
HONDA ENGINE STARTUP
Position the On/Off lever and fuel valve to the ON
position, and the throttle lever to the idle position ( ).
If starting a cold engine, position the choke lever in the
CLOSED position indicated by the full choke icon ( ). A
warm engine may only need partial or no choke ( ).
Gently pull the recoil starter until mild resistance is
felt, then pull sharply to turn over the engine. Allow the
recoil starter to gently return to the retracted position.
Repeat pulling the recoil starter as needed until the
engine is running.
As the engine warms up, begin moving the choke lever
slowly to the OPEN position ( ). If the engine stalls,
repeat the entire startup process and proceed more
slowly in transitioning the choke from CLOSED to OPEN.
Allow the engine a few minutes to warm up in the idle
position before starting compaction.
To start compaction, move the throttle lever to the
FAST position, indicated by the icon of a rabbit ( ).
OPERATING THE PLATE COMPACTOR (EITHER ENGINE)
To begin the compaction process, set the throttle
to the FAST position ( ). The plate compactor will begin to travel forwards. Do not force the
plate compactor forward or attempt to retard its motion; its travel speed is pre-set for optimal
compaction.
Do not operate this machine with the throttle lever set to anything other than IDLE ( ) or FAST
( ); engine speeds in between idle or full throttle will cause premature wear to the clutch and
belts and provide inadequate compaction; such wear and tear is misuse and is not covered under
warranty.
Keep both hands on the plate compactor handle as it travels down your compaction surface,
and use gentle pressure on the handle to steer it as required.
To briefly pause compaction, set the throttle to the IDLE ( )position. Do not attempt to hold a
moving machine in a fixed position. Do not leave an idling compactor unattended. If the machine
will be unattended, follow the shutdown instructions listed under the “Powering off the Plate
Compactor” section.
Do not over-compact your soil. Not only is over-compaction a bad practice for jobsite
preparation, leading to a weaker substrate, but over-compaction may also have damaging effects
on your compactor, including increased wear and tear, as well as transmit a high hand-arm
vibration to the operator.
For useful suggestions on how to achieve the ideal level of soil compaction, see the “Tips for
Proper Compaction” section. If you are ever in doubt of how to prepare your surface for proper
compaction, consult your jobsite engineer for guidance.
HONDA ENGINE OPERATION (1)
HONDA ENGINE OPERATION (2)
ON/OFF LEVER
THROTTLE
LEVER
CHOKE
LEVER
FUEL
VALVE
USING THE WATER TANK
This single-direction plate compactor features an integrated water tank to distribute water under
the plate compactor. While compacting soil, water under the plate compactor can help with
jobsite dust control in dry climates. When finishing asphalt, adding water under the compactor
is imperative to improve surface finish of the asphalt and to prevent asphalt from sticking to the
bottom of the compactor.
The water tank can be filled by inserting a fill hose through the
slotted cap. The cap will help retain the hose while filling.
Alternatively, the cap can be removed when pouring water in.
To start or adjust the flow of water, open the water valve.
Always use clean water from a known source. Debris or hard
water will clog the distribution bar, reducing performance of the
water system. The distribution bar can be removed for
cleaning; frequent cleaning should be a point of routine
maintenance.
The water tank can be removed by lifting the tank off the
compactor. Depending on the model, the hose clamp holding the
water hose to the water distribution bar may need to be removed
to fully remove the water tank.
POWERING OFF THE PLATE COMPACTOR
To shut down the plate compactor during the workday, when further work is expected within 24
hours, position the throttle lever in the STOP ( ) position (Vanguard) or position the On/Off lever
to the OFF position (Honda).
To shut down the Honda engine equipped plate compactor and prepare it for short-term
storage (between 1 day and 30 days), position the throttle lever to the IDLE ( ) position while
the engine is still running, then position the fuel On/Off lever to the OFF position. Allow the
engine to consume the fuel in the carburetor until the engine shuts off, then turn the engine On/
Off switch to the OFF position. This procedure allows the carburetor to empty its fuel, which
reduces the chance for gumming or plugging of the carburetor.
For the Vanguard engine, there is no special power-down sequence for short-term (1 to 30 day)
storage. Follow the standard shutdown procedure listed above.
When preparing plate compactors of either engine type for short-term storage, it is always
recommended to treat the fuel with a fuel stabilizer to help ensure it is ready for its next
operation.
To prepare the plate compactor with either engine for extended storage (more than 30 days),
see the “Extended Storage” section.
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE
HONDA ENGINE: To shut down the Honda engine equipped plate compactor in an emergency
situation, position the On/Off switch to the OFF position.
VANGUARD ENGINE: To shut down the Vanguard engine equipped plate compactor in an
emergency situation, position the throttle lever to the STOP ( ) position.
WATER VALVE
WATER TANK & SPRAY BAR
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