MTD 020 Series User manual

Owner’s
Manual
•SET-UP
•OPERATION
•MAINTENANCE
IMPORTANT
Read Safety Rules and
Instructions Carefully
PRINTED IN CANADA OG-202
Model Series 020
Walk Behind Mowers

GENERAL OPERATION
•Read, understand, and follow all instruc
-
tions on the machine and in the manual(s)
before attempting to assemble and operate.
Keep this manual in a safe place for future
and regular reference and for ordering re-
placement parts.
•Be familiar with all controls and their proper
operation. Know how to stop the machine
and disengage them quickly.
•Never allow children under 14 years old to
operate this machine. Children 14 years old
and over should read and understand the
operation instructions and safety rules in
this manual and should be trained and
supervised by a parent.
•Never llow adults to operate this machine
without proper instruction.
•To help avoid blade contact or a thrown ob-
ject injury, keep bystanders, helpers,
children and pets at least 75 feet from the
machine while it is in operation. Stop ma-
chine if anyone enters the area.
•Thoroughly inspect the area where the
equipment is to be used. Remove all
stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other
foreign objects which could be tripped over
2
CALLING CUSTOMER SUPPORT
•LOCATE YOUR MODEL NUMBER AND SERIAL NUMBER which appears on your unit and
record the information in the space provided below.
IMPORTANT: You must have these numbers, along with the date and proof of
purchase to receive warranty or service.
•If you are having difficulty assembling this product or if you have any questions regarding the
controls, operation or maintenance of this unit, please call the Customer Support Departm ent.
•Customer Support can be reached by dialing: 1-800-668-1238
•Please have your model number and serial number ready when you call.
NOTE: Although both numbers are important, you will be asked to enter only your
serial number before your call can be processed.
MTDPRODUCTSLIMITED
KITCHENER,ONN2G4J1
1-800-668-1238
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
ModelNumber
Numérode modèle
SerialNumber
Numérode série
www.mtdcanada.com
This is where your model number will be,
record it here:
This is where your serial number will be,
record Serial Number here:
This unit has been inspected against the manufacturers quality check list. In case of a disc rep
-
ancy, please call us. We will make every effort to ship the part(s) by courier within one worki ng
day of your call.
IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not fol-
lowed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others.
Read and follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate this
machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury.
When you see this symbol— heed its warning.
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe op-
eration in this manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error
on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of
amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following
safety instructions could result in seri ous injury or death.

or picked up and thrown by the blade.
Thrown objects can cause serious personal
injury.
•Plan your mowing pattern to avoid dis-
charge of material toward roads, sidewalks,
bystanders and the like. Also, avoid dis-
charging material against a wall or
obstruction which may cause discharged
material to ricochet back toward the opera-
tor.
•Always wear safety glasses or safety gog-
gles during operation and while performing
an adjustment or repair to protect your
eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can
cause serious injury to the eyes.
•Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and
close-fitting slacks and shirts. Shirts and
pants that cover the arms and legs and
steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never
operate this machine in bare feet, sandals,
slippery or light weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.
•Many injuries occur as a result of the
mower being pulled over the foot during a
fall caused by slipping or tripping. Do not
hold on to the mower if you are falling; re-
lease the handle immediately.
•Never pull the mower back toward you
while you are walking. If you must back the
mower away from a wall or obstruction first
look down and behind to avoid tripping and
then follow these steps:
a) Step back from the mower to fully ex-
tend your arms.
b) Be sure you are well balanced with
sure footing
c) Pull the mower back slowly, no more
than half way toward you.
d) Repeat these steps as needed.
•Do not operate the mower while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
•Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts
or under the cutting deck. Contact with the
blade can amputate hands and feet.
•A missing or damaged discharge cover can
cause blade contact or thrown object inju-
ries.
•Do not engage the self-propelled mecha-
nism on units so equipped while starting
engine.
•Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting
height adjustment while the engine is run-
ning.
•The blade control handle is a safety device.
Never attempt to bypass its operation.
Doing so makes the safety device inopera-
tive and may result in personal injury
through contact with the rotating blade. The
blade control handle must operate easily in
both directions and automatically return to
the disengaged position when released.
•Never operate the mower in wet grass. Al-
ways be sure of your footing. A slip and fall
can cause serious personal injury. If you
feel you are losing your footing, release the
blade control handle immediately and the
blade will stop rotating within three sec-
onds.
•Mow only in daylight or in good artificial
light. Walk, never run.
•Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives,
walks or roads.
•If the equipment should start to vibrate ab-
normally, stop the engine and check
immediately for the cause. Vibration is gen-
erally a warning of trouble.
•Shut the engine off and wait until the blade
comes to a complete stop before removing
the grass catcher or unclogging the chute.
The cutting blade continues to rotate for a
few seconds after the engine is shut off.
Never place any part of the body in the
blade area until you are sure the blade has
stopped rotating.
•Never operate mower without proper trail
shield, discharge cover, grass catcher,
blade control handle or other safety protec-
tive devices in place and working. Never
operate mower with damaged safety de-
vices. Failure to do so, can result in
personal injury.
•Muffler and engine become hot and can
cause a burn. Do not touch.
•Only use parts and accessories made for
this machine by the manufacturer. Failure to
do so, can result in personal injury.
•If situations occur which are not covered in
this manual, use care and good judgment.
Contact your customer support department.
SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and
fall accidents which can result in severe in-
jury. Operation on slopes requires extra
caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do
not mow it. For your safety, use the slope
gauge included as part of this manual to
measure slopes before operating this unit on
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater
than 15 degrees, do not mow it.
DO:
•Mow across the face of slopes; never up
and down. Exercise extreme caution when
changing direction on slopes. Watch for
3

holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden
objects which can cause you to slip or trip.
Tall grass can hide obstacles. Always be
sure of your footing. A slip and fall can
cause serious personal injury. If you feel
you are losing your balance, release the
blade control handle immediately, and the
blade will stop rotating within 3 seconds.
DO NOT:
•Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or em-
bankments, you could lose your footing or
balance.
•Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees
as shown on the slope gauge.
•Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing
could cause slipping.
CHILDREN
•Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is
not alert to the presence of children.
Children are often attracted to the mower
and the mowing activity. They do not under-
stand the dangers. Never assume that
children will remain where you last saw
them.
a) Keep children out of the mowing area
and under the watchful care of a re-
sponsible adult other than the operator.
b) Be alert and turn mower off if a child
enters the area.
c) Before and while moving backwards,
look behind and down for small chil-
dren.
d) Use extreme care when approaching
blind corners, doorways, shrubs, trees,
or other objects that may obscure your
vision of a child who may run into the
mower.
e) Keep children away from hot or running
engines. They can suffer burns from a
hot muffler.
•Never allow children under 14 years old to
operate a power mower. Children 14 years
old and over should read and understand
the operation instructions and safety rules in
this manual and should be trained and su-
pervised by a parent.
SERVICE
SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE:
•To avoid personal injury or property dam-
age use extreme care in handling gasoline.
Gasoline is extremely flammable and the va-
pors are explosive. Serious personal injury
can occur when gasoline is spilled on your-
self or your clothes which can ignite. Wash
your skin and change clothes immediately.
a) Use only an approved gasoline con-
tainer.
b) Never fill containers inside a vehicle or
on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic
liner. Always place containers on the
ground away from your vehicle before
filling.
c) When practical, remove gas-powered
equipment from the truck or trailer and
refuel it on the ground. If this is not
possible, then refuel such equipment
on a trailer with a portable container,
rather than from a gasoline dispenser
nozzle.
d) 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 device.
e) Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes
and other sources of ignition.
f) Never fuel machine indoors.
g) Never remove gas cap or add fuel
while the engine is hot or running. Al-
low engine to cool at least two minutes
before refueling.
h) Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no
more than ½ inch below bottom of filler
neck to provide space for fuel expan-
sion.
i) Replace gasoline cap and tighten se-
curely.
j) If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the en-
gine and equipment. Move unit to
another area. Wait 5 minutes before
starting the engine.
k) Never store the machine or fuel con-
tainer inside where there is an open
flame, spark or pilot light as on a water
heater, space heater, furnace ,clothes
dryer or other gas appliances.
l) To reduce fire hazard, keep machine
free of grass, leaves, or other debris
build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage
and remove any fuel soaked debris.
m) Allow machine to cool at least 5 min-
utes before storing.
GENERAL SERVICE:
•Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly
ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly
gas.
•Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting,
make certain the blade and all moving parts
have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug
wire and ground against the engine to pre-
vent unintended starting.
4

