Yard-Man 26M User manual

Safety • Assembly • Operation • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Engine • Parts Lists •Warranty
AOA AL
YaRD-MaN
22-inch Rotary Mower- Model 26M
iMPORTANT
READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION
Warning: Thisunitisequippedwithaninternalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyunimprovedforest-covered,brush-
coveredor grass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any).
If a sparkarresterisused,itshouldbemaintainedineffectiveworkingorderbytheoperator.IntheStateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw
(Section4442oftheCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Otherstatesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.A sparkarrester
forthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestengineauthorizedservicedealeror contacttheservicedepartment,RO.Box361131Cleveland,
Ohio44136-0019.
PRINTEDIN U.S.A. MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHiO 44136-0019 FORMNO.769-02298A
2/28/2006

This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new lawn mower, it will help you assemble,
prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.
Table of Contents
Slope Gauge ....................................................... 3
Safe Operation Practices ................................... 4
Setup and Adjustment ....................................... 6
Operating Your Lawn Mower .............................. 8
Maintaining Your Lawn Mower ......................... 10
Trouble Shooting .............................................. 12
Off-Season Storage and Safety Labels .......... 13
Engine Appendix .............................................. 14
Engine Safe Operation Practices ................. 14
Operating Your Engine .................................. 16
Maintaining Your Engine ............................... 18
Parts List ........................................................... 22
Warranty ............................................ Back Cover
Finding and Recording Model Number
BEFOREYOUBEGINASSEMBLINGYOURNEW
EQUIPMENT,pleaselocatethe modelplateonthe
equipmentand copythe informationtothe sample
modelplateprovidedtothe right.Youcan locatethe
modelplatebystandingat theoperatingpositionand
lookingdownatthe rearofthedeck.Thisinformation
willbe necessaryto usethe manufacturer'sweb
site,to obtainassistancefromthe CustomerSup-
port Department,orwhencontactingan authorized
servicedealer.
YaRD-MaN P. O. BOX 361131
CLEVELAND,OH 44136
www.yardman.com 330-220-4683
800-800-731 0J
Customer Support
Please do/VOTreturn the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased, without first
contacting Customer Support.
If you havedifficultyassemblingthis productor haveany questionsregardingthe controls, operation,or maintenanceof this
unit,youcan seek helpfrom theexperts. Choosefromthe optionsbelow:
• Visit us on the web atwww.yardman.corn
• Call a CustomerSupport Representativeat 1=800=800=7310.
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15°

RNING
This symbol points
out important safety
instructionswhich, if
notfollowed, could
endangerthe personal
i safety and/or property
ofyourself and others.
Readand follow all
instructionsinthis man-
ualbeforeattempting to
operatethis machine.
Failureto complywith
these instructionsmay
resultin personalinjury.
i When youseethis
symbol.
HEED iTS WARNING
Your
iFlesponsibility
I Restrictthe use
i of this powermachine
to personswho read.
understand
and followthewarnings
and instructions
in this manual
andon the machine.
WARNING: EngineExhaust,some of its constituents,andcertain vehiclecompo-
nentscontain or emit chemicals knownto Stateof Californiato cause cancerand
birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.
DANGER: Thismachinewas builtto beoperatedaccordingto the rulesfor safe operationinthis
manual.As with anytypeof powerequipment,carelessnessor erroronthe part ofthe operatorcan
result in seriousinjury.This machine iscapable of amputatinghands andfeet andthrowing objects.
Failureto observethe followingsafety instructionscould resultin serious injuryordeath.
Children
Tragicaccidentscanoccurifoperatorisnotalertto presence
ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedtomowerand mowing
activity.Theydonot understandthe dangers.Neverassume
thatchildrenwill remainwhereyoulastsawthem.
1. Keepchildrenoutofthe mowingareaand underwatchful
careofa responsibleadultotherthanthe operator.
2. Bealertandturnmoweroffif achildentersthearea.
3. Beforeand whilemovingbackwards,lookbehindanddown
forsmallchildren.
4. Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,
doorways,shrubs,trees,or otherobjectsthat mayobscure
yourvisionofachildwhomayrunintothe mower.
5. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycan
sufferburnsfroma hotmuffler.
6. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operateapower
mower.Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadand
understandoperationinstructionsandsafetyrulesinthis
manualandshouldbetrainedandsupervisedbyaparent.
General Operation
1. Readthisoperator'smanualcarefullyin its entiretybefore
attemptingtoassemblethismachine.Read,understand,
andfollowall instructionsonthe machineandin the
manual(s)beforeoperation.Becompletelyfamiliarwith
thecontrolsandthe properuseofthis machinebefore
operatingit. Keepthis manualin asafeplaceforfuture
andregularreferenceandfor orderingreplacementparts.
2. Thismachineisaprecisionpieceof powerequipment,
nota plaything.Therefore,exerciseextremecautionat all
times.Yourunithas beendesignedto performonejob: to
mowgrass.Do notuseit for anyotherpurpose.
3. Neverallow childrenunder14yearsoldto operatethis
machine.Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadand
understandthe instructionsinthismanualandshould
betrainedand supervisedbya parent.Onlyresponsible
individualswhoarefamiliarwiththeserulesofsafe
operationshouldbeallowedto usethismachine.
4. Thoroughlyinspectthe areawherethe equipmentisto
beused.Removeall stones,sticks,wire,bones,toysand
otherforeignobjectswhichcouldbetrippedoveror picked
upandthrownbythe blade.Thrownobjectscancause
seriouspersonalinjury.Planyourmowingpatternto avoid
dischargeof materialtowardroads,sidewalks,bystanders
andthe like.Also,avoiddischargingmaterialagainsta
wallorobstructionwhichmaycausedischargedmaterial
toricochetbacktowardtheoperator.
5. Tohelpavoidbladecontactorathrownobjectinjury,
stayinoperatorzonebehindhandlesandkeepchildren,
bystanders,helpers,and petsat least75feet frommower
whileit is inoperation.Stop machineifanyoneenters
area.
6. Alwayswearsafetyglassesor safetygogglesduringopera-
tionandwhile performinganadjustmentor repairtoprotect
youreyes.Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseserious
injurytothe eyes.
7. Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesand close-fitting
slacksandshirts.Shirtsand pantsthatcoverthe armsand
legsandsteel-toedshoesarerecommended.Neveroperate
this machinein barefeet,sandals,slipperyor lightweight
(e.g.canvas)shoes.
8. Do notputhandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor undercutting
deck.Contactwithbladecanamputatehandsandfeet.
9. Amissingor damageddischargecovercancauseblade
contactor thrownobject injuries.
10.Manyinjuriesoccurasa resultofthe mowerbeingpulled
overthefootduringafall causedby slippingor tripping.
Do notholdontothe mowerifyouarefalling;releasethe
handleimmediately.
11.Neverpullthe mowerbacktowardyouwhileyouare
walking.If youmustbackthe mowerawayfromawallor
obstructionfirstlookdownand behindtoavoidtrippingand
thenfollowthesesteps:
a. Stepbackfrommowertofully extendyourarms.
b. Besureyouarewellbalancedwithsurefooting.
c. Pullthe mowerbackslowly,no morethanhalfway
towardyou.
d. Repeatthesestepsas needed.
12.Do notoperatethe mowerwhileunderthe influenceof
alcoholordrugs.
13.Do notengage theself-propelledmechanismon unitsso
equippedwhilestartingengine.
14.Thebladecontrolhandleisa safetydevice.Neverattempt
tobypassitsoperation.Doingso makesthe safetydevice
inoperativeandmayresultin personalinjurythrough
contactwiththe rotatingblade.Thebladecontrolhandle
mustoperateeasily in bothdirectionsandautomatically
returntothe disengagedpositionwhenreleased.
15.Neveroperatethe mowerinwetgrass.Alwaysbesureof
yourfooting. A slipand fall cancauseseriouspersonal
injury.If youfeelyouarelosingyourfooting,releasethe
bladecontrolhandleimmediatelyand the bladewillstop
rotatingwithinthreeseconds.
16.Mowonlyin daylightor goodartificiallight.Walk,neverrun.
17.Stopthe bladewhencrossinggraveldrives,walksor roads.
18.Iftheequipmentshouldstartto vibrateabnormally,stopthe
engineand checkimmediatelyfor the cause.Vibrationis
generallya warningoftrouble.
19.Shutthe engineoff andwaituntilthe bladecomesto a
completestop beforeremovingthe grasscatcheror unclog-
gingthechute.
Thecuttingbladecontinuesto rotateforafewseconds
4

