamper with saf ety devices . Check their proper operation reg u lar ly . ⢠K eep machine free of grass , leav es, or other debris build-up . Clean oil or fuel spillage. Allo w machine to cool before storing. ⢠Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object. Repair , if nec es sar y , bef ore restar ting. ⢠Nev er attempt to make wheel height adjustments while the engine is running. ⢠Grass catcher components are sub ject to wear , dam age , and de te ri o ra tion, which could e xpose moving par ts or allow objects to be thro wn. F requently check com po nents and replace with man u f ac tur erâ s recommended par ts, when necessar y . ⢠Mower b lades are shar p and can cut. Wrap the b lade(s) or wear glov es, and use e xtra caution when ser vic ing them. ⢠Do not change the engine governor set- ting or ov erspeed the engine. ⢠Maintain or replace safety and instruc- tion labels, as necessary . Serial Number : Date of Purchase: Gasoline Capacity / T ype: 1.6 Quar ts (Unleaded Regular) Oil T ype (API SGâSL): SAE 30 (abov e 32°F); SAE 5W -30 (below 32°F) Oil Capacity: 20 Ounces Spark Plug (Gap: .030") Champion RJ19HX Blade Bolt T orque: 35-40 ft. lbs. ⢠The model and serial numbers will be f ound on a decal on the rear of the lawn mow er housing. Record both serial number and date of purchase in space provided abo ve . PR ODUCT SPECIFICA TIONS W ARNING: This lawn mo wer is equipped with an internal com bus tion engine and should not be used on or near any un im prov ed forest-co vered, brush-cov ered or grass-co v ered land unless the engineâ s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state la ws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in eff ective w or king order b y the operator . In the state of Calif or nia the abov e is required by la w (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may ha ve similar la ws. F ederal la ws apply on f ederal lands. A spark arrester f or the mufï¬ er is a vailab le through your nearest Sears P ar ts & Repair Center (See the REP AIR P AR TS section of this manual).
5 A CCESSORIES These accessories were av ailable when this la wn mow er was produced. They are not shipped with y our mower . They are also a vailab le at most Sears retail outlets and ser vice centers . Some of these accessor ies ma y not apply to your la wn mow er . Congratulations on making a smart pur- chase. Y our new Cr aftsman® product is designed and manuf actured f or years of dependable oper ation. But like all prod- ucts, it ma y require repair from time to time. Thatâ s when having a Repair Protec- tion Agreement can sa ve y ou money and aggra v ation. Purchase a Repair Protection Agreement now and protect y ourself from une xpected hassle and e xpense. Hereâ s whatâ s included in the Agreement: ⢠Exper t service by our 12,000 prof e- sional repair specialists. ⢠Unlimited ser vice and no c harge for par ts and labor on all cov ered repairs. ⢠Product replacement if y our cov ered product canât be ï¬ x ed. ⢠Discount of 10% from regular pr ice of ser vice and service-related par ts not cov ered by the ag reement; also , 10% off regular price of prev entiv e mainte- nance check. ⢠Fast help b y phone â phone suppor t from a Sears technician on products requiring in-home repair , plus conv e- nient repair scheduling. Once you purchase the Ag reement, a simple phone call is all that it takes f or you to schedule ser vice . Y ou can call anytime da y or night, or schedule a ser vice ap- pointment online. Sears has ov er 12,000 prof essional repair specialists, who ha ve access to o ver 4.5 million quality par ts and accessories. Thatâ s the kind of professionalism y ou can count on to help prolong the lif e of your new purchase f or years to come . Purchase your Repair Protection Ag reement today! Some limitations and exc lusions apply . For prices and additional inf ormation call 1-800-827-6655. Sears Installation Service F or Sears professional installation of home appliances, gar age door openers, water heaters, and other major home items , in the U .S.A. call 1-800-4-MY-HOME®. Repair Pr otection Agreements
6 ASSEMBL Y / PRE-OPERA TION Read these instructions and this manual in its entirety bef ore you attempt to assemb le or operate y our new la wn mower . IMPORT ANT : This lawn mo wer is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. Y our new lawn mo wer has been as sem bled at the f actor y with the e xception of those par ts left unassembled f or shipping pur pos es. T o ensure safe and proper op er a tion of your lawn mow er , all par ts and hard ware you assemb le must be tight ened securely . Use the correct tools as nec es sar y to ensure proper tightness . All par ts such as nuts, w ash ers, bolts, etc., nec es sar y to complete the as sem bly ha ve been placed in the par ts bag. T O ASSEMBLE GRASS CA TCH ER 1. Put grass catcher frame into g rass bag with rigid par t of bag on the bottom. Make sure the fr ame handle is outside of the bag top . 2. Slip vinyl bindings ov er frame. NO TE : If vinyl bindings are too stiff , hold them in warm water f or a f ew minutes . If bag gets wet, let it dry before using. T O INST ALL A TT A CHMENTS Y our lawn mow er was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher . T o con ver t mo wer to bagging or discharging, see âT O CON- VERT MO WERâ in the Operation section of this manual. F rame handle F rame opening Vinyl bindings MO WING POSITION Low er handle LIFT UP Operator presence control bar Upper handle LIFT UP Handle knob T O REMO VE MO WER FROM CAR T ON 1. Remov e loose par ts included with mower . 2. Cut down two end corners of car ton and la y end panel down ï¬ at. 3. Remov e all packing materials except padding be tween upper and lower handle and padding holding operator presence control bar to upper handle. 4. Roll lawn mow er out of car ton and check carton thor ough ly f or additional loose par ts. HO W T O SET UP Y OUR MO W ER T O UNFOLD HANDLE IMPORT ANT : Unf old handle carefully so as not to pinch or damage con trol cables. 1. Raise handles until lower handle sec- tion locks into place in mo wing position. 2. Remov e protective padding, raise up- per handle sec tion into place on lower handle and tighten both handle knobs. 3. Remove handle padding holding oper ator pres ence control bar to upper handle. Y our lawn mow er handle can be adjusted f or your mo wing comfor t. Ref er to âAD- JUST HANDLEâ in the Service and Adjust- ments section of this manual.
7 Wheel adjuster (on each wheel) IMPORT ANT : This lawn mo wer is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. KNO W Y OUR LA WN MO WER READ THIS OWNER'S MANU AL AND ALL SAFETY R ULES BEFORE OP ER AT ING Y OUR LA WN MO WER. Compare the illustrations with your la wn mower to f amiliar iz e yourself with the location of v ar ious controls and adjustments . Sav e this manual f or future ref erence. These symbols may appear on y our lawn mower or in literature supplied with the product. Learn and understand their meaning. Operator presence control bar Star ter handle Handle knob Air ï¬ lter MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS Sears rotar y w alk-behind power la wn mowers conf or m to the saf ety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the U .S. Consumer Product Saf ety Com- mis sion. The blade turns when the engine is r unning. Operator presence control bar â m ust be held down to the handle to star t the engine. Release to stop the engine . Starter handle â used for star ting engine . Mulcher door â allo ws con ver sion to discharging or bagging operation. Drive control le ver â used to engage pow er-pro pelled f orward mo tion of mower . Gasoline ï¬ ller cap Mufï¬ er Grass catcher Housing Drive control le ver Mulcher door OPERA TION Spark plug Drive co ver Engine oil cap with dipstick
8 DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT Ov er time, the drive control system ma y become âlooseâ, resulting in decreased speed. There is a tur nbuc kle on the un der side of the dr iv e control housing to increase tension on the drive cab le. Pro- ceed as follo ws: 1. T urn unit off and disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug. 2. T urn nut on underside of dr iv e control to increase drive speed. 3. Operate mower to test driv e speed. Readjust as required. 4. If condition fails to impro ve after the abov e steps (f orward speed remains the same), your driv e belt is wor n and should be re placed. T O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT Raise wheels f or low cut and low er wheels f or high cut, adjust cutting height to suit your requirements . Me di um position is best f or most lawns . ⢠T o change cutting height, squeez e ad- juster le ver to w ard wheel. Mov e wheel up or down to suit y our re quire ments. Be sure all wheels are in the same setting. NO TE: Adjuster is properly positioned when plate tab inser ts into hole in le ver . Also , 9-position adjusters (if so equipped) allow le ver to be positioned between the plate tabs. The operation of an y lawn mow er can result in foreign objects thrown into the ey es, which can result in se vere e ye damage . Alwa ys wear saf ety glasses or ey e shields while operating y our lawn mo wer or perf or ming any ad just ments or repairs. W e recom- mend a standard saf ety glasses or wide vision saf ety mask wor n o ver spectacles . HO W T O USE Y OUR LA WN MO WER ENGINE SPEED The engine speed was set at the f actor y f or optimum perf or mance. Speed is not adjustable . ENGINE ZONE CONTROL CA UTION: Feder al regulations re quire an engine control to be installed on this lawn mo wer in order to minimize the risk of blade contact injur y . Do not un der any circumstances attempt to de f eat the func tion of the operator con trol. The blade tur ns when the engine is running. ⢠Y our lawn mo wer is equipped with an operator pres ence control bar which requires the operator to be positioned behind the lawn mo wer handle to star t and operate the la wn mower . DRIVE CONTROL ⢠Self-propelling is controlled by hold- ing the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the driv e control le ver rearw ard to the handle. The f ar ther toward the handle the le ver is pulled, the f aster the unit will trav el. ⢠Forw ard motion will stop when either the operator presence control bar or drive control le v er are released. T o stop f orward motion without stop ping engine, re lease the dr iv e control lev er only . Hold op er a tor presence control bar down against handle to con tin ue mowing without self-propelling. NO TE: If after releasing the drive control the mow er will not roll backwards , push the mow er forw ard slightly to disengage drive wheels . ⢠T o keep driv e control engaged when tur ning corners, push down on the handle to lift the front wheels off the ground while turning lawn mow er . LEVER BA CKW ARD T O LO WER MOWER LEVER FOR W ARD T O RAISE MOWER Plate tab Le ver TO ENGA GE DRIVE CONTROL Drive control le ver DRIVE CONTROL DISENGA GED Operator presence control bar Adjustment tur nb uckle (on underside)
9 T O CONVERT MO WER Y our lawn mow er was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher . T o con ver t to bagging or discharging: REAR BA GGING ⢠Open rear door and remove m ulcher plug. Store mulcher plug in a saf e place. ⢠Y ou can now install the gr ass catcher or optional clipping deï¬ ector . ⢠T o conv er t to mulching or discharging operation, install mulcher plug into rear discharge opening of mow er . SIDE DIS CHARG ING ⢠Mulcher plug must be installed into rear discharge open ing of mower . ⢠Open mulcher door and install dis- charge deï¬ ector under door as sho wn. ⢠Mower is now ready f or discharging operation. ⢠T o conv er t to mulching or bagging operation, dis charge deï¬ ector must be remov ed and mulcher door closed. Mulcher plug Open mulcher door Discharge deï¬ ector SIMPLE STEPS T O REMEMBER WHEN CONVERTING Y OUR LA WN MO WER FOR MULCHING - 1. Rear mulcher plug installed. 2. Mulcher door closed. FOR REAR BA GGING - 1. Rear mulcher plug remov ed. 2. Grass catcher installed. 3. Mulcher door closed. FOR SIDE DISCHARGING - 1. Rear mulcher plug installed. 2. Discharge deï¬ ector installed. CA UTION: Do not r un y our lawn mow er with out mulcher plug or ap prov ed grass catch er in place. Ne ver at tempt to op er ate the lawn mo w er with the rear door re moved or propped open.