•Check the blade and engine mounting bolts
at frequent intervals for proper tightness.
Also, visually inspect blade for damage
(e.g., bent, cracked, worn) Replace blade
with the original equipment manufacturer’s
(O.E.M.) blade only, listed in this manual.
“Use of parts which do not meet the original
equipment specifications may lead to im-
proper performance and compromise
safety!”
•Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap
the blade(s) or wear gloves, and use extra
caution when servicing them.
•Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be
sure the equipment is in safe working con-
dition.
•Never tamper with safety devices. Check
their proper operation regularly.
•After striking a foreign object, stop the en-
gine, disconnect the spark plug wire and
ground against the engine. Thoroughly in-
spect the mower for any damage. Repair
the damage before starting and operating
the mower.
•Grass catcher components, discharge
cover, and trail shield are subject to wear
and damage which could expose moving
parts or allow objects to be thrown. For
safety protection, frequently check compo-
nents and replace immediately with original
equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts
only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts
which do not meet the original equipment
specifications may lead to improper perfor-
mance and compromise safety!”
•Do not change the engine governor setting
or overspeed the engine. The governor con-
trols the maximum safe operating speed of
the engine.
•Maintain or replace safety and instruction la-
bels, as necessary.
•Observe proper disposal laws and regula-
tions. Improper disposal of fluids and
materials can harm the environment. SI-102
1.17.02
5
OWNER'S
MANUAL
SAFETY LABEL WARNING - Your Responsibility:
Restrict the use of this power machine to persons
who read, understand and follow the warnings and
instructions in this manual and on the machine.

6
15º
USE THIS SHEET AS A GUIDE TO DETERMINE SLOPES WHERE YOU MAY NOT OPERATE SAFELY.
A CORNER OF A BUILDING
FOLD ON DOTTED LINE, REPRESENTING A 15ºSLOPE
OR A FENCE POST
SIGHT AND HOLDTHIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE
A POWER POLE
DANGER
Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess excess of 15 degrees ( a rise of approximately 2½ feet every 10 feet). A riding mower could overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk-behind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing and you could slip, resulting in serious injury. Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes. Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes, never up and down slopes.
SLOPE GAUGE
(Keep this sheet in a safe place for future reference.)

It is suggested that this manual be read in its
entirety before attempting to assemble or
operate. Keep this manual in a safe place for
future reference and for ordering
replacement parts.
This unit is shipped WITHOUT GASOLINE
or OIL. After assembly, service engine with
gasoline and oil as instructed in the separate
engine manual packed with your unit.
Your mower is a precision piece of power
equipment, not a play thing. Therefore,
exercise extreme caution at all times.
Tools Required for Assembly
(2) ½" Wrench
(1) 7/16" Wrenches
(1) 9/16" Wrenches
(1) 3/4" Wrench or an Adjustable Wrench
(Two 6" Adjustable Wrenches may be used
instead of the above.)
7
CONTENTS OF HARDWARE PACK
Lay out the hardware according to the illustration for identification purposes. Part numbers are
shown in parentheses.
Figure 1

NOTE: Locknuts cannot be threaded
onto a bolt by hand, a wrench is re-
quired for assembly. This type of nut is
used where vibrations occur.
UNPACKING
•Remove the lawn mower and all parts from
the carton. Make certain all parts and litera-
ture have been removed from the carton
before the carton is discarded.
•Refer to “Contents of Hardware Pack”, figure
1, for hardware identification.
ATTACHING THE LOWER HANDLE
(Hardware A)
•Raise the rear of the deck and block se-
curely.
•Place the lower handle, (pointed end down)
over the deck and align the holes in the
deck with the holes in the handle. See Fig-
ure 2.
•Using two ½" wrenches, attach the lower
handle to the deck with hex cap screws and
secure with flange locknuts. Tighten se-
curely.
ATTACHING THE UPPER HANDLE
(Hardware B)
•Place the upper handle in position over the
lower handle. The blade control must be on
the upper side of the handle.
•Secure the upper handle to the lower handle
using carriage bolts, lockwashers and hex
nuts, see figure 3.
NOTE: The head of the carriage bolts
go on the outside of the handle.
ATTACHING THE BLADE CONTROL
CABLE
•Make certain the blade control handle is on
the top of the upper handle.
•The brake cable is attached to the engine,
and has a “Z” fitting on the loose end. Route
the brake cable over the lower handle. Snap
the plastic fitting into the hole on the inside
of the upper handle as shown in figure 4.
•Hook the “Z” end of the brake cable into the
hole in the blade control handle from the
outside to the inside as shown in figure 5.
WARNING: Brake cable must be as-
sembled as shown for proper blade
brake operation.
8
Figure 3
Carriage
Bolt
Hex Nut
(Mounted
on inside
of handle)
Lockwasher
Figure 2
Figure 4
Plastic Fitting
Figure 5
Blade Control
Handle
“Z” Fitting