after theengineisshutoff. Neverplaceanypartofthe body
inthe bladearea untilyouaresurethe bladehasstopped
rotating.
20. Neveroperatemowerwithoutpropertrailshield,discharge
cover,grass catcher,bladecontrolhandle,or othersafety
protectivedevicesin placeand working.Neveroperate
mowerwithdamagedsafetydevices.Failuretodo so can
resultin personalinjury.
21. Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcan causea burn.Do
nottouch.
22.Onlyusepartsandaccessoriesmadeforthismachineby
manufacturer.Failuretodo socanresultinpersonalinjury.
23. If situationsoccurwhich arenotcoveredin thismanual,
usecareand goodjudgment.Contactyourdealerfor
assistance.Telephone[phone]for the nameofyour
nearestdealer.
Slope Operation
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedto slipandfallaccidentswhich
can resultinsevereinjury.Operationonslopesrequiresextra
caution.Ifyoufeeluneasyon aslope,do notmowit.Foryour
safety,usetheslopegaugeincludedaspartofthismanualto
measureslopesbeforeoperatingthisunitonaslopedor hilly
area.Iftheslopeisgreaterthan15degrees,donot mowit.
Do:
1. Mowacrossthe faceofslopes;neverup anddown.
Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectionon
slopes.
2. Watchfor holes,ruts,rocks, hiddenobjects,or bumpswhich
can causeyouto slipor trip. Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
3. Alwaysbesure ofyourfooting.A slip andfall cancause
seriouspersonalinjury.If youfeelyouarelosingyour
balance,releasethe bladecontrolhandleimmediately,and
the bladewill stoprotatingwithin3seconds.
Do Not:
1. Donot mowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments,where
you couldloseyourfootingor balance.
2. Donot mowslopesgreaterthan 15degreesasshownon
the slopegauge.
3. Donot mowon wetgrass.Unstablefootingcouldcause
slipping. Service
Safe HandlingOf Gasoline:
1. To avoidpersonalinjury orpropertydamageuseextreme
care inhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammable
andthevaporsareexplosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycan
occurwhengasolineisspilledonyourselforyourclothes
whichcanignite.
2. Washyourskin andchangeclothesimmediately.
3. Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.
4. Neverfillcontainersinsidea vehicleoron a truckor trailer
bedwitha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainersonthe
groundawayfromyourvehiclebeforefilling.
5. Removegas-poweredequipmentfromthe truckortrailer
and refuelit onthe ground.If thisis notpossible,then refuel
suchequipmentonatrailerwitha portablecontainer,rather
thanfroma gasolinedispensernozzle.
6. Keepthe nozzlein contactwiththe rimofthefueltank or
containeropeningat alltimesuntilfuelingis complete.Do
notusea nozzlelock-opendevice.
7. Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersources
of ignition.
8. Neverfuel machineindoorsbecauseflammablevaporswill
accumulatein thearea.
9. Neverremovegascap oradd fuelwhileengineishot or
running. Allowengineto coolatleasttwo minutesbefore
refueling.
10.Neveroverfillfueltank. Filltankto nomorethanY2inch
belowbottomoffiller neckto provideforfuelexpansion.
11.Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.
12.Ifgasolineis spilled,wipeitoff theengineand equipment.
Moveunittoanotherarea.Wait5minutesbeforestarting
engine.
13.Neverstorethe machineorfuel containernearanopen
flame,sparkor pilotlightasona waterheater,space
heater,furnace,clothesdryer,orothergas appliances.
14.Toreducefire hazard,keepmowerfreeofgrass,leaves,
orother debrisbuild-up.Cleanupoil orfuelspillageand
removeanyfuel soakeddebris.
15.Allowamowertocoolat least5 minutesbeforestoring.
GeneralService:
1. Neverrunanengineindoorsorin a poorlyventilatedarea.
Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessand
deadlygas.
2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertainthe
bladeandall movingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthe
sparkplugwireandgroundagainstthe engineto prevent
unintendedstarting.
3. Checkthe bladeandenginemountingboltsatfrequent
intervalsfor propertightness.Also,visuallyinspectbladefor
damage(e.g.,bent,cracked,worn)Replacebladewiththe
originalequipmentmanufacture's(O.E.M.)bladeonly,listed
inthismanual."Useof partswhichdo notmeetthe original
equipmentspecificationsmayleadto improperperformance
andcompromisesafety!"
4. Mowerbladesaresharpandcancut.Wrapthebladeor wear
gloves,anduseextracautionwhenservicingthem.
5. Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstightto besurethe equip-
mentis insafeworkingcondition.
6. Nevertamperwithsafetydevices.Checktheirproperopera-
tionregularly.
7. Afterstrikinga foreignobject,stopthe engine,discon-
nectthesparkplugwireandgroundagainsttheengine.
Thoroughlyinspectthe mowerforanydamage.Repairthe
damagebeforestartingandoperatingthe mower.
8. Neverattemptto makeawheelor cuttingheightadjustment
whiletheengineis running.
9. Grasscatchercomponents,dischargecover,andtrail
shieldaresubjecttowear anddamagewhichcould expose
movingpartsor allowobjectsto bethrown.Forsafety
protection,frequentlycheckcomponentsandreplaceim-
mediatelywithoriginalequipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)
partsonly,listedinthis manual."Useofpartswhichdo
notmeetthe originalequipmentspecificationsmayleadto
improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!"
10.Do notchangetheenginegovernorsettingor overspeedthe
engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe maximumsafeoperating
speedoftheengine.
11.Maintainor replacesafetylabels,asnecessary.
12.Observeproperdisposallawsandregulations.Improper
disposaloffluidsand materialscanharmtheenvironment.
5
WARNING
This symbol points
out importantsafety
instructionswhich, if
notfollowed,could
endangerthe personal
safety and/or property
ofyourself andothers.
Readand followall
instructions inthis man-
ual beforeattemptingto
operatethis machine.
Failureto comply with
these instructionsmay
result in personalinjury.
Whenyousee this
symbol.
HEED iTS WARNING
Your
Responsibility
Restrictthe use
ofthis powermachine
to personswho read.
understand
and followthe warnings
and instructions
inthis manual
and onthe machine.