10 BEFORE ST AR TING ENGINE ADD OIL Y our lawnmow er is shipped without oil in the engine. F or type and grade of oil to use, see âEN GINEâ in the Maintenance section of this manual. CA UTION: DO NO T ov erï¬ ll engine with oil, or it will smoke hea vily from the mufï¬ er on star tup . 1. Be sure lawnmow er is lev el. 2. Remov e oil dipstick from oil ï¬ ll spout. 3. Y ou receive a container of oil with the unit. Slowly pour the entire container down the oil ï¬ ll spout into the engine. NO TE: Initial oil ï¬ ll requires only 18 oz. due to residual oil in engine from the manuf acturers 100% quality testing. When changing oil you ma y need 20 oz. 4. Inser t and tighten dipstick. IMPORT ANT : ⢠Check oil le vel bef ore each use. Add oil if needed. Fill to full line on dipstick. ⢠Change the oil after ev er y 25 hours of operation or each season. Y ou ma y need to change the oil more often under dusty , dir ty conditions. See âTO CHANGE ENGINE OIL â in the Mainte- nance section of this manual. A TT ACH FUEL CAP CAR TRIDGE Y our mower is equipped with a special FRESH ST ART TM fuel cap and continuous fuel preser v er car tridge. See the inf or- mation and instructions pack ed with the FRESH ST ART TM car tridge. 1. Snap car tr idge into bottom of fuel cap . NO TE: Do not remov e the silv er foil seal on the side of car tridge that snaps into fuel cap . 2. Grasp the white peel tab and pull to remov e the entire seal. 3. Screw fuel cap onto fuel tank after ï¬ ll- ing tank with gasoline. Replace car tridge when empty (about once a season). Check preserver le vel visually . DANGER: Cartr idge ï¬ uid is HARMFUL OR F A T AL IF SW ALLO WED . A void contact to ey es, skin, or clothing. Do not tak e inter nally . Do not inhale ï¬ uid v apor . K eep out of reach of children. If s wallow ed, call a ph ysician immediately . ADD GASOLINE ⢠Fill fuel tank to bottom of tank ï¬ ller nec k. Do not ov erï¬ ll. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane. Do not mix oil with gasoline . Purchase fuel in quan ti ties that can be used within 30 da ys to assure fuel fresh- ness. CA UTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline near an open ï¬ ame . CA UTION : Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or metha- nol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and f or ma tion of acids during storage . Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage . T o av oid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied bef ore stor age of 30 da ys or longer . Empty the gas tank, star t the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty . Use fresh fuel ne xt season. See Storage In struc tions f or additional inf or mation. Ne ver use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or per manent damage ma y occur . T O EMPTY GRASS CA TCHER 1. Lift up on grass catcher using the frame han dle. 2. Remov e grass catcher with clippings from under lawn mo wer han dle. 3. Empty clippings from bag. NO TE : Do not drag the bag when empty- ing; it will cause unnecessar y wear . Grass catcher frame handle Engine oil cap Gasoline ï¬ ller cap
11 MULCHING MO WING TIPS IMPORT ANT : F or best performance, keep mo wer housing free of b uilt-up grass and tr ash. See âCLEANINGâ in the Maintenance section of this manual. ⢠The special mulching b lade will recut the grass clip pings many times and reduce them in size so that as the y f all onto the lawn the y will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched gr ass will bio de grade quick ly to provide n u tri ents for the la wn. Alwa ys mulch with y our highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recut- ting action of the blades . ⢠A v oid cutting your la wn when it is wet. W et grass tends to f or m clumps and in ter feres with the m ulch ing action. The best time to mow y our lawn is the early after noon. At this time the g rass has dried, yet the ne wly cut area will not be e xposed to direct sunlight. ⢠F or best results, adjust the la wn mower cutting height so that the lawn mo wer cuts off only the top one-third of the grass b lades. If the la wn is ov er gro wn it will be nec es sar y to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing eff or t and to keep from ov er load ing the engine and lea ving clumps of mulched gr ass. F or e x tremely heavy g rass, reduce y our width of cut by o verlapping pre viously cut path and mow slo wly . ⢠Cer tain types of grass and g rass con di tions may re quire that an area be mulched a second time to com pletely hide the clip pings. When doing a sec- ond cut, mow across (per pendicular) to the ï¬ rst cut path. ⢠Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mo w nor th to south one week then change to east to west the ne xt week. This will help pre vent matting and graining of the la wn. T O ST OP ENGINE ⢠T o stop engine, release oper ator pres- ence con trol bar . T O ST ART ENGINE NO TE: Due to protectiv e coatings on the engine, a small amount of smok e ma y be present during the initial use of the prod- uct and should be considered nor mal. NO TE: Y our engine is equipped with an automatic choke system. No pr iming or choking is required bef ore star ting. ⢠T o star t engine, hold oper ator presence control bar down to the han dle and pull star ter handle quickly . Do not allow star ter rope to snap back. MO WING TIPS CA UTION: Do not use de-thatcher blade attachments on y our mow er . Such attachments are hazardous, will damage your mo wer and could v oid your w arranty . ⢠Under cer tain conditions, such as v er y tall grass , it ma y be nec es sar y to r aise the height of cut to reduce pushing eff or t and to keep from o verloading the engine and leaving clumps of g rass clip- pings. It ma y also be necessar y to re- duce ground speed and/or r un the la wn mow er ov er the area a sec ond time. ⢠For e xtremely heavy cutting, re duce the width of cut by o ver lap ping pre viously cut path and mow slo wly . ⢠For better gr ass bagging and most cut- ting conditions, the engine speed should be set in the F AST po si tion. ⢠P ores in cloth grass catchers can be- come ï¬ lled with dir t and dust with use and catchers will collect less grass . T o pre vent this , reg u lar ly hose catcher off with water and let dry before using. ⢠Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff . This will help engine air ï¬ o w and extend engine lif e. MAX 1/3
12 Check f or Loose F asteners Clean / Inspect Grass Catcher * Check Tires Check Drive Wheels *** Clean Lawn Mower **** Clean under Drive Cov er *** Check Drive Belt / Pulleys *** Check / Shar pen / Replace Blade Lubrication Clean and Recharge Batter y ** Check Engine Oil le vel Change Engine Oil Clean Air Filter Inspect Muffler Replace Spar k Plug Replace Air Filter Paper Car tridge Empty fuel system or add Stabilizer BEFORE EA CH USE AFTER EA CH USE EVER Y 10 HOURS EVER Y 25 HOURS OR SEASON EVER Y 100 HOURS BEFORE ST ORA GE 1 - Change more often if operating under a heavy load or in high outdoor temperatures. 2 - Ser vice more often if operating in dir ty or dusty conditions. 3 - Replace blades more often when mowing in sandy soil. 4 - Charge 48 hours at end of season. 5 - And after each 5 hours of use. (if so equipped) Electric-Star t mowers P ower-Propelled mow ers Use a scraper to clean under deck * ** *** **** MAINTENANCE GENERAL REC OM MEN DA TIONS The warr anty on this lawn mow er does not cov er items that hav e been sub ject ed to operator ab use or negligence. T o receiv e full v alue from the warranty , operator m ust maintain unit as in str uct ed in this manual. Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to proper ly maintain y our unit. At least once a season, check to see if you should mak e any of the adjustments described in the Ser vice and Ad just ments section of this manual. ⢠At least once a year , replace the spar k plug, clean or replace air ï¬ lter element and check b lade f or wear . A new spark plug and clean/new air ï¬ lter element assure proper air-fuel mix ture and help your engine run bet ter and last longer . ⢠Follo w the maintenance schedule in this manual. BEFORE EA CH USE ⢠Check engine oil le vel. ⢠Check f or loose fasteners . LUBRICA TION K eep unit well lubricated (See âLU BRI CA TION CHARTâ). LUBRICA TION CHAR T â Spray lubricant â See "ENGINE" in Maintenance section. IMPORT ANT : Do not oil or grease plastic wheel bearings. Viscous lu bri cants will attract dust and dir t that will shor t en the life of the self-lu br i cat ing bearings. If you f eel they must be lu br i cated, use only a dr y , pow dered graphite type lubricant spar ingly . â Wheel adjuster (on each wheel) â Engine oil â Rear door hinge â Handle brac ket mounting pins â Mulcher door hinge pin
13 LA WN MO WER Alwa ys obser ve saf ety r ules when per- fo r m ing any main te nance. TIRES ⢠K eep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemi cals which can harm rubber . ⢠Av oid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp objects and other hazards that ma y cause tire damage. DRIVE WHEELS Check front driv e wheels each time be f ore you mo w to be sure they mo ve freely . The wheels not tur ning freely means tr ash, grass cuttings , etc. are in the dr iv e wheel area and must be cleaned to free drive wheels . If necessar y to clean the drive wheels , be sure to clean both front wheels. 1. Remov e hubcaps, lockn uts & washers. 2. Remov e wheels from wheel ad just ers. 3. Remov e any trash or gr ass cuttings from inside the dust cov er , pinion and/ or drive wheel gear teeth. 4. Put wheels back in place. NO TE: If after cleaning, the drive wheels do not tur n freely , contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . BLADE CARE F or best results, b lade must be kept sharp. Re place a bent or dam aged blade . CA UTION: Use only a replacement blade approv ed by the man ufacturer of y our mow er . Using a blade not appro ved b y the manu- f acturer of your mo wer is hazardous, could damage your mo wer and v oid your w arranty . T O REMO VE BLADE 1. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. 2. T urn lawn mow er on its side. Make sure air ï¬ lter and carb uretor are up . 3. Use a wood bloc k between b lade and mow er hous ing to pre vent b lade from tur ning when re mov ing blade bolt. NO TE: Protect your hands with glo ves and/or wrap b lade with heavy cloth. 4. Remov e blade bolt b y tur ning counter- clockwise . 5. Remov e blade & attaching hard wa re (bolt, lock w ash er & hardened wash er). T O REPLA CE BLADE 1. P osition blade on the b lade adapter aligning the two (2) holes in the b lade with the raised lugs on the adapter . 2. Be sure the trailing edge of b lade (oppo- site shar p edge) is up to ward the engine. 