Craftsman EZ3 917.387290 User manual

Owner's Manual
®
5.5 HORSEPOWER
20" REAR DISCHARGE
ROTARY LAWN MOWER
Model No.
917.387290
oSafety
oAssembly
oOperation
•Maintenance
°Espa_ol
=Repair Parts
CAUTION:
Read and follow all
Safety Rules and Instructions
before operating this equipment
Sears, Roebuck and Co. Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Warranty" 2 Product Specifications 11
Safety Rules 2 Service and Adjustments 13
Assembly 4 Storage 14
Operation 6 Troubleshooting 15
Maintenance Schedule 10 Repair Parts 32
Maintenance 10 Parts Ordering Back Cover
LIMITED "P_'OYEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER
For two years from date of purchase, when this Craftsman Lawn Mower is maintained,
lubricated, and tuned up according to the operating and maintenance instructions in the
owner's manual, Sears will repair free of charge any defect in material or workmanship°
if this Craftsman Lawn Mower is used for commercial or rental purposes, this warranty
applies for only 90 days from the date of purchase.
This Warranty does not cover:
• Expendable items which become worn during normal use, such as rotary mower
blades, blade adapters, belts, air cleaners and spark plug.
• Repairs necessary because of operator abuse or negligence, including bent crank-
shafts and the failure to maintain the equipment according to the instructions corn
tained in the owner's manual.
Warranty service is available by returning the Craftsman power mower to the nearest
Sears Service CentedDepartment in the United State& This warranty applies only while
this product is in use in the United States,.
This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., D/817 WA, HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS 60179
TRAINING:
• Readthis operator'smanual carefutly_
Become familiar withthecontrolsand
knowhow to operate yourmower
properly. Learnhowtoquick3ystop
mower,
•Do notallowchildrentouseyour mower,
Never allowadultstouse mowerwithout
properinstructions_
•Keep the area ofoperationclearofall
persons, especially smal! children and
pets°
• Use mower only as the manufacturer
intended and as described in this manual,.
° Do not operate mower if ithas been
dropped or damaged inany manner
Always havedamage repaired before
using your mower.
• Do not use accessory attachments that
are not recommended by the manufac-
turer. Use of such attachments may be
hazardous.
•The blade turns whenthe engineis
running.
PREPARATION."
•Always thoroughly check the area to be
mowed and clear it of all stones, sticks,
wires, bones, and otherforeign objects.
These objects will be thrown by the blade
and can cause severe injury.
•Always wear safety gtasses or eye
shieldswhen startingand while using
your mower_
° Dress properly.Do not operate mower
when barefoot or wearing open sandals.
Wear only solid shoes with good traction
when mowing_
° Check fuel tank before starting engine.
Do not fill gas tank indoors,when the
engine is nmningor when the engine is

hot.Allowtheenginetocoolforseveral
minutesbeforetiffingthegastank.Clean
offanyspilledgasolinebeforestartingthe
engine_
, Alwaysmakewheelheightadjustments
beforestartingyourmower..Never
attempttodothiswhiletheengineis
running,
•Mow only in daylight or good artificial
_ght,
OPERATION:
• Keep youreyes and mind on yourmower
and the area being cut. Do not let other
interests distract you.
, Do not mowwet or slippery grass. Never
run whiteoperating your mower,.Always
be sureof your footing -- keep afirm
hold on the handles and walk.
•Do r}ot put hands or feet near or under
rotating parts. Keep clear of the discharge
opening at afltimes.,
• Always stop the engine whenever you
leave or are not using your mower, or
before crossing driveways, walks, roads,
and any gravel--covered areas.
•Never direct discharge of material toward
bystanders nor'allow anyone near the
mower while you areoperating it.
• Before cleaning, inspecting, or repairing
your mower, stop the engine and make
absolutely sure the blade and all moving
parts have stopped, Then disconnect the
spark plug wireand keep it away from the
spark plug to prevent accidental starting.
• Do not continue to runyour mower if you
hit aforeign objecL Follow the procedure
outlined above, then repair any damage
before restarting and operating you
mower°
• Do not change the governor settings or
overspeed Ihe engine. Engine damage or
personal injury may result.
°Do not operate your mower if It vibrates
abnormally,.Excessive vibration is an
indication of damage; stop the engine,
safely check forlhe cause of vibration
and repairas required.
, Do not run the engine indoors. Exhaust
fumes are dangerous..
• Never'cut grass by pulling the mower
towardsyou. Mow across the face of
slopes, never up and down or you might
lose your footing. Do not mow exces-
si'¢e;ysteep slopesoUse caution when
operating the mower on uneven terrain
orwhen changing directions -- maintain
good footing.
.Never operate your mower without
proper guards, plates, grass catcher or
other safety devices in pIaceo
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:
. Check the blade and the engine mount-
ing bolls often to be sure they are
tightened propedy_
-Check all bolts, nuts and screws at
frequent intervals for proper tightness to
be sure mower is in safe working
condition.
. Keep all safety devices in place and
working°
•To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine
free of grass, leaves or excessive grease
and oil,
. Check grass catcher often for deledora-
lion and wear and replace worn bags,
Use only replacement bags that are
recommended by and comply with
specifications of the manufacturer of your
mower,.
° Afways keep a sharp blade on your
mower.
° Aftowengine to coot before storing in any
enclosure..
° Never store mower with fuel in the tank
insidea building where fumes may reach
an open flame or an ignition source such
as ahot water healer, space heater,
clothes dryer, etc_
CAUTION: Always disconnect spark
plug wire and place wire where it
cannot contact spark plug in order to
prevent accidental starting when
setting up, transporting, adjusting or
making repairs.
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product
contains chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, birth
defects, or other reproductive harm.