T_:_ X
f1. Forshippingpurposes,thechutedeflectoron your
discarded before
operatingthe moWer.
NOTE:Yourmower
s shippedwith the
handle in thehigher
height position.
NOTE: Eachend of
the lowerhandlemust
beplaced in the same
relativeoosition.
IMPORTANT
This unit isshipped
without gasolineor oil
in the engine. Fill up
gasoline and oilas
instructedin the engine
operation section
BEFOREoperating
your mower.
Step 1
Step 2
mowerisheldinan uprightpositionbya retainer.
Removetheretaineras follows:
a. Push chutedeflectoruptowardsengine.Holding
deflectorin thisposition,removetheretainerand
discard.SeeStep1.
b. Lowerthechutedeflectorcarefullykeepingyour
fingersoutoftheway.
,_ WARNING: The chute retainer
must be removed and discarded
before operating the mower.
.Performthefollowingsequenceforhandlesetup:
a. LifttheupperhandleupfromfoldedpositionAand
pullittoextendedpositionBfollowingthearrowin
Step2.Thehandleshouldclickintothisposition.
b. Makesurethecarriageboltis seatedproperly
in thehandle.Tightenwingnutssecuringupper
handletothelowerhandle
3. If satisfiedwith heightof handle,tightenwingnuts
attheendsofthelowerhandleshownin Step3.For
convenienceof operating,youmayadjustthehandle
heightbyremovingthewingnutsshownin Step3 and
removingthelowerhandle.
a. Positioneachhandlebracketstudintothetophole
in thelowerhandle.SeeStep3 inset.
b. Tightenthewingnuts.
4. Insertpostoncabletiesintoholesprovidedon the
lowerhandle.Pullcabletietightandtrimexcess.See
Step4.
f
Step 3Step 4
6

5. RopeguideSetupasfollowsin Step5:
a. Holdthebladecontrolagainsttheupperhandle.
b. Slowlypullstarterropeoutofengine.
c. Slipstarterropeintotheropeguide.
d. Tightenropeguidewingnut.
6. Eachwheelhasa heightadjustmentlevertochange
thecuttingheightofthe mower.
a. Depressheightadjustmentlevertowardswheel.
b. Slidelevertodesiredpositionfora changein
cuttingheight.SeeStep6.
c. Releaselevertowardsdeck.
7. Installmulchingbaffleonthe rightsideofthemower
followingthestepsbelow:
a. Lift upandholdtheside-dischargechutedeflector
andinsertbottomlip ofthemulchingbaffleinside
thechuteopeningSeeStep7.
b. Snaphooksdthemulchingbaffleoverthehinge
pinofthechutedeflector.Thehooksmustsnap
intoplaceon thehingepin,lockingthemulching
bafflefirmlyontomower.Releasechutedeflector.
Step 5
Step 6
CUTTINGHEIGHT
Step 6
Allwheels must be
placedinthe same
relativeposition. For
roughor unevenlawns,
movethe heightadjust-
mentleverto a higher
position,This will stop
scalping of grass.
MULCHING BAFFLE
Step 7
Forproperassembly,
installbottom lipinside
chute opening before
placinghooks overthe
hingepin.
iMPORTANT
Thisunit isshipped
without gasolineoroil
in the engine.Fill up
gasolineand oil as
instructedin the engine
operationsection
BEFOREoperating
yourmower.
Step 7
7

WARNING
The blade control
mechanism is a
safety device. Never
attempt to bypass its
operations.
IUseextreme care
when handling
gasoline.Gasoline is
extremely flammable
and the vapors are
explosive. Never fuel
the machine indoors
or while the engine
is hot or running.
Extinguish cigarettes,
cigars, pipes and
other sources of
ignition.
Keep hands and feet
away from the chute
area on cutting deck.
Referto warning
label onthe unit.
Know Your Lawn Mower
Control
Drive Control
Recoil
Starter
Control
GasolineFill
Mulching
Height Adjustment
Levers
Figure 1
Nowthatyouhavesetupyourlawnmower,it'simportant
tobecomeacquaintedwith itscontrolsandfeatures.
Blade Control
Thebladecontrolisattachedtothe upperhandleof
themower.Depressand squeezeitagainsttheupper
handletooperatetheunit. Releaseittostopengineand
blade.
,__ WARNING:Thisblade control mecha-
nism isasafetydevice. Neverattempt
to bypass itsoperations.
Drive Control
Thedrivecontrolislocatedontheundersideofthe
upperhandleand isusedtoengagethedrive.Squeeze
itagainsttheupperhandleto engagethedrive; release
ittoslowdownor stopmowerfrompropelling.
Mulching Baffle
insteadofcollectingthegrassclippingsinthegrass
catcher,yourmowerhastheoptionof recirculatingthe
clippingsbacktothelawn.Removegrasscatcher(if
applicable),andoperatewiththemulchingbaffleonly
forthispurpose.
Recoil Starter
Therecoilstarteris attachedtotherightupperhandle.
Standbehindtheunitand pullthe recoilstarterropeto
startthe unit.
Choke Control
Thechokecontrolislocatedontheleftsideofthehandle
andwhenactivated,closesthechokeplateon the
carburetorandaidsin startingtheengine.
Gas and Oil Fill-Up
1. Addoilprovidedbeforestartingunitforthefirsttime
outofthebox.Followengineoperationsectionfor
this.
2. Servicetheenginewithgasolineasinstructedinthe
engineoperationsection.
__L ARNING:Useextremecarewhenhan-
dling gasoline.Gasolineis extremely
flammableand the vapors areexplosive.
Neverfuel the machine indoorsor while
the engine ishot or running. Extinguish
cigarettes, cigars, pipesand other
sources of ignition.
Cutting Height Adjustment Levers
Oneadjustmentleveris locatedon eachwheelandis
usedtoadjustthecuttingheight.All fourleversmustbe
atthesamepositiontoensurea uniformcut.
8