3. Install the blade bolt with the loc k washer and hardened w asher into blade adapter and cr ankshaft. 4. Use bloc k of wood between b lade and lawn mo wer housing and tighten the blade bolt, turning clockwise . ⢠The recommended tightening torque is 35-40 ft. lbs. IMPORT ANT : Blade bolt is heat treated. If bolt needs replacing, replace only with approv ed bolt shown in the Repair P ar ts section of this manual. T O SHARPEN BLADE NO TE : We do not recommend sharp en ing the blade - b ut if you do , be sure the blade is balanced. Care should be taken to k eep the blade balanced. An un bal anced blade will cause e ventual damage to mo wer or engine. ⢠The blade can be shar p ened with a ï¬ le or on a grinding wheel. Do not attempt to shar pen while on the mo wer . ⢠T o check b lade balance, drive a nail into a beam or wall. Lea ve about one inch of the straight nail e x posed. Place center hole of blade o ver the head of the nail. If blade is balanced, it should remain in a horizontal position. If either end of the blade mo ves do wnward, sharpen the heavy end until the b lade is balanced. GRASS CA TCHER ⢠The grass catcher ma y be hosed with water , b ut must be dr y when used. ⢠Check your g rass catcher often f or dam- age or de te ri o ra tion. Through nor mal use it will wear . If catcher needs replac- ing, replace only with ap proved replace- ment catcher shown in the Repair P ar ts section of this manual. Giv e the lawn mow er model number when ordering. GEAR CASE ⢠T o keep y our dr iv e system working properly , the gear case and area around the drive should be k ept clean and free of trash b uild-up . Clean under the dr iv e cov er twice a season. ⢠The gear case is ï¬ lled with lubr icant to the proper le vel at the f actor y . The only time the lubricant needs attention is if ser vice has been perf or med on the gear case. ⢠If lubr icant is required, use only Elf Mul- tis EP00. Do not substitute. Blade bolt Crankshaft keyway Hardened washer Lockw asher Blade adapter K ey Blade T railing edge Crankshaft
14 ENGINE LUBRICA TION Use only high quality detergent oil rated with API ser vice classiï¬ cation SGâSL. Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade according to y our e xpected operating temperature . TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE SAE VISCOSITY GRADES -20 0 30 40 80 100 -30 -20 0 20 30 40 F C 32 -10 10 60 5W-30 SAE 30 Container 7. Continue adding small amounts of oil, rechecking the dipstic k until oil le vel settles at FULL. DO NO T ov erï¬ ll, or engine will smoke hea vily from the mufï¬ er on startup. 8. Alwa ys be sure to retighten oil dipstick bef ore star ting engine. 9. Re con nect spark plug wire to spar k plug. AIR FIL TER Y our engine will not r un properly and ma y be damaged by using a dir ty air ï¬ lter . Replace the air ï¬ lter car tridge ev er y 100 hours of op er a tion or ev er y season, which ev er occurs ï¬ rst. Ser vice air cleaner more often under dusty conditions. T O CLEAN AIR FIL TER 1. Loosen screw and tilt cov er to re mov e. 2. Carefully remov e car tr idge . 3. Clean by gently tapping on a ï¬ at sur- f ace. If v er y dir ty , replace car tr idge. CA UTION: P e tro leum solvents , such as ker o sene, are not to be used to clean car tr idge. They ma y cause de te ri o ra tion of the car tridge. Do not oil car tr idge. Do not use pres sur ized air to clean or dr y car tr idge. 4. Install car tr idge , then replace cov er making sure the tabs are aligned with the slots in the back plate . F asten screw securely . NO TE: Although multi-viscosity oils (5W30, 10W30 etc.) improv e star ting in cold weather , these multi-viscosity oils will result in in creased oil consumption when used abov e 32°F . Check y our engine oil le vel more frequently to a void possib le engine damage from running low on oil. Change the oil after e very 25 hours of op- eration orat least once a y ear if the mow er is not used f or 25 hours in one year . Check the cr ankcase oil lev el before star ting the engine and after each ï¬ v e (5) hours of continuous use . Tighten oil plug securely each time you chec k the oil le vel. T O CHANGE ENGINE OIL NO TE : Before tipping la wn mow er to drain oil, empty fuel tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty . 1. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. 2. Remov e engine oil cap; la y aside on a clean surf ace. 3. Tip lawn mow er on its side as shown and drain oil into a suitab le container . Rock la wn mow er back and f or th to re- mov e any oil tr apped inside of engine. 4. Wipe off any spilled oil from lawn mow er or side of engine. 5. Slowly pour oil down the oil ï¬ ll spout, stopping e very fe w ounces to check the oil le vel with the dipstic k. 6. Stop adding oil when you reach the FULL mark on the dipstick. Wait a minute to allo w oil to settle. MUFFLER Inspect and replace corroded mufï¬ er as it could create a ï¬ re hazard and/or dam age. SP ARK PLUG Replace spark plug at the beginning of each mowing season or after e ver y 100 hours of operation, whiche v er occurs ï¬ rst. Spark plug type and gap setting are shown in the âPROD UCT SPEC I FI C- A TIONSâ section of this manual. CLEANING IMPORT ANT : For best perf or mance, keep mo wer housing free of b uilt-grass and trash. Clean the underside of y our mow er after each use. Slots Lip Cov er tabs Back plate Car tridge Cov er
15 CA UTION: Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. ⢠Clean the underside of your lawn mo wer by scr aping to remov e build-up of gr ass and trash. ⢠Clean engine often to keep trash from accumulating. A clogged engine runs hotter and shor tens engine lif e. ⢠Keep ï¬ nished surfaces and wheels free of all gasoline, oil, etc. SER VICE AND ADJUSTMENTS W ARNING: T o av oid ser ious injury , bef ore performing any service and adjustments: 1. Release control bar and stop engine. 2. Make sure the b lade and all moving par ts hav e completely stopped. 3. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. LA WN MO WER T O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT See âT O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHTâ in the Operation sec tion of this manual. REAR DEFLECT OR The rear deï¬ ector , attached between the rear wheels of your mo wer , is provided to minimize the possibility that objects will be thrown out of the rear of the mo wer into the operator mo wing position. If the deï¬ ector becomes dam aged, it should be replaced. T O REMO VE DRIVE BEL T 1. Remov e dr iv e cov er and belt keeper . 2. Remov e belt from gearcase pulley b y push ing down on pulley and rolling belt off it. 3. T urn lawn mow er on its side with air ï¬ lter and car bu re tor down. 4. Remov e blade and debris shield. 5. Remov e belt from engine pulley on crankshaft. T O REPLA CE DRIVE BEL T 1. Install new belt on engine pulle y . 2. Reinstall debr is shield and b lade. 3. Retur n mow er to upr ight po si tion. 4. Install new belt on gearcase pulle y . 5. Reinstall belt keeper and drive co ver . NO TE: Alwa ys use factory approv ed belt to assure ï¬ t and long lif e. T O ADJUST HANDLE The handle can be mounted in a high or low position. The mounting holes in the bottom of low er handle are off center for raising or lo wering the handle. 1. Remov e upper handle and wire tie(s) securing cable(s) to low er handle. 2. Remov e hair pin cotters from lower handle brac ket mount ing pin. 3. Squeeze low er handle in to remov e it from mounting pins. 4. T urn lower handle ov er to raise or low er handle. 5. Squeeze lo wer handle in and po si tion holes onto mount ing pins on handle br ack et. 6. Reassemble upper handle and all par ts remov ed from lower handle. Mowing position Mowing position HIGH POSITION LO W POSITION Handle brac ket Hair pin cotter Mounting pin ⢠We do not recommend using a garden hose to clean lawn mo wer unless the elec tr i cal system, mufï¬ er , air ï¬ lter and carburetor are co vered to k eep water out. W ater in engine can result in shor t- ened engine lif e. CLEAN UNDER DRIVE CO VER Clean under drive co ver at least twice a sea- son. Scrape underside of co ver with putty knif e or similar tool to remov e any b uild-up of trash or gr ass on underside of dr iv e cover . Belt Drive cov er PUSH DO WN Belt keeper
16 ENGINE ENGINE SPEED Y our engine speed has been factory set. Do not attempt to increase en gine speed Low er handle R O TAT E or it ma y result in personal injur y . If you belie ve that engine is running too f ast or too slow , tak e your mo wer to a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service cen ter for repair and ad just ment. CARBURET OR Y our carburetor is not adjustable . If your engine does not operate properly due to sus- pected carburetor prob lems, tak e your la wn mow er to a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed ser vice center f or repair and/or ad just ment. IMPORT ANT : Nev er tamper with the engine gov er nor , which is f actor y set f or proper engine speed. Over speed ing the engine abov e the f actor y high speed setting can be dangerous. If y ou think the engine-gov er ned high speed needs adjusting, contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center , which has proper equip ment and ex pe ri ence to mak e any nec es sar y adjustments. ST ORA GE Immediately prepare your la wn mow er for stor age at the end of the season or if the unit will not be used f or 30 days or more . Low er handle SQUEEZE T O FOLD FOLD FOR W ARD FOR ST ORA GE MO WING POSITION Low er handle Operator presence control bar Upper handle Handle knob LA WN MO WER When lawn mo wer is to be stored f or a period of time, clean it thor oughly , remove all dir t, grease , leav es, etc. Store in a clean, dr y area. 1. Clean entire lawn mow er (See âCLEANINGâ in the Maintenance sec- tion of this manual). 2. Lubr icate as sho wn in the Main te nance section of this manual. 3. Be sure that all nuts, bolts , screws, and pins are securely f as tened. Inspect moving par ts f or damage, breakage and wear . Replace if necessar y . 4. T ouch up all rusted or chipped paint surf aces; sand lightly bef ore painting. HANDLE Y ou can fold y our mower handle f or storage. 1. Squeeze the bottom ends of the low er handle tow ard each other until the low er handle clears the handle brack et, then mov e handle f orward. 2. Loosen upper handle mounting bolts enough to allow upper handle to be f olded back. IMPORT ANT : When folding the handle f or storage or transportation, be sure to fold the handle as shown or y ou ma y damage the control cables . ⢠When setting up your handle from the storage position, the lo wer han dle will automatically lock into mo w ing position.