Theseaccessorieswere available when this
lawn mower was produced They are also
available atmost Sears retail outlets and
service centers. Most Sears stores can also
LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE
order repair partsfor you, whenyou provide
the model number of your lawn mower
Some of these accessories may not apply
to your _awnmower,
CLIPPING DEFLECTOR
FOR REAR DISCHARGE LAWN MOWERS
GRASS CATCHERS
FOR
REAR DISCHARGE
LAWN MOWERS
MULCHERK_S
GRASS CATCHERS
FOR
StDE DfSCHARGE
LAWNMOWERS
LAWN MOWER MAINTENANCE
STABILrZER
GAS CANS
MUFFLERS
BLADES
AIR FILTERS
BLADE ADAPTERS WHEELS
+
SPARK PLUGS
ENGINE OIL
IMPORTANT: This cuttingmachine is
capabre of amputating hands and feet and
throwing objects, Failure to observe the
following safety Instructions could result in
serious injury or death.
Safety standards require operator pres+
ence controls to minimize the risk of injury+
Your unit isequippedwith such controls.
Do not attempt to defeat the function of the
operator presence controls under any
circumstances.
Read these instructionsand this manual in
its entirety before you attempt to assemble
or operate your new lawn mower. Your new
lawn mower has been assembled at the
factory with the exception of those partsleft
unassembled for shipping purposes, All
parts such as nuts, washers, bolts, etco,
necessary to complete the assembly have
been placed in the partsbag_Toensure
safe and proper operation of your lawn
mower, all parts and hardware you as-
semble must be tightened securely. Use the
correct toolsas necessary to ensure proper
tightness+
TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM
CARTON
•Remove loose parts includedwith
mower,+
• Cut down two endcomers of carton
and lay endpanel downfiat,
• Removeall packing materialsexcept
adding between upper and lower
andleand padding holding operator
presencecontrol bartoupperhandleo
•Roll lawn mower out of carton and
checkcarton thoroughlyforadditional
loose parts+

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN
MOWER
TO UNFOLD HANDLE
IMPORTANT: Unfoldhandles carefullyso
as not to pinch or damage control cables_
• Raise handles until lower handle section
locksintoplace in mowing position,
• Remove protectivepadding, raise upper
handle section into place on lower
handles and tighten both handle knobs°
• Remove handle padding holding
operator presence control bar to upper
handle,_
- Your lawn mower handte can be
adjusted for your mowing comfort. Refer
to "Adjust Handle" in the Sen/ice and
Adjustment section of this manual
ky! Mowing
Yposition
)
TO INSTALL ATTACHMENTS
Your lawn mower was shipped ready tobe
used as amulcher,,Toconvertto bagging
or discharging:
* Open rear doorand remove muicher
p[ug,_Store muicher plug in a safe place_
, You can now instatl catcher or optional
clipping deflector,
, To return to mulching operation, install
mulcher pluginto discharge opening of
mower_
Mo,o.o.p,o0
CAUTION: Do not run yourlawn mower
without mulcher plug in place or approved
clipping deflector or grass catcher in
place,, Never attempt to operate the lawn
mower wffh the rear door removed or
propped open,

KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER "'
READ THIS OWNER'SMANUALANDSAFETYRULES BEFOREOPERATINGYOUR LAWN
MOWER, Comparetheiilustralionswithyourlawnmower tofamiliarizeyourselfwiththe
location0tvariouscontrolsand adjusth]ents, Save thismanual forfuture,,re!erenee. ,.............
These symbols may appearon your lawn mower or inliteraturesupplied with the
producL Learn and understand their meaning_
CAUTION ENGINE ENGINE FAST SLOW CHOKE FUEL OIL DANGER, KEEP HANDS
OR WARNING ON OFF At_le FEET AWAY
Operator presence controlbar
Sta_erhand cable
Handle
Grass
cap
Air filter
Mulcher' ltug
Engine oil cap
withdipstick
Lawn mower housing
Wheel adjuster
(on each wheel)
IlUlILJLJL/IIJI/III : 1/11I/III IlJl/Jl IIIJl// 1111111
MEETS CPSC SAFET'( REQUIREMENTS
Searsrotary walk-behindpowerlawnmowersconformtothe safety standardsofthe American
Nationa!Standards instituteand the U.S,Consumer ProductSafetyCommission. The blade
turnswhen the engine{srunning.
Operator Presence ControlBar- must be Starter Handle- used forstarting the engine,
held down to the handletostartthe engine, MulcherPlug- locatedat the discharge
Releaseto stop theengine, openingmustbe removedwhen convertingto
Primer- pumps additiona!fuel fromthe bagging ordischargingoperation,
carburetorto thecylinderforusewhen starting
a coldengine,

The operationof anylawnmowercan resultin
foreignobjectsthrown intotheeyes,whichcan
resultin severe eyedamage. Alwayswear
safetyglassesor eye shieldswhileoperating
yourlawn moweror performingany adjust-
mentsor repairs. We recommendawide
visior_safetymaskoverthespectaclesor
standardsafety glasses.
HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER
ENGINE SPEED CONTROL
The engine speed was set at the factory
for optimum pefformance,. Speed ts not
adjustable,
ENGINE ZONE CONTROL
CAUTION: Federal regulations require
an engine control to be ins_led on this
Iawn mower in order to minimize the risk
of blade contact injury.Do not under any
circumstances attempt to defeat the
function of the operator control The blade
turns when the engine is running.
- Your lawnmower isequippedwithan
operatorpresence controlbarwhich
requiresthe operatortobe pos'_oned
behind the lawnmowerhandletostartand
operate the lawnmower,
TO ADJUST CUTRNG HEIGHT
•Raisewheelslor lowcutand lowerwheels
forhighcut,
• Adjust cuttingheighttosuityourrequire-
ments. Mediumpositionisbest for most
tawns_
- To changecuWngheight,squeeze adjuster
levertowardwheel Movewheelup or down
to suityour requirements_Besureallwheels
arein the same setting.,
NOTE: Adjusterisproperlypositionedwhen
platetab insertsintoholein lever.Also, 9-
positionadjusters(ifso equipped)allowlever
to be positionedbetweenthe platetabs,.
LowerWheelsforHighCut
Rate Tab
TO ATTACH GRASS CATCHER
• Closethe flip lid,Fliplidmust beclosed
while operatingtawnmower.
• Liftthe reardoor on themower'housingand
placethe grasscatcherframeonto the
formedtabs on the'reardoor'hingebracket,
,The grasscatcher issecuredto the lawn
mower housingwhenthe reardoor is
loweredonto thegrasscatcherframe
CAUTION: Do notranyour lawnmower
withoutclippingdeflectoror approvedgrass
catcher in place_Neverattemptto operatethe
fawn mowerw'rththe reardoorremovedor
proppedopen.
Hinge door
bracket Grass catcher
frame
Formed
tabs
TO EMPTYGRASS CATCHER
•Toremove grasscatcher,releaseoperator
presencecontrolbartostop engine,
°Liftuprear doSr_andremovethegrass
catcherbythehandle,
NOTE: Donot drag thebag wber}emptying;
it will cause unnecessaiywear_
Raise Wheels for Low Cut