,,,
_ARNING:The operationof any lawn if
mowercanresult inforeign objects
being thrownintothe eyes,whichcan
damageyoureyesseverely.Always
wearsafetyglasseswhileoperating
the mower,or whileperforming any
adjustmentsor repairson it.
Starting Engine
WARNING:Besureno one otherthan
,_i_ theoperatorisstandingnearthe lawn
mowerwhilestartingengine or operat-
ingmower.Neverrun engineindoors
orin enclosed,poorly ventilatedareas.
Engine exhaustcontainscarbon monox-
ide,an odorlessand deadly gas. Keep
hands, feet,hair and loose clothing
awayfrom any moving partson engine
and lawnmower. Figure 2
WARNING:Alwayskeep hands
and feet clear of equipment
movingparts. Do not usea pres-
surized startingfluid. Vaporsare
flammable.
Besurelawnisclearofstones,sticks,wire,orother
objectswhichcoulddamagelawnmoweror engine.
Suchobjectscouldbeaccidentlythrownbythemower
inanydirectionandcauseseriouspersonalinjurytothe
operatorandothers.
1. Pulloutthechokeknoblocatedon theleftsideof the
upperhandle.See Figure2.
NOTE:Useofthechokemaybe necessaryiftheengine
iswarmor theair temperatureishigh.
2. Standingbehindthe mower,depressthebladecontrol
and holditagainsttheupperhandle.
3. Pullthestartergriplightlyuntilresistanceisfelt,
thenpullrapidlytoovercomecompression,prevent
kickbackandstartengine.Repeatifnecessary.See
Figure2.
IMPORTANT:Donotallowthestartergriptosnap
backagainsttheropeguide.Returnitgentlytoprevent
damagetothe starter.
4. Whenenginewarmsup,pushinthechokeknob.See
Figure2.
Stopping Engine
1. Releasebladecontroltostoptheengineand blade.
UsingYour Lawn Mower
_ ARNING:Neveroperateyour mower
without eitherthe rear door or the entire
grass catcher assembly firmly secured.
WARNING:ifyou strike aforeign
object,stopthe engine.Remove
spark plug boot from the spark plug,
thoroughly inspectmower for any
damage,and repair damagebefore
restartingand operating.Extensive
vibration ofmowerduring operation
isan indicationofdamage.Theunit
should be promptly inspectedand
repaired.
1. Oncetheengineisrunning,squeezethedrive
controlagainsttheupperhandleto propelmower.
2. Forbest results,do notcut wetgrass.
3. Fora healthierlawn,nevercut offmorethanone-
thirdofthetotallengthofthegrass.
Using as Mulcher
Formulchinggrass,removethegrasscatcher(if
apllicable)andinstallmulchingbafflefollowinginstruc-
tionsonpage7.
1. Foreffectivemulching,do notcut wetgrass.
2. Newor thickgrassmayrequirea narrowercut.
Adjustgroundspeedaccordingtoconditionoflawn.
3. If thegrasshasbeenallowedto growinexcessof
4inches,mulchingisnotrecommended.Usethe
grasscatchertobagclippingsinstead.
Mower
WARNING
The operation of any
lawn mower can result
inforeign objects
being thrown into
the eyes, which can
damage your eyes
severely. Always wear
safety glasseswhile
operating the mower,
or while performing
any adjustments or
repairs on it.
Be sureno one other
than the operator is
standing near the lawn
mower while starting
engine or operating
mower. Never run
engine indoorsor
n enclosed, poorly
ventilated areas. En-
gineexhaust contains
carbon monoxide, an
odorless and deadly
gas. Keep hands,feet,
hair and loose clothing
away from any moving
partson engine and
lawn mower.
9

A ,vavs
disconnectspark
plugl and ground
performingany type
Wedo not rec0mmend
ithe useofa pressure
washerorgarden
hoseto clean
uniL These maycause
damage to e ectriC
compOnentSspindles
pulleys;bearingS,or
the enginel The use
of water Willresult in
shorten edlife and
reduceServiceability,
f
Figure 3
General Recommendations
1. Alwaysobservesafetyruleswhenperforming
anymaintenance.
2. Thewarrantyon thislawnmowerdoesnotcover
itemsthathavebeensubjectedtooperatorabuse
ornegligence.Toreceivefullvaluefromwarranty,
operatormustmaintainthelawnmoweras
instructedhere.
3. Changingofengine-governedspeedwillvoid
enginewarranty.
4. Alladjustmentsshouldbecheckedat leastonce
eachseason.
5. Periodicallycheckallfastenersand makesurethese
aretight.
Lubrication
1. Lubricatepivotpointson thebladecontrolanddrive
controlatleastoncea seasonwithlightoil.These
controlsmustoperatefreelyinbothdirections.See
Figure3.
2. Lubricatethewheelsatleastoncea seasonwith
lightoil (ormotoroil). If wheelsareremovedforany
reason,lubricatesurfaceofthepivotarmandinner
surfaceof thewheelwithlightoil.SeeFigure3.
3. Lubricatethetorsionspringandpivotpointoneach
endofthesidemulchingplug/chutedeflectorperiodi-
callywithlightoil topreventrust.SeeFigure3.
4. Thetransmissionispre-lubricatedand sealedatthe
factoryanddoesnotrequirelubrication.
5. Followtheenginemaintenancesectionforlubrication
scheduleandinstructionforenginelubrication.
Deck Care
1. Disconnectsparkplugboot.Draingasolinefrom lawn
mower,or placea pieceof plasticunderthegascap.
2. Tipmowersothat itrestsonthe housing.Keepthe
sidewiththeaircleanerfacingup.Holdmowerfirmly.
WARNING:Nevertip the mowermore
than 90 degreesin anydirections and
do not leavethe mower tipped for any
length of time. Oil can drain intothe
upper part of the engine causinga
starting problem.
3. Scrapeandcleantheundersideofthedeckwitha
suitabletool.Donotspraywithwater.
4. Putthemowerbackonitswheelsontheground.If
youhadputplasticunderthegascapearlier,make
sureto removeitnow.
_bL ARNING:Alwaysstop engine,
disconnect spark plug, and ground
against engine beforecleaning,
lubricatingor doing any kind of
maintenanceon your machine.
Engine Care
1. Maintainoil levelasinstructedintheenginemainte-
nancesection.
.Serviceaircleanerevery25 hoursundernormal
conditions.Cleaneveryfewhoursunderextremely
dustyconditions.Refertotheenginemaintenance
section.
3. Cleansparkplugand resetthegaponcea season.
Checktheenginemaintenancesectionforcorrect
plugtypeandgapspecifications.
4. Cleanengineregularlywitha clothorbrush.Keepthe
coolingsystem(blowerhousingarea)cleantopermit
properaircirculation.Removeall grass,dirtand
combustibledebrisfrommufflerarea.
10