17 ENGINE FUEL SYS TEM IMPORT ANT : It is impor tant to pre vent gum deposits from f or ming in essential fuel system par ts such as carburetor , fuel ï¬ lter , fuel hose, or tank during storage . Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and f or mation of acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage . ⢠Empty the fuel tank by star ting the en- gine and letting it run until the fuel lines and car bu re tor are empty . ⢠Nev er use engine or carburetor cleaner prod ucts in the fuel tank or per manent damage ma y occur . ⢠Use fresh fuel next season. NO TE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable al- ter nativ e in min i miz ing the formation of fuel gum deposits during stor age. Add stabilizer to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container . Alwa ys follo w the mix ratio f ound on stabilizer container . Run engine at least 10 min utes after adding stabilizer to allo w the stabilizer to reach the carburetor . Do not empty the gas tank and carburetor if using fuel stabiliz er . NO TE: FRESH ST ART TM fuel cap and car tridge system automatically dr ips con- centrated fuel preserver into y our fuel tank and is an acceptable alternative to adding fuel stabilizer . ENGINE OIL Drain oil (with engine w ar m) and replace with clean engine oil. (See âENGINEâ in the Maintenance section of this man ual). CYLINDER 1. Remov e spar k plug. 2. P our one ounce (29 ml) of oil through spark plug hole into cylinder . 3. Pull star ter handle slowly a f ew times to dis tr ib ute oil. 4. Replace with new spark plug. O THER ⢠Do not store gasoline from one season to another . ⢠Replace your gasoline can if your can star ts to rust. Rust and/or dir t in your gasoline will cause problems . ⢠If possible, store y our unit indoors and cov er it to protect it from dust and dir t. ⢠Cover y our unit with a suitable pro tec - tiv e cov er that does not retain mois ture. Do not use plastic. Plastic cannot breathe, which allo ws condensation to f or m and will cause y our unit to r ust. IMPORT ANT : Ne ver co ver mo wer while engine and e xhaust areas are still warm. CA UTION: Nev er store the lawn mow er with gaso line in the tank in side a build ing where fumes ma y reach an open ï¬ ame or spark. Allow the engine to cool bef ore storing in any enclosure. Does not start 1. Dir ty air ï¬ lter . 1. Clean/replace air ï¬ lter . 2. Out of fuel. 2. Fill fuel tank. 3. Stale fuel. 3. Empty fuel tank and reï¬ ll tank with fresh, clean gasoline. 4. W ater in fuel. 4. Empty fuel tank and reï¬ ll tank with fresh, clean gasoline. 5. Spark plug wire is 5. Connect wire to plug. disconnected. 6. Bad spark plug. 6. Replace spark plug. 7. Loose blade or brok en 7. Tighten blade bolt or b lade adapter . replace blade adapter . 8. Control bar in released 8. Depress control bar to position. handle. 9. Control bar def ective . 9. Replace control bar . 10. Fuel v alve le ver (if so 10. T ur n fuel v alve le ver equipped) in OFF position. to the ON position. 11. W eak batter y (if equipped). 11. Charge battery . 12. Disconnected battery 12. Connect battery to engine. connector (if equipped). PROBLEM CA USE CORRECTION TR OUBLESHOO TING - See appropriate section in manual unless directed to a Sears P ar ts & Repair Center .
18 Loss of power 1. Rear of mow er housing or 1. Raise cutting height. blade dragging in gr ass. 2. Cutting too much gr ass. 2. Raise cutting height. 3. Dir ty air ï¬ lter . 3. Clean/replace air ï¬ lter . 4. Buildup of grass , leav es, 4. Clean underside of mower and trash under mower . housing. 5. T oo much oil in engine. 5. Chec k oil le vel. 6. W alking speed too f ast. 6. Cut at slo wer walking speed. P oor cut â 1. Worn, bent or loose blade . 1. Replace blade. Tighten uneven b lade bolt. 2. Wheel heights une ven. 2. Set all wheels at same height. 3. Buildup of gr ass, lea ves 3. Clean underside of and tr ash under mower . mower housing. Excessive 1. W or n, bent or loose b lade. 1. Replace blade. Tighten vibration blade bolt. 2. Bent engine crankshaft. 2. Contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . Starter rope 1. Engine ï¬ ywheel brak e is on 1. Depress control bar to hard to pull when control bar is released. upper handle bef ore pulling the star ter rope . 2. Bent engine crankshaft. 2. Contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . 3. Blade adapter broken. 3. Replace b lade adapter . 4. Blade dragging in gr ass. 4. Move la wn mow er to cut gr ass or to hard surface . Grass catcher 1. Cutting height too low . 1. Raise cutting height. not ï¬ lling 2. Lift on b lade worn off. 2. Replace blade. (If so equipped) 3. Catcher not v enting air . 3. Clean grass catcher . Hard to push 1. Grass is too high or wheel 1. Raise cutting height. height is too low . 2. Rear of mow er housing or 2. Raise rear of mower housing blade dragging in g rass. one (1) setting higher . 3. Grass catcher too full. 3. Empty grass catcher . 4. Handle height position not 4. Adjust handle height to suit. r ight f or you. Loss of drive 1. Belt wear . 1. Check/replace drive belt. or slowing of 2. Belt off of pulley . 2. Check/reinstall driv e belt. drive speed 3. Dr iv e cable w or n or brok en. 3. Replace dr iv e cable . 4. âLooseâ drive control system. 4. Adjust drive control. PROBLEM CA USE CORRECTION TR OUBLESHOO TING - See appropriate section in manual unless directed to a Sears P ar ts & Repair Center .
19 NO TES
198336 03.17.05 BY Printed in U .S.A. 02410 Para pedir servic io de repar ación a dom icilio, y para or denar piezas: 1-888-SU-HO GA R SM (1-888-784-6427) Au Canada pour service en franç ais: 1-800-LE- FOYER MC (1-800-533-6937) ww w.sea rs.ca To purchase a protection agreement (U.S.A.) or m ai ntenance agreement (Canada) on a product serviced by Sears: 1-800-8 27-6655 (U.S.A .) 1-800-361-6665 (Canada) Our Ho me For repair of car ry - in products lik e vacuum s, lawn equipm ent, and electro nics, call or go on-line f or the n earest Se ars P arts an d Rep air Center . 1-800-4 88-1222 Anytim e, day or night (U.S.A. only) www.sears.com Your Home For repair â in your home âo f all m ajor brand app liances, lawn and garden equ ipment, or heatin g and cooling s y s tem s, no matte r who made it, no ma tter who sold it ! For the replac ement parts, acc essories and owner âs m anuals that you need to do-it -y o urself . For Sears prof essio nal instal lation of hom e appl iances and item s lik e garage door ope ners an d water he aters. 1-800-4- MY -HOM E ® Anyti me, day or night (1-800-469-4663) (U.S.A. and Canada) www.sears.com www.sears.ca Get it fixed, at your home or ours! © Sears, Roebuck and Co. ® Register ed Tradem ark / TM Trad emark / SM Serv ice Ma rk of Se ars, Roeb uck an d Co . ® Marca Registr ada / TM Marca de Fáb rica / SM Marc a de Servi cio d e Se ars, Roe buck and Co. MC Marque de com merce / MD Marqu e dép osée de S ears, Roe buck and Co.
2 W arranty ................................................... 2 Saf e ty Rules .......................................... 2-4 Prod uct Spec i ï¬ ca tions .............................. 4 Assembly / Pre-Oper ation ........................ 6 Op er a tion ............................................. 7-11 Maintenance Sched ule ........................... 12 Maintenance ...................................... 12-15 Ser vice and Ad just ments ................... 15-16 Stor age .............................................. 16-17 T rou ble shoot ing ................................. 17-18 Sears Ser vice .......................... Bac k Cov er T ABLE OF CONTENTS SAFETY R ULES W ARRANTY LIMITED TWO YEAR W ARRANTY ON CRAFTS MAN PO WER MOWER F or two years from date of purchase , when this Crafts man Lawn Mow er is maintained, lubricated, and tuned up according to the operating and maintenance in struc tions in the ownerâ s manual, Sears will repair free of charge an y defect in material or work man ship . If this Craftsman La wn Mower is used f or commercial or rental pur poses, this w arranty applies f or only 90 days from the date of purchase . This W arranty does not co ver: ⢠Expendable items which become worn dur ing normal use, such as rotar y mo wer blades , blade adapters , belts, air cleaners and spark plug. ⢠Repairs necessar y because of operator ab use or neg li gence, including bent cr ank- shafts and the failure to main tain the equipment according to the instr uctions con- tained in the ownerâ s manual. W arranty service is av ailable b y re turn ing the Craftsman po wer mower to the near est Sears P ar ts & Repair Center in the United States. This war ran ty ap plies only while this product is used in the United States. This W arranty giv es you speciï¬ c legal r ights , and you ma y also hav e other r ights which v ar y from state to state. Sears, Roeb uck And Co ., D/817 W A, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 IMPORT ANT : This cutting machine is capable of amputating hands and f eet and throw- ing objects. F ailure to obser v e the f ollowing saf ety instr uctions could result in serious injur y or death. Look for this symbol to point out im por tant safety precautions . It means CA U TION!!! BECOME ALER T!!! Y OUR SAFE TY IS INV OL VED . W ARNING: In order to pre vent ac- ci den tal star ting when setting up , trans- por t ing, ad just ing or making repairs, alwa ys dis con nect spark plug wire and place wire where it can not come in con- tact with plug. W ARNING: Engine e xhaust, some of its constituents, and cer tain v ehicle com po - nents contain or emit chem i cals known to the State of Cal i fo r nia to cause can cer and bir th def ects or oth er re pro duc tiv e har m. W ARNING: Batter y posts , ter minals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals kno wn to the State of Cal i fo r nia to cause can cer and bir th def ects or oth er re pro duc tiv e har m. W ash hands after handling. CA UTION: Mufï¬ er and other engine par ts become e xtremely hot dur ing operation and remain hot after engine has stopped. T o a void se v ere burns on contact, sta y aw ay from these areas .