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
OIL
Yourlawnmower isshippedwithout oil inthe
engine,
•Besure mower isleveland areaaround011
flitisclean
•Remove engineoilcap w/dipstickand fillto
the rut{lineon the dipstick
• Use 20 ozs of oil Fortypeand grade of oil
to use,see"ENGINE' in Customer
Responsibilitiessecfionofthismanual
•Pouroil slowly Do notoverfilL
•Check oillevel beforeeach use Add oil if
needed Filltofull line ondipstJc!c
• Toread proper level,tightenengine oilcap
eachtime.
• Reinstallengine oilcapand tighten
• Change the oftafterevery25 hours of
operationor eachseason° You may need
to changethe oilmoreoften underdust:/,
dirty"conditions°
GAS
• Fill fuel tank Use fresh, clean, regular
unleaded gasoline witha minimum of 87
octane (Use of leaded gasoline will
increase carbon and lead oxide deposits
and reduce valve life) Do not mix oil
with gasoline Purchase fuel in quanti
ties that can be used within 30 days to
assure fuel freshness
IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING IN
TEMPERATURES BELOW 32°F(0°C), use
fresh, clean winter grade gasoline to help
insure good cold weather starting°
WARNING: Experience indicates that
alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or
using ethanol or methanol) can attract
moisture which leads to separation and
formation of acids during storage Acidic
gas can damage the fuel system of an
engine while in storage To avoid engine
problems, the fuel system should be
emptied before storage of 30 days or
longer Drain the gas tank, start the
engine and let it run until the fuel lines and
carburetor are empty Use fresh fuel next
season See Storage Instructions for
additional information Never use engine
or carburetor c{e_ner products in the fuel
tank or permanent damage may occur
CAUTION: FIlEto bottom of gas tank filler
neck Do not overfill. Wipe off any spilled
oil or fuel Do not store, spill or use
gasoline near an open flame
TO START ENGINE
• To startacoldengine,push primerfive(5)
times beforetryingto start Use a firmpush
This step is not usuallynecessarywhen
startingan enginewhich hasalready runfor
afew minutes
• Holdoperatorpresencecontrol bardown to
the handleandpullstarter handlequickly
Do not allow starterropeto snap back
• To stop engine, releaseoperatorpresence
controlbar
NOTE: Incoolerweatheritmay benecessary
torepeatpriming steps°Inwarmerweather
overprimingmay cause flooding andengine
willnot start Ifyou doflood engine,wait afew
minutesbefore attemptingtostartanddo not
repeatprimingsteps
MOWINGTIPS
• Undercertain conditions such asvery tail
grass,it may be necessaryto raisethe
heightofcut to reducepushing effortand to
keepfrom overloadingthe engineand
leavingclumpsofgrass clippings
• For extremelyheavy cutting,reducethe
widthof cutand raisethe rearof the lawn
mower housing one(1)wheel adjuster
se_ng higherthan the front for better
dischargeof grass
• When using areardischarge lawnmower in
moist,heavygrass,clumpsofcutgrass
may not enter the grasscatcher Reduce
ground speed (pushingspeed) and/orrun
the lawnmower over the area asecond
time.
•if atraiiofgrassclippingsis leftonthe right
side ofa rear dischargelawn mower, mow
in a c_ockwisedirection with asmalloverlap
to collecttheclippings on the nextpass
° Keeptop ofengine around starterclearand
clean of grassclippingsandchaff.This will
helpengine airflow and extendengine life
• Poresinclothgrasscatchers can become
filledwith dirtand dustwith useand
catcherswill coUectlessgrass To prevent
this, regularlyhose catchers offwith water
andletdry beforeusing