Blade Care
__lk ARNING:Whenremovingcutting
bladefor sharpeningor replacement,
protectyourhandswithapairof heavy
gloves or usea heavy ragto hold blade.
1. Disconnectsparkplugbootfrom sparkplug.Turn
moweron itssidemakingsurethattheairfilterand
thecarburetorareup.
2. Removebolt,bladebellsupport,blade,andblade
adapterfromtheenginecrankshaft.SeeFigure4.
3. Thebladecanbe sharpenedwitha fileor on a grind-
ing wheel.Donotattempttosharpenthebladewhile
it isstillon themower.Whensharpeningblade,follow
originalangleofgrind.Grindcuttingedgesequallyto
keepbladebalanced.
4. Removebladefromtheadapterfortestingbalance.
Balancethebladeona roundshaftscrewdriverto
check.Removemetalfromtheheavysideuntilit
balancesevenly.
Figure 4
_ WARNING:Anunbalanced bladewill
causeexcessivevibration whenrotating
athigh speeds, itmay causedamage
to mower,and could breakcausing
personalinjury.
5. Lubricatetheenginecrankshaftandtheinnersurface
ofthebladeadapterwithlightoil.Slidetheblade
adapterontotheenginecrankshaft.Placetheblade
on theadaptersuchthatthesideoftheblademarked
"Bottom"(orwithpartnumber)facesthegroundwhen
themowerisin theoperatingposition.Makesurethat
bladeisalignedandseatedon bladeadapterflanges.
6. Placebladebellsupportonthe blade.Alignnotches
on thebladebell supportwith smallholesin blade.
Replacehexboltandtightenhexboltto torque:450
in.Ibs.rain.,600 in.Ibs.max.
Toensuresafeoperationofyourmower,periodically
checkthebladeboltforcorrecttorque.
Belt Care
1. Removethefrontdrivecoverbyslidingoffthe
two plasticrivetson eachsideofthecoverwitha
screwdriver.SeeFigure5.
2. Loosenscrewholdingbelttensionspringtotrans-
mission.SeeFigure5 inset.Donotremovescrew
completely.Asyouloosenit, tensiononthebeltwillbe
released.
.Pushtransmissionup a littleandslidebeltoffthe
transmissionpulley.Lift mowertoaccessbeltfrom
undersideofmower.Slidebeltoff ofenginepulleyand
aroundtheblade.SeeFigure6.
Figure 5
Figure 6
4. Replacewith newbelt,workingaroundblade.Make
surebeltisfirmlyseatedonenginepulleywhile
pullingfromtheothersideand slidingitaroundthe
transmissionpulley.Tightenscrewloosenedearlier
tosecurebelttensionspringtothetransmission.
Reassemblefrontdrivecover.
11
_ _ i i i iii _ _ ii _i ii ii
Maintaining
You r LaWn
MOwer
WARNING
When removing
the cutting blade
for sharpening or
replacement or
when sliding the belt
around it, protect
your hands with a
pair of heavy gloves
or use a heavy rag to
hold the blade.
An unbalanced blade
will cause excessive
vibrationwhen rotat-
ing at high speeds. It
may cause damage
to mower, and could
break causing per-
sonal injury.

Problem Cause Remedy
En inef Istostart 1 Badecontro d sengaged 1 Engageb adecontro
g a ....
2. Sparkplugbootdisconnected. 2. Connectwireto sparkplug•
3. Fueltankemptyor stalefuel• 3. Filltankwithclean,freshgasoline•
4. CHOKEnotactivated• 4 Chokeengineas instructed-in
a t ug. OperatingYourLawnMower.
Trouble
Shootin 2. F ulysparkpl 5. Clean,adjustgap orreplace
6. Blockedfuel line. 6. Cleanfuelline.
7. Engineflooded. 7. Waita fewminutestorestart.
Engineruns erratic 1. Sparkplugbootloose. 1. Connectand tightenspark
plugboot.
2. Blockedfuellineor stalefuel. 2. Cleanfuelline;fill tankwithclean,
freshgasoline.
3. Ventingascapplugged. 3. Clearvent.
4. Waterordirt infuelsystem. 4. Drainfueltank.Refillwith
freshfuel.
5. Dirtyaircleaner. 5. Refertoenginemaintenance
Forrepairsbeyond section.
the minor adjust- 6. UnitrunningwithCHOKEapplied. 6. PushCHOKEknobin.
ments listed here,
contact an authorized Engineoverheats 1. Engineoil levellow. 1. Fillcrankcasewithproperoil.
service dealer. 2. Airflow restricted. 2. Removebower housing
andclean.
Occasional skips 1. Sparkpluggaptooclose. 1. Adjustgapto.030".
(hesitates)at
highspeed
Idles oorl 1 Sparkpug foued fauty or gap 1 Resetgapto 030" or repace
P Y •toowide. sparkplug.
2. Dirtyaircleaner. 2. Referto enginemaintenance
secton.
Excessive 1. Cuttingbladelooseor unbalanced. 1. Tightenbladeandadapter.
Vibration Balanceblade.
2. Bentcuttingblade. 2. Seean authorizedservicedealer.
not I 1. Wetgrass. 1. Donotmowwhengrassiswet;
Mowerwill
mulch rass(If wat unti aterto cut
g
Equpped) 2 Excessivel h h rass 2 Mowonceata h ghcuttngheght
Y g g " " thenmowagainatdesiredheight
I or makea narrowercuttingpath.
3 Dullblade
• " 3. Sharpenor replaceblade.
Unevencut 1. Wheelsnotpositionedcorrectly. 1. Placeall fourwheelsinsame
heightposition.
2. Dullblade. 2. Sharpenor replaceblade.
Mower will Rot 1. Beltnotinstalledproperly. 1. Checkbeltfor properpulleyinstal-
If r I atonandmovement
se pope I 2. Debrs coggng drveoperaton. 2. Stopengne,dsconnectsparkpug
I bootandcleanoutdebris.
3. Damagedorwornbelt. 3. Inspectand replacebelt.
'% .......... 12