3 I. GENERAL OPERA TION ⢠Read, understand, and follo w all in str uc tions on the machine and in the manual(s) bef ore star ting. Be thor ough ly f amiliar with the controls and the proper use of the machine bef ore star ting. ⢠Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating par ts. K eep clear of the dis- charge opening at all times. ⢠Only allow responsible individuals , who are f amiliar with the in struc tions, to oper- ate the machine. ⢠Clear the area of objects such as rocks, to ys, wire, bones , sticks , etc., which could be pick ed up and thrown b y blade . ⢠Be sure the area is clear of other people bef ore mowing. Stop ma chine if anyone enters the area. ⢠Do not operate the mower when bare- foot or wearing open sandals. Al wa ys wear substantial f oot wear . ⢠Do not pull mower bac kwards unless absolutely nec es sar y . Alwa ys look down and behind bef ore and while moving backw ards. ⢠Nev er direct discharged material toward any one. A void discharging material against a wall or obstruction. Material ma y r ichochet bac k tow ard the opera- tor . Stop the blade when crossing gr av el surf aces. ⢠Do not operate the mower without proper guards, plates , grass catcher or oth er safety protectiv e de vices in place. ⢠See manufacturerâ s instructions f or proper operation and installation of accessories. Only use accessories ap- prov ed by the man ufacturer . ⢠Stop the blade(s) when crossing gra v el drives , walks, or roads . ⢠Stop the engine (motor) whenev er you leav e the equip ment, bef ore clean ing the mow er or unclogging the chute. ⢠Shut the engine (motor) off and wait until the blade comes to complete stop bef ore removing g rass catcher . ⢠Mow only in da ylight or good ar tiï¬ cial light. ⢠Do not operate the machine while under the inï¬ uence of alcohol or drugs. ⢠Nev er operate machine in wet g rass. Alwa ys be sure of your f ooting: keep a ï¬ rm hold on the handle; walk, ne v er r un. ⢠Disengage the self-propelled mech- a nism or dr iv e clutch on mowers so equipped bef ore star ting the engine. ⢠If the equipment should star t to vi brate abnor mally , stop the engine (motor) and check immediately f or the cause. Vibra- tion is generally a w ar ning of trouble . ⢠Alwa ys wear saf ety goggles or safe ty glasses with side shields when op er at ing mow er . II. SLOPE OPERA TION Slopes are a major f actor related to slip & f all accidents which can result in sev ere in- jur y . All slopes require e xtra caution. If y ou f eel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. DO: ⢠Mow across the f ace of slopes: ne v er up and down. Ex ercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. ⢠Remove obstacles such as roc ks, tree limbs, etc. ⢠Watch f or holes, ruts, or b umps. T all grass can hide obstacles . DO NO T : ⢠Do not tr im near drop-offs, ditches or embankments. The operator could lose f ooting or balance. ⢠Do not tr im e xcessiv ely steep slopes. ⢠Do not mow on wet gr ass. Reduced f oot- ing could cause slipping. III. CHILDREN T ragic accidents can occur if the op er a tor is not aler t to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the ma chine and the mowing activity . Ne ver assume that children will remain where you last saw them. ⢠K eep children out of the trimming area and under the watchful care of an oth er re spon si ble adult. ⢠Be aler t and tur n machine off if chil dren enter the area. ⢠Before and while w alking back wards, look behind and down f or small chil dren. ⢠Nev er allow children to operate the ma- chine. ⢠Use extra care when approaching b lind cor ners , shr ubs , trees, or other objects that ma y obscure vision. IV . SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE Use e xtreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is e xtremely ï¬ ammable and the v apors are explosiv e. ⢠Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources of ignition. ⢠Use only an approved container . ⢠Nev er remov e gas cap or add fuel with the engine running. Allow engine to cool bef ore refueling. ⢠Nev er refuel the machine indoors. ⢠Nev er store the machine or fuel contain- er where there is an open ï¬ ame , spar k or pilot light such as a water heater or on other appliances.
4 ⢠Nev er ï¬ ll containers inside a vehicle , on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner . Alwa ys place containers on the ground aw a y from your v ehicle before ï¬ lling. ⢠Remove gas-po wered equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possib le, then refuel such equipment with a por table container , rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle. ⢠Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open de vice. ⢠If fuel is spilled on clothing, change clothing immediately . ⢠Nev er ov erï¬ ll fuel tank. Replace gas cap and tighten securely . V . GENERAL SER VICE ⢠Nev er run a machine inside a closed area. ⢠Nev er make adjustments or repairs with the engine (motor) running. Dis con nect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire aw a y from the plug to prev ent ac ci den tal star ting. ⢠K eep nuts and bolts , especially blade attachment bolts, tight and k eep equip- ment in good condition. ⢠Ne ver tamper with saf ety devices . Check their proper operation reg u lar ly . ⢠K eep machine free of grass , leav es, or other debris build-up . Clean oil or fuel spillage. Allo w machine to cool before storing. ⢠Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object. Repair , if nec es sar y , bef ore restar ting. ⢠Nev er attempt to make wheel height adjustments while the engine is running. ⢠Grass catcher components are sub ject to wear , dam age , and de te ri o ra tion, which could e xpose moving par ts or allow objects to be thro wn. F requently check com po nents and replace with man u f ac tur erâ s recommended par ts, when necessar y . ⢠Mower b lades are shar p and can cut. Wrap the b lade(s) or wear glov es, and use e xtra caution when ser vic ing them. ⢠Do not change the engine governor set- ting or ov erspeed the engine. ⢠Maintain or replace safety and instruc- tion labels, as necessary . Serial Number : Date of Purchase: Gasoline Capacity / T ype: 1.6 Quar ts (Unleaded Regular) Oil T ype (API SGâSL): SAE 30 (abov e 32°F); SAE 5W -30 (below 32°F) Oil Capacity: 20 Ounces Spark Plug (Gap: .030") Champion RJ19HX Blade Bolt T orque: 35-40 ft. lbs. ⢠The model and serial numbers will be f ound on a decal on the rear of the lawn mow er housing. Record both serial number and date of purchase in space provided abo ve . PR ODUCT SPECIFICA TIONS W ARNING: This lawn mo wer is equipped with an internal com bus tion engine and should not be used on or near any un im prov ed forest-co vered, brush-cov ered or grass-co v ered land unless the engineâ s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state la ws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in eff ective w or king order b y the operator . In the state of Calif or nia the abov e is required by la w (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may ha ve similar la ws. F ederal la ws apply on f ederal lands. A spark arrester f or the mufï¬ er is a vailab le through your nearest Sears P ar ts & Repair Center (See the REP AIR P AR TS section of this manual).
5 A CCESSORIES These accessories were av ailable when this la wn mow er was produced. They are not shipped with y our mower . They are also a vailab le at most Sears retail outlets and ser vice centers . Some of these accessor ies ma y not apply to your la wn mow er . Congratulations on making a smart pur- chase. Y our new Cr aftsman® product is designed and manuf actured f or years of dependable oper ation. But like all prod- ucts, it ma y require repair from time to time. Thatâ s when having a Repair Protec- tion Agreement can sa ve y ou money and aggra v ation. Purchase a Repair Protection Agreement now and protect y ourself from une xpected hassle and e xpense. Hereâ s whatâ s included in the Agreement: ⢠Exper t service by our 12,000 prof e- sional repair specialists. ⢠Unlimited ser vice and no c harge for par ts and labor on all cov ered repairs. ⢠Product replacement if y our cov ered product canât be ï¬ x ed. ⢠Discount of 10% from regular pr ice of ser vice and service-related par ts not cov ered by the ag reement; also , 10% off regular price of prev entiv e mainte- nance check. ⢠Fast help b y phone â phone suppor t from a Sears technician on products requiring in-home repair , plus conv e- nient repair scheduling. Once you purchase the Ag reement, a simple phone call is all that it takes f or you to schedule ser vice . Y ou can call anytime da y or night, or schedule a ser vice ap- pointment online. Sears has ov er 12,000 prof essional repair specialists, who ha ve access to o ver 4.5 million quality par ts and accessories. Thatâ s the kind of professionalism y ou can count on to help prolong the lif e of your new purchase f or years to come . Purchase your Repair Protection Ag reement today! Some limitations and exc lusions apply . For prices and additional inf ormation call 1-800-827-6655. Sears Installation Service F or Sears professional installation of home appliances, gar age door openers, water heaters, and other major home items , in the U .S.A. call 1-800-4-MY-HOME®. Repair Pr otection Agreements
6 ASSEMBL Y / PRE-OPERA TION Read these instructions and this manual in its entirety bef ore you attempt to assemb le or operate y our new la wn mower . IMPORT ANT : This lawn mo wer is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. Y our new lawn mo wer has been as sem bled at the f actor y with the e xception of those par ts left unassembled f or shipping pur pos es. T o ensure safe and proper op er a tion of your lawn mow er , all par ts and hard ware you assemb le must be tight ened securely . Use the correct tools as nec es sar y to ensure proper tightness . All par ts such as nuts, w ash ers, bolts, etc., nec es sar y to complete the as sem bly ha ve been placed in the par ts bag. T O ASSEMBLE GRASS CA TCH ER 1. Put grass catcher frame into g rass bag with rigid par t of bag on the bottom. Make sure the fr ame handle is outside of the bag top . 2. Slip vinyl bindings ov er frame. NO TE : If vinyl bindings are too stiff , hold them in warm water f or a f ew minutes . If bag gets wet, let it dry before using. T O INST ALL A TT A CHMENTS Y our lawn mow er was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher . T o con ver t mo wer to bagging or discharging, see âT O CON- VERT MO WERâ in the Operation section of this manual. F rame handle F rame opening Vinyl bindings MO WING POSITION Low er handle LIFT UP Operator presence control bar Upper handle LIFT UP Handle knob T O REMO VE MO WER FROM CAR T ON 1. Remov e loose par ts included with mower . 2. Cut down two end corners of car ton and la y end panel down ï¬ at. 3. Remov e all packing materials except padding be tween upper and lower handle and padding holding operator presence control bar to upper handle. 4. Roll lawn mow er out of car ton and check carton thor ough ly f or additional loose par ts. HO W T O SET UP Y OUR MO W ER T O UNFOLD HANDLE IMPORT ANT : Unf old handle carefully so as not to pinch or damage con trol cables. 1. Raise handles until lower handle sec- tion locks into place in mo wing position. 2. Remov e protective padding, raise up- per handle sec tion into place on lower handle and tighten both handle knobs. 3. Remove handle padding holding oper ator pres ence control bar to upper handle. Y our lawn mow er handle can be adjusted f or your mo wing comfor t. Ref er to âAD- JUST HANDLEâ in the Service and Adjust- ments section of this manual.