ATTACHING THE STARTER ROPE
(Hardware C)
•The starter rope is inside the top of the en-
gine. Additional rope may be wound around
the starter handle. If so, unwind the rope
from the handle.
•With the spark plug wire disconnected and
grounded, depress the blade control handle
and pull the rope out of the engine.
•Place the rope guide around the starter han-
dle, so the opening in the rope guide is
toward the front of the mower as shown. In-
sert the rope guide into the right side of the
handle, and secure with hex locknut. See
figure 6.
NOTE: If the starter rope becomes dis-
connected from rope guide on handle,
disconnect and ground the spark
plug wire. Depress the blade control
handle and pull the starter rope out
from engine slowly. Slip the starter
rope into the rope guide bolt on han-
dle.
SECURING THE CABLES (Hardware F)
Secure the cable to the left side of the han-
dle as follows.
WARNING: When attaching the con-
trol cables, the cables must be
routed to avoid contact with all
sharp edges and hot surfaces to
prevent damage to the cables,
which will render the control inoper-
ative.
•Insert posts on cable ties into holes pro-
vided on the inside of the handle, one on
the upper handle and one on the lower han-
dle. The holes may be either on the inside
or outside of the handles. See figure 7A.
•Secure the cables with the cable ties. See
figure 7B. Trim excess ends of cable ties.
Secure the cable to the left side of the han-
dle as follows.
INSTALLATION OF WHEELS
(Hardware E)
The three holes provide three cutting heights
for your mower. Use the same hole location
for all four wheels when assembling. See fig-
ure 8.
•Place axle bolt through wheel.
•Place one smaller
cupped washer
(with the cupped
side of washer to-
ward the deck
(away from wheel).
•Secure the wheel to deck with one larger
cupped washer on the inside of the deck
(cupped side against the deck) and hex nut.
Tighten securely. Assemble the other wheels
in the same manner.
ATTACHING CHUTE DEFLECTOR
CAUTION: Do not run your lawn
mower without chute deflector or an
approved grass catcher in place.
The deflector will deflect a
projectile thrown by the blade into
the lawn.
9
Figure 7
Figure 6
Rope Guide
Hex
Locknut
Starter Handle
Figure 8
Axle
Bolt
Hex
Nut
Smaller
Cupped
Washer
Larger
Cupped
Washer
Crowned
Side Cupped
Side
Post on
Cable Tie

The chute deflector provided is a safety de-
vice. Do not operate the mower unless the
chute deflector has been properly installed.
•Place the chute deflector in position on the
deck, aligning holes. See figure 9.
•Insert the carriage bolts from the underside
of the deck up through the chute deflector.
Secure each bolt with a flat washer and
locknut.
NOTE: Make certain all nuts and bolts
are tightened securely.
CONTROLS
RECOIL STARTER
The recoil starter handle is attached to the
handle. See figure 10. Stand behind the unit
in the operating position to start the unit.
BLADE CONTROL HANDLE
The blade control handle is located on the
upper handle of the mower. See figure 10.
The blade control handle must be depressed
in order to operate the unit. Release the
blade control handle to stop the engine and
blade.
OPERATION
BEFORE STARTING
Service the engine with gasoline and oil as
instructed in the separate engine manual
packed in your mower. Read instructions
carefully.
WARNING: Never fill fuel tank in-
doors, with engine running or until
the engine has been allowed to cool
for at least two minutes after run-
ning.
NOTE: This spark ignition system meets
all requirements of the Canadian Interfer-
ence-Causing Equipment Regulations.
TO START ENGINE AND ENGAGE BLADE
•Attach spark plug wire to spark plug. If unit
is equipped with a rubber boot over the end
of the spark plug wire, make certain the
metal loop on the end of the spark plug wire
(inside the rubber boot) is fastened securely
over the metal tip on the spark plug. See fig-
ure 11.
•Standing behind the unit, depress the blade
control handle and hold it against the upper
handle as shown in Figure 10.
•Grasp the recoil starter handle as shown
and pull slowly until resistance is felt, then
pull rapidly to start engine and avoid kick-
back. Return it slowly to the rope guide bolt.
NOTE: The blade control handle must
be depressed in order to operate the
unit. Release the blade control handle
to stop the engine and blade.
WARNING: THIS CONTROL MECH-
ANISM IS A SAFETY DEVICE.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO BYPASS ITS
OPERATIONS.
TO STOP ENGINE:
•Release the blade control handle to stop the
engine and blade.
WARNING: The blade continues to
rotate for a few seconds after the
engine is shut off.
10
Figure 11
Metal
Loop
on Spark Rubber Boot
Figure 9
Carriage
Bolt
Flat Washer
Hex Locknut
Figure 10
Starter
Handle
Blade Control
Handle