Off-Season Storage
Thefollowingstepsshouldbetakentoprepareyourlawn
mowerforstorage.
1. Cleanandlubricatemowerthoroughlyasdescribedin
thelubricationinstructions.
2. Wedonotrecommendtheuseofa pressurewasher
or gardenhosetocleanyourunit.
3. Refertoenginemanualforcorrectengine
storageinstructions.
4. Coatmower'scuttingbladewithchassisgreaseto
preventrusting.
5. Storemowerina dry,cleanarea.Donotstorenext
tocorrosivematerials,suchas fertilizer.
Whenstoringanytypeof powerequipmentin a poorly
ventilatedor metalstorageshed,careshouldbetaken
torust-prooftheequipment.Usinga lightoil or silicone,
coattheequipment,especiallycablesandall moving
partsofyourlawnmowerbeforestorage.
Safety Labels Found On Your Lawn Mower
engine.Readand follow Operating Instructions before running 1
Gasoline is flammable. Allow engine to cool at least /
2 minutes before refueling. J
Engines emit carbon monoxide. DO NOT run in enclosed
area.
13
_i _i i _iii i__ i iii ii_
DONOTremove safety
(or any) labels from
mower for any reason.

WARNING
Gasolineand itsvapors
areextremelyflam-
mableand explosive.
, Fireor explosioncan
causesevereburns
i or death.If gasolineis
spilledonyourselfor
yourclothes,washyour
I skinand changeclothes
_immediately.
i Starting enginecreates
i sparking.Sparkingcan
I ignitenearbyflamma-
I
b e gases. Explosion
and fire could result.
Unintentionalsparking
can resultin fire or
electric shock. Unin-
tentional start-up can
result in entanglement,
:raumaticamputation,
or laceration.
WARNING: Gasoline and its vaporsare extremelyflammableand explosive.Fireor
explosioncancause severe burnsor death. Ifgasoline isspilled onyourself oryour
clothes,wash yourskin and change clothes immediately.
Gasolineand its vaporsare
extremely flammable and
explosive.Fire or explosioncan
cause severe burns or death. If
gasoline isspilled on yourself
or yourclothes, wash your skin
and change clothes immediately.
o
o
o
Whenaddingfuel,turnengineOFFandletengine
coolat least2 minutesbeforeremovinggascap.
Fillfueltankoutdoorsor inwellventilatedarea.
Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.
Neverfillcontainersinsideavehicleor ona truckor
trailerbedwitha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontain-
ersonthegroundawayfromyourvehiclebefore
filling.
•If possible,removegas-poweredequipmentfromthe
truckor trailerandrefueliton theground.Ifthis is
notpossible,thenrefuelsuchequipmentona trailer
witha portablecontainer,ratherthanfroma gasoline
dispensernozzle.
•Keepthenozzlein contactwiththerimof thefuel
tankorcontaineropeningat alltimesuntilfuelingis
complete.Donotusea nozzlelock-opendevice.
•Donotoverfillfueltank.Filltanktoapproximately
2 cmbelowlowestportionof necktoallowforfuel
expansion.
•Keepgasolineawayfromsparks,openflames,pilot
lights,heat,andotherignitionsources.
•Neverfuelequipmentindoorsbecauseflammable
vaporswillaccumulatein thearea.
•Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipes,andother
sourcesofignition.
•Checkfuelline,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyfor
cracksor leaks.Replaceif necessary.
•Whenstartingengine,makesuresparkplug,muffler,
fuelcapandaircleanerarein place.
•Donotcrankenginewithsparkplugremoved.
•If fuelspills,waituntilitevaporatesbeforestarting
engine.
•Whenoperatingequipment,donottipengineor
equipmentatanglewhichcausesgasolinetospill.
•Donotchokecarburetorto stopengine.
•Whentransportingequipment,transportwithfueltank
EMPTY.
Whenstoringgasolineorequipmentwithfuelin tank,
storeawayfromfurnaces,stoves,waterheatersor
otherappliancesthathavepilotlightorotherignition
sourcebecausetheycanignitegasolinevapors.
,_ Starting engine creates spark-
ing. Sparking can ignite nearby
__ flammable gases. Explosion and
fire could result.
•If thereisa naturalor LPgasleakageinarea,donot
startengine.
•Donotusepressurizedstartingfluidsbecausevapors
areflammable.
_ ngines give off carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless, colorless,
poisonous gas. Breathing carbon
monoxide can cause nausea,
fainting, or death.
•Startandrunengineoutdoors.
•Donotstartor runengineinenclosedarea,evenif
doorsor windowsare open.
__ nintentional sparking can result
infire or electric shock. Unin-
tentional start-up can result in
entanglement, traumatic amputa-
tion, or laceration.
•Beforepeformingadjustmentsor repairs,disconnect
sparkplugwireand keepitawayfromsparkplug.
•Whentestingforspark,useapprovedsparkplug
tester.
•Donotcheckforsparkwithsparkplug removed.
14