7 Wheel adjuster (on each wheel) IMPORT ANT : This lawn mo wer is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. KNO W Y OUR LA WN MO WER READ THIS OWNER'S MANU AL AND ALL SAFETY R ULES BEFORE OP ER AT ING Y OUR LA WN MO WER. Compare the illustrations with your la wn mower to f amiliar iz e yourself with the location of v ar ious controls and adjustments . Sav e this manual f or future ref erence. These symbols may appear on y our lawn mower or in literature supplied with the product. Learn and understand their meaning. Operator presence control bar Star ter handle Handle knob Air ï¬ lter MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS Sears rotar y w alk-behind power la wn mowers conf or m to the saf ety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the U .S. Consumer Product Saf ety Com- mis sion. The blade turns when the engine is r unning. Operator presence control bar â m ust be held down to the handle to star t the engine. Release to stop the engine . Starter handle â used for star ting engine . Mulcher door â allo ws con ver sion to discharging or bagging operation. Drive control le ver â used to engage pow er-pro pelled f orward mo tion of mower . Gasoline ï¬ ller cap Mufï¬ er Grass catcher Housing Drive control le ver Mulcher door OPERA TION Spark plug Drive co ver Engine oil cap with dipstick
8 DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT Ov er time, the drive control system ma y become âlooseâ, resulting in decreased speed. There is a tur nbuc kle on the un der side of the dr iv e control housing to increase tension on the drive cab le. Pro- ceed as follo ws: 1. T urn unit off and disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug. 2. T urn nut on underside of dr iv e control to increase drive speed. 3. Operate mower to test driv e speed. Readjust as required. 4. If condition fails to impro ve after the abov e steps (f orward speed remains the same), your driv e belt is wor n and should be re placed. T O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT Raise wheels f or low cut and low er wheels f or high cut, adjust cutting height to suit your requirements . Me di um position is best f or most lawns . ⢠T o change cutting height, squeez e ad- juster le ver to w ard wheel. Mov e wheel up or down to suit y our re quire ments. Be sure all wheels are in the same setting. NO TE: Adjuster is properly positioned when plate tab inser ts into hole in le ver . Also , 9-position adjusters (if so equipped) allow le ver to be positioned between the plate tabs. The operation of an y lawn mow er can result in foreign objects thrown into the ey es, which can result in se vere e ye damage . Alwa ys wear saf ety glasses or ey e shields while operating y our lawn mo wer or perf or ming any ad just ments or repairs. W e recom- mend a standard saf ety glasses or wide vision saf ety mask wor n o ver spectacles . HO W T O USE Y OUR LA WN MO WER ENGINE SPEED The engine speed was set at the f actor y f or optimum perf or mance. Speed is not adjustable . ENGINE ZONE CONTROL CA UTION: Feder al regulations re quire an engine control to be installed on this lawn mo wer in order to minimize the risk of blade contact injur y . Do not un der any circumstances attempt to de f eat the func tion of the operator con trol. The blade tur ns when the engine is running. ⢠Y our lawn mo wer is equipped with an operator pres ence control bar which requires the operator to be positioned behind the lawn mo wer handle to star t and operate the la wn mower . DRIVE CONTROL ⢠Self-propelling is controlled by hold- ing the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the driv e control le ver rearw ard to the handle. The f ar ther toward the handle the le ver is pulled, the f aster the unit will trav el. ⢠Forw ard motion will stop when either the operator presence control bar or drive control le v er are released. T o stop f orward motion without stop ping engine, re lease the dr iv e control lev er only . Hold op er a tor presence control bar down against handle to con tin ue mowing without self-propelling. NO TE: If after releasing the drive control the mow er will not roll backwards , push the mow er forw ard slightly to disengage drive wheels . ⢠T o keep driv e control engaged when tur ning corners, push down on the handle to lift the front wheels off the ground while turning lawn mow er . LEVER BA CKW ARD T O LO WER MOWER LEVER FOR W ARD T O RAISE MOWER Plate tab Le ver TO ENGA GE DRIVE CONTROL Drive control le ver DRIVE CONTROL DISENGA GED Operator presence control bar Adjustment tur nb uckle (on underside)
9 T O CONVERT MO WER Y our lawn mow er was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher . T o con ver t to bagging or discharging: REAR BA GGING ⢠Open rear door and remove m ulcher plug. Store mulcher plug in a saf e place. ⢠Y ou can now install the gr ass catcher or optional clipping deï¬ ector . ⢠T o conv er t to mulching or discharging operation, install mulcher plug into rear discharge opening of mow er . SIDE DIS CHARG ING ⢠Mulcher plug must be installed into rear discharge open ing of mower . ⢠Open mulcher door and install dis- charge deï¬ ector under door as sho wn. ⢠Mower is now ready f or discharging operation. ⢠T o conv er t to mulching or bagging operation, dis charge deï¬ ector must be remov ed and mulcher door closed. Mulcher plug Open mulcher door Discharge deï¬ ector SIMPLE STEPS T O REMEMBER WHEN CONVERTING Y OUR LA WN MO WER FOR MULCHING - 1. Rear mulcher plug installed. 2. Mulcher door closed. FOR REAR BA GGING - 1. Rear mulcher plug remov ed. 2. Grass catcher installed. 3. Mulcher door closed. FOR SIDE DISCHARGING - 1. Rear mulcher plug installed. 2. Discharge deï¬ ector installed. CA UTION: Do not r un y our lawn mow er with out mulcher plug or ap prov ed grass catch er in place. Ne ver at tempt to op er ate the lawn mo w er with the rear door re moved or propped open.
10 BEFORE ST AR TING ENGINE ADD OIL Y our lawnmow er is shipped without oil in the engine. F or type and grade of oil to use, see âEN GINEâ in the Maintenance section of this manual. CA UTION: DO NO T ov erï¬ ll engine with oil, or it will smoke hea vily from the mufï¬ er on star tup . 1. Be sure lawnmow er is lev el. 2. Remov e oil dipstick from oil ï¬ ll spout. 3. Y ou receive a container of oil with the unit. Slowly pour the entire container down the oil ï¬ ll spout into the engine. NO TE: Initial oil ï¬ ll requires only 18 oz. due to residual oil in engine from the manuf acturers 100% quality testing. When changing oil you ma y need 20 oz. 4. Inser t and tighten dipstick. IMPORT ANT : ⢠Check oil le vel bef ore each use. Add oil if needed. Fill to full line on dipstick. ⢠Change the oil after ev er y 25 hours of operation or each season. Y ou ma y need to change the oil more often under dusty , dir ty conditions. See âTO CHANGE ENGINE OIL â in the Mainte- nance section of this manual. A TT ACH FUEL CAP CAR TRIDGE Y our mower is equipped with a special FRESH ST ART TM fuel cap and continuous fuel preser v er car tridge. See the inf or- mation and instructions pack ed with the FRESH ST ART TM car tridge. 1. Snap car tr idge into bottom of fuel cap . NO TE: Do not remov e the silv er foil seal on the side of car tridge that snaps into fuel cap . 2. Grasp the white peel tab and pull to remov e the entire seal. 3. Screw fuel cap onto fuel tank after ï¬ ll- ing tank with gasoline. Replace car tridge when empty (about once a season). Check preserver le vel visually . DANGER: Cartr idge ï¬ uid is HARMFUL OR F A T AL IF SW ALLO WED . A void contact to ey es, skin, or clothing. Do not tak e inter nally . Do not inhale ï¬ uid v apor . K eep out of reach of children. If s wallow ed, call a ph ysician immediately . ADD GASOLINE ⢠Fill fuel tank to bottom of tank ï¬ ller nec k. Do not ov erï¬ ll. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane. Do not mix oil with gasoline . Purchase fuel in quan ti ties that can be used within 30 da ys to assure fuel fresh- ness. CA UTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline near an open ï¬ ame . CA UTION : Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or metha- nol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and f or ma tion of acids during storage . Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage . T o av oid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied bef ore stor age of 30 da ys or longer . Empty the gas tank, star t the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty . Use fresh fuel ne xt season. See Storage In struc tions f or additional inf or mation. Ne ver use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or per manent damage ma y occur . T O EMPTY GRASS CA TCHER 1. Lift up on grass catcher using the frame han dle. 2. Remov e grass catcher with clippings from under lawn mo wer han dle. 3. Empty clippings from bag. NO TE : Do not drag the bag when empty- ing; it will cause unnecessar y wear . Grass catcher frame handle Engine oil cap Gasoline ï¬ ller cap
11 MULCHING MO WING TIPS IMPORT ANT : F or best performance, keep mo wer housing free of b uilt-up grass and tr ash. See âCLEANINGâ in the Maintenance section of this manual. ⢠The special mulching b lade will recut the grass clip pings many times and reduce them in size so that as the y f all onto the lawn the y will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched gr ass will bio de grade quick ly to provide n u tri ents for the la wn. Alwa ys mulch with y our highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recut- ting action of the blades . ⢠A v oid cutting your la wn when it is wet. W et grass tends to f or m clumps and in ter feres with the m ulch ing action. The best time to mow y our lawn is the early after noon. At this time the g rass has dried, yet the ne wly cut area will not be e xposed to direct sunlight. ⢠F or best results, adjust the la wn mower cutting height so that the lawn mo wer cuts off only the top one-third of the grass b lades. If the la wn is ov er gro wn it will be nec es sar y to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing eff or t and to keep from ov er load ing the engine and lea ving clumps of mulched gr ass. F or e x tremely heavy g rass, reduce y our width of cut by o verlapping pre viously cut path and mow slo wly . ⢠Cer tain types of grass and g rass con di tions may re quire that an area be mulched a second time to com pletely hide the clip pings. When doing a sec- ond cut, mow across (per pendicular) to the ï¬ rst cut path. ⢠Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mo w nor th to south one week then change to east to west the ne xt week. This will help pre vent matting and graining of the la wn. T O ST OP ENGINE ⢠T o stop engine, release oper ator pres- ence con trol bar . T O ST ART ENGINE NO TE: Due to protectiv e coatings on the engine, a small amount of smok e ma y be present during the initial use of the prod- uct and should be considered nor mal. NO TE: Y our engine is equipped with an automatic choke system. No pr iming or choking is required bef ore star ting. ⢠T o star t engine, hold oper ator presence control bar down to the han dle and pull star ter handle quickly . Do not allow star ter rope to snap back. MO WING TIPS CA UTION: Do not use de-thatcher blade attachments on y our mow er . Such attachments are hazardous, will damage your mo wer and could v oid your w arranty . ⢠Under cer tain conditions, such as v er y tall grass , it ma y be nec es sar y to r aise the height of cut to reduce pushing eff or t and to keep from o verloading the engine and leaving clumps of g rass clip- pings. It ma y also be necessar y to re- duce ground speed and/or r un the la wn mow er ov er the area a sec ond time. ⢠For e xtremely heavy cutting, re duce the width of cut by o ver lap ping pre viously cut path and mow slo wly . ⢠For better gr ass bagging and most cut- ting conditions, the engine speed should be set in the F AST po si tion. ⢠P ores in cloth grass catchers can be- come ï¬ lled with dir t and dust with use and catchers will collect less grass . T o pre vent this , reg u lar ly hose catcher off with water and let dry before using. ⢠Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff . This will help engine air ï¬ o w and extend engine lif e. MAX 1/3