MULCHING MOWINGTIPS
IMPORTANT: For bestperformance,
keep mower housing free of built-up grass
and trash,. Clean UNDERSIDE OF
MOWER HOUSING after each use..See
"Cleaning" in CUSTOMER
RESPONSIBILITIES sec_on ofthis
manual.
•The specialmulchingbladewill recurthe
grassclippingsmanytimesandreduce
them in sizeso thatasthey fall onto the
lawntheywilldisperseintothegrassand
not benoticed.Also,themulchedgrasswill
blodegradequicklytoprovide nutrientsfor
the lawn.Alwaysmulch with yourhighest
engine (blade)speedasthisv_llprovidethe
best recuttingactionofthe blades.
°Avoidcuttingyourlawnwhen itiswet..Wet
grasstendstoformclumps and interferes
with themulchingaction.The best time to
mow yourlawnistheearly afternoon,Atthis
time the grasshasdriedand the newlycut
area willnot be exposedtothe directsun_
• For best results,adjustthe lawnmower
cuttingheightsothatthe lawnmowercuts
off onlythetop one-thirdof thegrassblades.
Ifthelawnis overgrownitwillbe necessap]
to raisetheheightol cutto reducepushing
effort and tokeep fromoverloadingthe
engine andleavingclumps ofmulched
grass_Forextreme_jheavy mulching,
reduceyourwidthofcut, mowstowiyand
raisethe rearof thelawnmower onewheel
adjustersettinghigherthanthe front,
, Certaintypes ofgrassand grassconditions
may requirethat an areabe rnulcheda
second timetocomplelelyhide the
clippings.When doinga secondcut,mow
acrossor perpendiculartothe firstcul path..
,Change yourcuttingpattemfromweekto
week. Mownorth tosouthone weekthen
change toeast towestthe nextweek,This
will helppreventmattingandgrainingofthe
fawn.
MAX 1t3

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE _, _ _._ _ _,o
AS YOU COMPLETE
REGULAR SERVICE E DATES
,,,Chock for,Loose Fe, stener'3 ................... if • - If i:...........: : :
C{emdlnspe_t Grass Catcher
(H EQuipped) ill" ti V' . ,
M c_eenLawnMower ...... V* :V" ............. i ' , _ .
V_ Clean Under Ddva Cover
(Power-Propelled Mowers )
Ch0c_ d_a belt/puUays ,=j ........
_ _Power-PropelledMowDrs! ............ .
Chec_Sha.m.Qrmep_,m_e_ - " - v',
LubricationChart
cle_n e atle_/Reche_je
(E!ectd¢ SteJt Mowem) ......................... b,_
E Check Engine Oil Levet _ ................
N Change Engine Oil .... = : . .i_#i,_
G,Ct_,a,nAir Fillet ..jp,+.....
I,,!nspect Muit_er : : ip_
NCleen ¢,_RopJece Sp_,fk PIug ............ V*
E Rcp!_ce Air F{Iter P_per C_rb_dge V"2
1+_ga rrmm 0_Ian ",ettt,_ _em_t_g _dJ t = h_Vy Io=d ot h_htgh mmb_l_ t_m_i_turm=.
2,. So.ice room_ftanwhen opemt_ tnd_y ot _,_y t_+llon=,
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The warrantyon_is lawnmowerdoes not
coveritemsthathavebeensubjectedto
operatorabuseornegligence,Toreceivefurl
valuefromthe warranty;,operatormust
maintain mowerasinstructedinthismanual
Some adjustmentswill needto be made
periodicallytoproperlymaintainyourunit.
All adjustmentsinthe Serviceand Adjustments
sectionofthis manualshouldbe checkedat
leastonce each season.
•Once ayear,replacethe sparkplug, rep{ace
airfilterelementandcheckb_adefor wear.A
newsparkplug and clean!newair filter
elementassures properair-fuelmixture and
helpsyourengine runbetterand lastlonger_
•Followthe maintenanceschedule inthis
manual..
BEFORE EACHUSE
•Checkengine oil{eveL
•Checkforloose fasteners,.
LUBRICATION
Keepunit welllubricated(See "LUBRICATION
CHART"). ,
v'+
LUBRICATION CHART
+Wheel
adjusters
Brake spring
bracket
Engine oil
(_) Handle bracket
!_ Rear
door
hfnge mountingpin
(_ SPRAYLUBRICANT
(_) SAE30 MOTORO1LREFERTO
ENGINE- CUSTOMER
RESPONS[B_UTIESSECTION_
IMPORTANT: Do not oil or grease plastic
wheel beings. V_scous lubricants will
attract dust and dirt that will shorten the
I_feof the self lubricating bearings. Ifyou
feel they must be lubricated, use only a
dry,powdered graphite type lubricant
sparingly,.
10