Runningengineproduces heat.
Engineparts, especially muffler,
become extremely hot. Severe
thermal burns can occur on
contact. Combustibledebris,
suchas leaves,grass, brush, etc.,
cancatchfire.
• Allowmuffler,enginecylinder,andfinstocoolbefore
touching.
• Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.They
can sufferburnsfroma hotmuffler.
Removeaccumulatedcombustiblesfrommufflerand
cylinderarea.
_ Rotating engine partscan
contactor entangle hands, feet,
hair, clothing,or accessories.
Traumaticamputation or severe
lacerationcan result.
Operateequipmentwithguardsin place.
Keephandsandfeetawayfromrotatingparts.
SafetyAlert
• Tieuplonghairand removejewelry.
Donotwearloose-fittingclothing,danglingdraw-
stringsor itemsthatcouldbecomecaught.
,__ Rapid retractionof starter cord
(kickback) will pull hand and
arm toward engine faster than
you can let go. Brokenbones,
fractures, bruisesor sprains
could result.
•Whenstartingengine,pullcordslowlyuntilresis-
tanceisfelt,thenpullrapidly.
•Removeall externalequipment/engineloadsbefore
startingengine.
•Directcoupledequipmentcomponentssuchas, but
notlimitedtoblades,impellers,pulleys,sprockets,
etc.,mustbesecurelyattached.
Safety Label Location
Thislabelwarnsyouofpotentialhazardsthat can
causeseriousinjury.Readitcarefully.SeeFigure1for
explanationof symbols.
If thelabelcomesoffor becomeshardtoread,contact
thedealerforreplacement.
International Symbols and Meanings
A
Hot Surface ToxicFumes GasolineIs
Flammable
ReadOwner's UnleadedFuel Start Run
Manual Figure 1
15
WARNING
Runningengine
produces heat.Engine
parts,especially muf-
fler, become extremely
hot. Severethermal
burnscan occuron
contact.Combustible
debris,suchas leaves,
grass,brush, etc., can
catch fire.
Rotatingengineparts
can contactorentangle
hands,feet. hair.cloth-
ing,or accessories.
Traumaticamputation
orseverelaceration
can result.
Rapidretractionof
startercord (kickback)
will pull handand
armtowardengine
fasterthan you can
let go. Broken bones.
fractures, bruisesor
sprainscould result.

IMPORTANT:Thisengine
isshippedwithoutgaso-
lineoroil inthe engine.
Runningthe enginewith
insufficientoil cancause
seriousenginedamage
andvoidthe engine
warranty.
IMPORTANT:Usingnon-
detergentoilor2-stroke
engineoilcouldshorten
the engine'sservicelife.
Besureto checkthe
engineon a levelsurface
withthe enginestopped.
Know Your Engine
f Fuel Cap
Starter
Grip
Air Cleaner
Oil Fiii Cap
Oil Drain
Mufflel Spark Plug
:!P65Eng!neSh°w ,
Figure9-1:Themajorcomponentsoftheengine.Theshroudonyourenginemaydiffer.
Readthissectionbeforestartingyourlawnmowerengine.Comparetheillustrationsin Figure9-1withyourlawn
mowerenginetofamiliarizeyourselfwiththelocationofvariouscontrolsandadjustments.
Pre-Operation Check
Oil Recommendations
IMPORTANT:Thisengineis shippedwithoutgasolineor
oil intheengine.Runningtheenginewithinsufficientoil
cancauseseriousenginedamageandvoidtheengine
warranty.
• Beforestartingengine,fillwithoil. Donotover-fill.Oil
capacityisabout20oz.
Usea 4-stroke,oran equivalenthighdetergent,
premiumqualitymotoroilcertifiedtomeetorexceed
U.S.automobilemanufacturer'srequirementsforservice
classificationSG,SE MotoroilsclassifiedSG,SFwill
showthis designationon thecontainer.
SAE10W-30is recommendedforgeneral,alltem-
peratureuse.If singleviscosityoil isused,selectthe
appropriateviscosityfortheaveragetemperaturein your
areafromthecharttotheright.
m30
20w40, 20w50 _ _ _ _
t I iv
15w40, 15w50=m=_ ==== mmm _ ====hb,,
V
®,10w40 ______
10w30 __mm=__m
(°C}-30 ° -20° -10° 0° 10° 200 300 400
(°F)-20o 0o 200 400 600 80° 1000
Ambient Temperature
1. SingleViscosity
2. MultiViscosity
IMPORTANT:Using nondetergent oil or 2-stroke
engineoil couldshortenthe engine'sservicelife.
16

.
3.
Check Oil Level
iMPORTANT:Besure to checkthe engine onalevel
surfacewith theengine stopped.
1. Removetheoil fillercapandwipethedipstickclean,
Figure9-2.
Insertthedipstickintotheoil fillerneck,butdo not
screwitin.
If thelevelislow,slowlyaddoil totheupperlimiton
thedipstick.
4. Tightendipstickfirmlybeforestartingengine.
iMPORTANT:Donot overfill. Overfilling with oil may
causesmoking,hardstarting, spark plugfouling, or
oil saturation of air cleaner.
Fuel Recommendations
Useautomotivegasoline(Unleadedor Iowleadedto
minimizecombustionchamberdeposits).Neverusean
oil/gasolinemixtureor dirtygasoline.Avoidgettingdirt,
dust,or waterinthefueltank.
_ARNING:Gasoline isextremelyflam-mableand isexplosiveunder certain
conditions.
Refuel inawell-ventilatedarea with theengine
stopped. Donot smoke or allow flames or sparks
inthe areawhere the engine isrefueledor where
gasoline isstored.
Donot overfill thefuel tank (thereshouldbe no fuel
inthe filler neck). Afterrefueling, makesure thetank
cap isclosed properlyand securely.
Be careful not to spill fuel when refueling. Spilled
fuel or fuel vapormayignite.If anyfuel isspilled,
makesure the areaisdry beforestarting the engine.
Avoidrepeatedor prolongedcontact with skin or
breathing of vapor.
Check Fuel Level
1. Cleanaroundfuelfill beforeremovingcaptofuel.
2. Filltankto approximatelyoneinchbelowlowest
portionofnecktoallowforfuelexpansion.Becareful
notto overfill.
iMPORTANT:Beforerefueling,allow engineto cool
two minutes.
Starting The Engine
_ARNING:Alwayskeephandsand
feet clearofequipmentmoving parts.
Donot usea pressurizedstarting fluid.
Vaporsare flammable.
1. Pulloutthechokeknoblocatedontheleft sideofthe
upperhandle,Figure9-3.
NOTE:Useof the chokemaynot be necessary ifthe
engine iswarm or the air temperature ishigh.
Figure9-2:Checkingtheoil level.
Figure9-3:Startingthe mower.(Yourmowermaydifferfrom
thatshown)
2. Standingbehindthemower,depressthebladecontrol
handleandholditagainsttheupperhandle.
3. Pullthe startergrip lightlyuntilresistanceisfelt,
thenpull rapidlytoovercomecompression,prevent
kickbackandstartengine.Repeatifnecessary.
iMPORTANT:Donot allow thestartergripto snap
back against the rope guide. Return itgently to
preventdamageto the starter.
4. Whenenginewarmsup,pushinthechokeknob.
Stopping The Engine
1. Releasethebladecontrolhandle.
Your
WARNING
A!waykeophandsaod
feet clear ofequipment
moving Parts,Donot usea
Pressurizedstarting fluid,
Vaporsareflammable,
IMPORTANT:Donot
allowthe starter grip to
snapbackagainst the
engine. Returnitgently
....................
starter.
17