12 Check f or Loose F asteners Clean / Inspect Grass Catcher * Check Tires Check Drive Wheels *** Clean Lawn Mower **** Clean under Drive Cov er *** Check Drive Belt / Pulleys *** Check / Shar pen / Replace Blade Lubrication Clean and Recharge Batter y ** Check Engine Oil le vel Change Engine Oil Clean Air Filter Inspect Muffler Replace Spar k Plug Replace Air Filter Paper Car tridge Empty fuel system or add Stabilizer BEFORE EA CH USE AFTER EA CH USE EVER Y 10 HOURS EVER Y 25 HOURS OR SEASON EVER Y 100 HOURS BEFORE ST ORA GE 1 - Change more often if operating under a heavy load or in high outdoor temperatures. 2 - Ser vice more often if operating in dir ty or dusty conditions. 3 - Replace blades more often when mowing in sandy soil. 4 - Charge 48 hours at end of season. 5 - And after each 5 hours of use. (if so equipped) Electric-Star t mowers P ower-Propelled mow ers Use a scraper to clean under deck * ** *** **** MAINTENANCE GENERAL REC OM MEN DA TIONS The warr anty on this lawn mow er does not cov er items that hav e been sub ject ed to operator ab use or negligence. T o receiv e full v alue from the warranty , operator m ust maintain unit as in str uct ed in this manual. Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to proper ly maintain y our unit. At least once a season, check to see if you should mak e any of the adjustments described in the Ser vice and Ad just ments section of this manual. ⢠At least once a year , replace the spar k plug, clean or replace air ï¬ lter element and check b lade f or wear . A new spark plug and clean/new air ï¬ lter element assure proper air-fuel mix ture and help your engine run bet ter and last longer . ⢠Follo w the maintenance schedule in this manual. BEFORE EA CH USE ⢠Check engine oil le vel. ⢠Check f or loose fasteners . LUBRICA TION K eep unit well lubricated (See âLU BRI CA TION CHARTâ). LUBRICA TION CHAR T â Spray lubricant â See "ENGINE" in Maintenance section. IMPORT ANT : Do not oil or grease plastic wheel bearings. Viscous lu bri cants will attract dust and dir t that will shor t en the life of the self-lu br i cat ing bearings. If you f eel they must be lu br i cated, use only a dr y , pow dered graphite type lubricant spar ingly . â Wheel adjuster (on each wheel) â Engine oil â Rear door hinge â Handle brac ket mounting pins â Mulcher door hinge pin
13 LA WN MO WER Alwa ys obser ve saf ety r ules when per- fo r m ing any main te nance. TIRES ⢠K eep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemi cals which can harm rubber . ⢠Av oid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp objects and other hazards that ma y cause tire damage. DRIVE WHEELS Check front driv e wheels each time be f ore you mo w to be sure they mo ve freely . The wheels not tur ning freely means tr ash, grass cuttings , etc. are in the dr iv e wheel area and must be cleaned to free drive wheels . If necessar y to clean the drive wheels , be sure to clean both front wheels. 1. Remov e hubcaps, lockn uts & washers. 2. Remov e wheels from wheel ad just ers. 3. Remov e any trash or gr ass cuttings from inside the dust cov er , pinion and/ or drive wheel gear teeth. 4. Put wheels back in place. NO TE: If after cleaning, the drive wheels do not tur n freely , contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . BLADE CARE F or best results, b lade must be kept sharp. Re place a bent or dam aged blade . CA UTION: Use only a replacement blade approv ed by the man ufacturer of y our mow er . Using a blade not appro ved b y the manu- f acturer of your mo wer is hazardous, could damage your mo wer and v oid your w arranty . T O REMO VE BLADE 1. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. 2. T urn lawn mow er on its side. Make sure air ï¬ lter and carb uretor are up . 3. Use a wood bloc k between b lade and mow er hous ing to pre vent b lade from tur ning when re mov ing blade bolt. NO TE: Protect your hands with glo ves and/or wrap b lade with heavy cloth. 4. Remov e blade bolt b y tur ning counter- clockwise . 5. Remov e blade & attaching hard wa re (bolt, lock w ash er & hardened wash er). T O REPLA CE BLADE 1. P osition blade on the b lade adapter aligning the two (2) holes in the b lade with the raised lugs on the adapter . 2. Be sure the trailing edge of b lade (oppo- site shar p edge) is up to ward the engine. 3. Install the blade bolt with the loc k washer and hardened w asher into blade adapter and cr ankshaft. 4. Use bloc k of wood between b lade and lawn mo wer housing and tighten the blade bolt, turning clockwise . ⢠The recommended tightening torque is 35-40 ft. lbs. IMPORT ANT : Blade bolt is heat treated. If bolt needs replacing, replace only with approv ed bolt shown in the Repair P ar ts section of this manual. T O SHARPEN BLADE NO TE : We do not recommend sharp en ing the blade - b ut if you do , be sure the blade is balanced. Care should be taken to k eep the blade balanced. An un bal anced blade will cause e ventual damage to mo wer or engine. ⢠The blade can be shar p ened with a ï¬ le or on a grinding wheel. Do not attempt to shar pen while on the mo wer . ⢠T o check b lade balance, drive a nail into a beam or wall. Lea ve about one inch of the straight nail e x posed. Place center hole of blade o ver the head of the nail. If blade is balanced, it should remain in a horizontal position. If either end of the blade mo ves do wnward, sharpen the heavy end until the b lade is balanced. GRASS CA TCHER ⢠The grass catcher ma y be hosed with water , b ut must be dr y when used. ⢠Check your g rass catcher often f or dam- age or de te ri o ra tion. Through nor mal use it will wear . If catcher needs replac- ing, replace only with ap proved replace- ment catcher shown in the Repair P ar ts section of this manual. Giv e the lawn mow er model number when ordering. GEAR CASE ⢠T o keep y our dr iv e system working properly , the gear case and area around the drive should be k ept clean and free of trash b uild-up . Clean under the dr iv e cov er twice a season. ⢠The gear case is ï¬ lled with lubr icant to the proper le vel at the f actor y . The only time the lubricant needs attention is if ser vice has been perf or med on the gear case. ⢠If lubr icant is required, use only Elf Mul- tis EP00. Do not substitute. Blade bolt Crankshaft keyway Hardened washer Lockw asher Blade adapter K ey Blade T railing edge Crankshaft
14 ENGINE LUBRICA TION Use only high quality detergent oil rated with API ser vice classiï¬ cation SGâSL. Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade according to y our e xpected operating temperature . TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE SAE VISCOSITY GRADES -20 0 30 40 80 100 -30 -20 0 20 30 40 F C 32 -10 10 60 5W-30 SAE 30 Container 7. Continue adding small amounts of oil, rechecking the dipstic k until oil le vel settles at FULL. DO NO T ov erï¬ ll, or engine will smoke hea vily from the mufï¬ er on startup. 8. Alwa ys be sure to retighten oil dipstick bef ore star ting engine. 9. Re con nect spark plug wire to spar k plug. AIR FIL TER Y our engine will not r un properly and ma y be damaged by using a dir ty air ï¬ lter . Replace the air ï¬ lter car tridge ev er y 100 hours of op er a tion or ev er y season, which ev er occurs ï¬ rst. Ser vice air cleaner more often under dusty conditions. T O CLEAN AIR FIL TER 1. Loosen screw and tilt cov er to re mov e. 2. Carefully remov e car tr idge . 3. Clean by gently tapping on a ï¬ at sur- f ace. If v er y dir ty , replace car tr idge. CA UTION: P e tro leum solvents , such as ker o sene, are not to be used to clean car tr idge. They ma y cause de te ri o ra tion of the car tridge. Do not oil car tr idge. Do not use pres sur ized air to clean or dr y car tr idge. 4. Install car tr idge , then replace cov er making sure the tabs are aligned with the slots in the back plate . F asten screw securely . NO TE: Although multi-viscosity oils (5W30, 10W30 etc.) improv e star ting in cold weather , these multi-viscosity oils will result in in creased oil consumption when used abov e 32°F . Check y our engine oil le vel more frequently to a void possib le engine damage from running low on oil. Change the oil after e very 25 hours of op- eration orat least once a y ear if the mow er is not used f or 25 hours in one year . Check the cr ankcase oil lev el before star ting the engine and after each ï¬ v e (5) hours of continuous use . Tighten oil plug securely each time you chec k the oil le vel. T O CHANGE ENGINE OIL NO TE : Before tipping la wn mow er to drain oil, empty fuel tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty . 1. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. 2. Remov e engine oil cap; la y aside on a clean surf ace. 3. Tip lawn mow er on its side as shown and drain oil into a suitab le container . Rock la wn mow er back and f or th to re- mov e any oil tr apped inside of engine. 4. Wipe off any spilled oil from lawn mow er or side of engine. 5. Slowly pour oil down the oil ï¬ ll spout, stopping e very fe w ounces to check the oil le vel with the dipstic k. 6. Stop adding oil when you reach the FULL mark on the dipstick. Wait a minute to allo w oil to settle. MUFFLER Inspect and replace corroded mufï¬ er as it could create a ï¬ re hazard and/or dam age. SP ARK PLUG Replace spark plug at the beginning of each mowing season or after e ver y 100 hours of operation, whiche v er occurs ï¬ rst. Spark plug type and gap setting are shown in the âPROD UCT SPEC I FI C- A TIONSâ section of this manual. CLEANING IMPORT ANT : For best perf or mance, keep mo wer housing free of b uilt-grass and trash. Clean the underside of y our mow er after each use. Slots Lip Cov er tabs Back plate Car tridge Cov er
15 CA UTION: Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. ⢠Clean the underside of your lawn mo wer by scr aping to remov e build-up of gr ass and trash. ⢠Clean engine often to keep trash from accumulating. A clogged engine runs hotter and shor tens engine lif e. ⢠Keep ï¬ nished surfaces and wheels free of all gasoline, oil, etc. SER VICE AND ADJUSTMENTS W ARNING: T o av oid ser ious injury , bef ore performing any service and adjustments: 1. Release control bar and stop engine. 2. Make sure the b lade and all moving par ts hav e completely stopped. 3. Disconnect spar k plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. LA WN MO WER T O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT See âT O ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHTâ in the Operation sec tion of this manual. REAR DEFLECT OR The rear deï¬ ector , attached between the rear wheels of your mo wer , is provided to minimize the possibility that objects will be thrown out of the rear of the mo wer into the operator mo wing position. If the deï¬ ector becomes dam aged, it should be replaced. T O REMO VE DRIVE BEL T 1. Remov e dr iv e cov er and belt keeper . 2. Remov e belt from gearcase pulley b y push ing down on pulley and rolling belt off it. 3. T urn lawn mow er on its side with air ï¬ lter and car bu re tor down. 4. Remov e blade and debris shield. 5. Remov e belt from engine pulley on crankshaft. T O REPLA CE DRIVE BEL T 1. Install new belt on engine pulle y . 2. Reinstall debr is shield and b lade. 3. Retur n mow er to upr ight po si tion. 4. Install new belt on gearcase pulle y . 5. Reinstall belt keeper and drive co ver . NO TE: Alwa ys use factory approv ed belt to assure ï¬ t and long lif e. T O ADJUST HANDLE The handle can be mounted in a high or low position. The mounting holes in the bottom of low er handle are off center for raising or lo wering the handle. 1. Remov e upper handle and wire tie(s) securing cable(s) to low er handle. 2. Remov e hair pin cotters from lower handle brac ket mount ing pin. 3. Squeeze low er handle in to remov e it from mounting pins. 4. T urn lower handle ov er to raise or low er handle. 5. Squeeze lo wer handle in and po si tion holes onto mount ing pins on handle br ack et. 6. Reassemble upper handle and all par ts remov ed from lower handle. Mowing position Mowing position HIGH POSITION LO W POSITION Handle brac ket Hair pin cotter Mounting pin ⢠We do not recommend using a garden hose to clean lawn mo wer unless the elec tr i cal system, mufï¬ er , air ï¬ lter and carburetor are co vered to k eep water out. W ater in engine can result in shor t- ened engine lif e. CLEAN UNDER DRIVE CO VER Clean under drive co ver at least twice a sea- son. Scrape underside of co ver with putty knif e or similar tool to remov e any b uild-up of trash or gr ass on underside of dr iv e cover . Belt Drive cov er PUSH DO WN Belt keeper
16 ENGINE ENGINE SPEED Y our engine speed has been factory set. Do not attempt to increase en gine speed Low er handle R O TAT E or it ma y result in personal injur y . If you belie ve that engine is running too f ast or too slow , tak e your mo wer to a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service cen ter for repair and ad just ment. CARBURET OR Y our carburetor is not adjustable . If your engine does not operate properly due to sus- pected carburetor prob lems, tak e your la wn mow er to a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed ser vice center f or repair and/or ad just ment. IMPORT ANT : Nev er tamper with the engine gov er nor , which is f actor y set f or proper engine speed. Over speed ing the engine abov e the f actor y high speed setting can be dangerous. If y ou think the engine-gov er ned high speed needs adjusting, contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center , which has proper equip ment and ex pe ri ence to mak e any nec es sar y adjustments. ST ORA GE Immediately prepare your la wn mow er for stor age at the end of the season or if the unit will not be used f or 30 days or more . Low er handle SQUEEZE T O FOLD FOLD FOR W ARD FOR ST ORA GE MO WING POSITION Low er handle Operator presence control bar Upper handle Handle knob LA WN MO WER When lawn mo wer is to be stored f or a period of time, clean it thor oughly , remove all dir t, grease , leav es, etc. Store in a clean, dr y area. 1. Clean entire lawn mow er (See âCLEANINGâ in the Maintenance sec- tion of this manual). 2. Lubr icate as sho wn in the Main te nance section of this manual. 3. Be sure that all nuts, bolts , screws, and pins are securely f as tened. Inspect moving par ts f or damage, breakage and wear . Replace if necessar y . 4. T ouch up all rusted or chipped paint surf aces; sand lightly bef ore painting. HANDLE Y ou can fold y our mower handle f or storage. 1. Squeeze the bottom ends of the low er handle tow ard each other until the low er handle clears the handle brack et, then mov e handle f orward. 2. Loosen upper handle mounting bolts enough to allow upper handle to be f olded back. IMPORT ANT : When folding the handle f or storage or transportation, be sure to fold the handle as shown or y ou ma y damage the control cables . ⢠When setting up your handle from the storage position, the lo wer han dle will automatically lock into mo w ing position.
17 ENGINE FUEL SYS TEM IMPORT ANT : It is impor tant to pre vent gum deposits from f or ming in essential fuel system par ts such as carburetor , fuel ï¬ lter , fuel hose, or tank during storage . Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and f or mation of acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage . ⢠Empty the fuel tank by star ting the en- gine and letting it run until the fuel lines and car bu re tor are empty . ⢠Nev er use engine or carburetor cleaner prod ucts in the fuel tank or per manent damage ma y occur . ⢠Use fresh fuel next season. NO TE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable al- ter nativ e in min i miz ing the formation of fuel gum deposits during stor age. Add stabilizer to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container . Alwa ys follo w the mix ratio f ound on stabilizer container . Run engine at least 10 min utes after adding stabilizer to allo w the stabilizer to reach the carburetor . Do not empty the gas tank and carburetor if using fuel stabiliz er . NO TE: FRESH ST ART TM fuel cap and car tridge system automatically dr ips con- centrated fuel preserver into y our fuel tank and is an acceptable alternative to adding fuel stabilizer . ENGINE OIL Drain oil (with engine w ar m) and replace with clean engine oil. (See âENGINEâ in the Maintenance section of this man ual). CYLINDER 1. Remov e spar k plug. 2. P our one ounce (29 ml) of oil through spark plug hole into cylinder . 3. Pull star ter handle slowly a f ew times to dis tr ib ute oil. 4. Replace with new spark plug. O THER ⢠Do not store gasoline from one season to another . ⢠Replace your gasoline can if your can star ts to rust. Rust and/or dir t in your gasoline will cause problems . ⢠If possible, store y our unit indoors and cov er it to protect it from dust and dir t. ⢠Cover y our unit with a suitable pro tec - tiv e cov er that does not retain mois ture. Do not use plastic. Plastic cannot breathe, which allo ws condensation to f or m and will cause y our unit to r ust. IMPORT ANT : Ne ver co ver mo wer while engine and e xhaust areas are still warm. CA UTION: Nev er store the lawn mow er with gaso line in the tank in side a build ing where fumes ma y reach an open ï¬ ame or spark. Allow the engine to cool bef ore storing in any enclosure. Does not start 1. Dir ty air ï¬ lter . 1. Clean/replace air ï¬ lter . 2. Out of fuel. 2. Fill fuel tank. 3. Stale fuel. 3. Empty fuel tank and reï¬ ll tank with fresh, clean gasoline. 4. W ater in fuel. 4. Empty fuel tank and reï¬ ll tank with fresh, clean gasoline. 5. Spark plug wire is 5. Connect wire to plug. disconnected. 6. Bad spark plug. 6. Replace spark plug. 7. Loose blade or brok en 7. Tighten blade bolt or b lade adapter . replace blade adapter . 8. Control bar in released 8. Depress control bar to position. handle. 9. Control bar def ective . 9. Replace control bar . 10. Fuel v alve le ver (if so 10. T ur n fuel v alve le ver equipped) in OFF position. to the ON position. 11. W eak batter y (if equipped). 11. Charge battery . 12. Disconnected battery 12. Connect battery to engine. connector (if equipped). PROBLEM CA USE CORRECTION TR OUBLESHOO TING - See appropriate section in manual unless directed to a Sears P ar ts & Repair Center .
18 Loss of power 1. Rear of mow er housing or 1. Raise cutting height. blade dragging in gr ass. 2. Cutting too much gr ass. 2. Raise cutting height. 3. Dir ty air ï¬ lter . 3. Clean/replace air ï¬ lter . 4. Buildup of grass , leav es, 4. Clean underside of mower and trash under mower . housing. 5. T oo much oil in engine. 5. Chec k oil le vel. 6. W alking speed too f ast. 6. Cut at slo wer walking speed. P oor cut â 1. Worn, bent or loose blade . 1. Replace blade. Tighten uneven b lade bolt. 2. Wheel heights une ven. 2. Set all wheels at same height. 3. Buildup of gr ass, lea ves 3. Clean underside of and tr ash under mower . mower housing. Excessive 1. W or n, bent or loose b lade. 1. Replace blade. Tighten vibration blade bolt. 2. Bent engine crankshaft. 2. Contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . Starter rope 1. Engine ï¬ ywheel brak e is on 1. Depress control bar to hard to pull when control bar is released. upper handle bef ore pulling the star ter rope . 2. Bent engine crankshaft. 2. Contact a Sears or other qualiï¬ ed service center . 3. Blade adapter broken. 3. Replace b lade adapter . 4. Blade dragging in gr ass. 4. Move la wn mow er to cut gr ass or to hard surface . Grass catcher 1. Cutting height too low . 1. Raise cutting height. not ï¬ lling 2. Lift on b lade worn off. 2. Replace blade. (If so equipped) 3. Catcher not v enting air . 3. Clean grass catcher . Hard to push 1. Grass is too high or wheel 1. Raise cutting height. height is too low . 2. Rear of mow er housing or 2. Raise rear of mower housing blade dragging in g rass. one (1) setting higher . 3. Grass catcher too full. 3. Empty grass catcher . 4. Handle height position not 4. Adjust handle height to suit. r ight f or you. Loss of drive 1. Belt wear . 1. Check/replace drive belt. or slowing of 2. Belt off of pulley . 2. Check/reinstall driv e belt. drive speed 3. Dr iv e cable w or n or brok en. 3. Replace dr iv e cable . 4. âLooseâ drive control system. 4. Adjust drive control. PROBLEM CA USE CORRECTION TR OUBLESHOO TING - See appropriate section in manual unless directed to a Sears P ar ts & Repair Center .
19 NO TES
198336 03.17.05 BY Printed in U .S.A. 02410 Para pedir servic io de repar ación a dom icilio, y para or denar piezas: 1-888-SU-HO GA R SM (1-888-784-6427) Au Canada pour service en franç ais: 1-800-LE- FOYER MC (1-800-533-6937) ww w.sea rs.ca To purchase a protection agreement (U.S.A.) or m ai ntenance agreement (Canada) on a product serviced by Sears: 1-800-8 27-6655 (U.S.A .) 1-800-361-6665 (Canada) Our Ho me For repair of car ry - in products lik e vacuum s, lawn equipm ent, and electro nics, call or go on-line f or the n earest Se ars P arts an d Rep air Center . 1-800-4 88-1222 Anytim e, day or night (U.S.A. only) www.sears.com Your Home For repair â in your home âo f all m ajor brand app liances, lawn and garden equ ipment, or heatin g and cooling s y s tem s, no matte r who made it, no ma tter who sold it ! For the replac ement parts, acc essories and owner âs m anuals that you need to do-it -y o urself . For Sears prof essio nal instal lation of hom e appl iances and item s lik e garage door ope ners an d water he aters. 1-800-4- MY -HOM E ® Anyti me, day or night (1-800-469-4663) (U.S.A. and Canada) www.sears.com www.sears.ca Get it fixed, at your home or ours! © Sears, Roebuck and Co. ® Register ed Tradem ark / TM Trad emark / SM Serv ice Ma rk of Se ars, Roeb uck an d Co . ® Marca Registr ada / TM Marca de Fáb rica / SM Marc a de Servi cio d e Se ars, Roe buck and Co. MC Marque de com merce / MD Marqu e dép osée de S ears, Roe buck and Co.