Shut off the engine
any maintenance;To
preventaccidental
start,upi disconnect
Beforetippingengine
or equipment to
drain oil, drainfuel i
fromtank by running
;ngine until fuel tank
;empty;
IMPORTANT
Besureto check
engineon
surface with the engine
stopped: Drainthe oil
while theengine iSstili
warm to assure rapid
and Completedraining:
i
_ARNING:Shut off theenginebefore
performing any maintenance.To
prevent accidental start-up, disconnect
the spark plug boot.
IMPORTANT:Ifenginemustbe tippedtotransport
equipmentorto inspector removegrass,keepspark
plugsideofengineup.Transportingor tippingengine
sparkplugdownmaycausesmoking,hardstarting,
sparkplugfouling,or oil saturationofaircleaner.
Periodicinspectionandadjustmentof theengineis
essentialifhighlevelperformanceisto bemaintained.
Regularmaintenancewillalsoensurea longservicelife.
Therequiredserviceintervalsandthekindofmainte-
nancetobe performedare describedin thetablebelow.
Followthehourlyor calendarintervals,whicheveroccur
first.Morefrequentserviceis requiredwhenoperatingin
adverseconditions.
fTasks
ChangeEngine
Oil
ServiceAir
Cleaner
Service Spark
Plug
CleanAround
Muffler
Eachuseor
every5 hours
First5 hours
v"
Maintenance Schedule
Everyseason Everyseason
or 25 hours or 50hours
1 Servicemorefrequentlywhenusedindustyareas.
ff Ifoperatingunderheavyloador highambienttemperature.
Everyseason
or 100hours
v"
v"
ServiceDates_
Plug
Oil Change
IMPORTANT:Be suretocheckengineona levelsurface
withtheenginestopped.Draintheoilwhiletheengineis
stillwarmto assurerapidandcompletedraining.
Removeoilfillcapanddrainoilbyeitherremoving
drainplugor turningmoweron itsside(aircleanerside
up)andallowingoil todrainintoa suitablecontainer.
SeeFigure5.
__IL WARNING:Beforetipping engineor
equipmentto drain oil, drain fuel from
tank byrunningengineuntil fuel tank is
empty.
Figure 5
Oil Service
• Checkoil levelregularly.
• Besurecorrectoil levelismaintained.Checkevery
5 hoursordailybeforestartingengine.Seeoil
checkingprocedureintheOperationsection.
2. Reinstallthedrainplug(if removed),andtightenit
securely.
3. Refillwiththe recommendedoil (seeOperation
section)andchecktheoil level.See Figure5.
4. Reinstalltheoilfillcapsecurely.
18

IMPORTANT:Usedmotoroilmaycauseskincancer
if repeatedlyleft incontactwiththeskinforprolonged
periods.Althoughthisisunlikelyunlessyouhandleused
oilon a dailybasis,itis stilladvisabletothoroughlywash
yourhandswithsoapandwaterassoonaspossible
afterhandlingusedoil.
NOTE:Pleasedisposeofusedmotoroil in a mannerthat
iscompatiblewiththeenvironment.Wesuggestyoutake
itin a sealedcontainertoyourlocalservicestationfor
reclamation.Donotthrowit inthetrashor pouriton the
ground.
Air Cleaner Service
Adirty aircleanerwill restrictairflowtothecarburetor.
Topreventcarburetormalfunction,servicetheaircleaner
regularly.Servicemorefrequentlywhenoperatingthe
enginein extremelydustyareas.
PaperElement
Foam
Figure 6
_ARNING:Neveruse gasolineorlow
flash pointsolventsfor cleaningthe
air cleanerelement.Afire or explosion
couldresult.
IMPORTANT:Neverruntheenginewithouttheair
cleaner.Rapidenginewearwillresult.
1. Removethewingboltandtheaircleanercover.
Removetheelementsandseparatethem.SeeFigure
6.Carefullycheckbothelementsforholesortears
andreplaceifdamaged.
2. Foamelement:Washtheelementin a solutionof
householddetergentandwarmwater,thenrinse
thoroughly,or washin nonflammableorhighflash
pointsolvent.Allowtheelementtodrythoroughly.
Soaktheelementin cleanengineoil andsqueezeout
theexcessoil.Theenginewillsmokeduringinitial
start-upif toomuchoil isleft inthefoam.
3. Paperelement: Taptheelementlightlyseveraltimes
ona hardsurfaceto removeexcessdirt,or blow
compressedair throughthefilterfromtheinsideout.
Nevertry tobrushthedirtoff; brushingwillforce
dirtintothefibers.Replacethepaperelementifit is
excessivelydirty.
Spark Plug Service
__IL ARNING:DONOTcheckfor spark
with spark plugremoved.DONOT
crank enginewith spark plugremoved.
Figure 7
,_ WARNING:ifthe engine hasbeen
running,the muffler will be very hot. Be
careful not to touch the muffler.
2. Visuallyinspectthesparkplug.Discardthesparkplug
ifthereisapparentwear,or iftheinsulatoriscracked
orchipped.Cleanthe sparkplugwitha wirebrushifit
istobe reused.
3. Measurethepluggapwitha feelergauge.Correctas
necessarybybendingsideelectrode.SeeFigure8.
Thegapshouldbe:0.030in.
Toensureproperengineoperation,thesparkplugmust
be properlygappedand freeofdeposits.
1. Removethe sparkplugbootandusea sparkplug
wrenchtoremovetheplug.SeeFigure7.
19
WARNING
Never usegasoline
or lowflash pointsol-
ventsfor cleaning the
air cleaner element.
Afire or explosion
could result.
DO NOTcheck for
spark with spark plug
removed. DO NOT
crankengine with
spark plug removed.
if the engine has
been running, the
muffler will be very
hot. Be careful not to
touch the muffler.

WARNING
Accumulationof
debrisaround muffler
Couldcauseafire.
inspect and
iMPORTANT
Donotsprayengine
with watertOclean
becauseWatercould
contaminatefuel:
Usinga gardenhose
or pressurewashing
equipmentcan also
force water intothe
aircleaner Ormuffler
oPeninglWater in the
air cleanerWillsoak
the paperelemenL
andwater that passes
through the element
or muffler Canenter i
the cylinderi causing
f
Electrode
,, ,, 0.030 in.
J
Figure 8
4. Checkthatthe sparkplugwasherisin goodcondition
andthreadthe sparkplugin byhandtopreventcross-
threading.
5. Afterthesparkplugisseated,tightenwitha sparkplug
wrenchtocompressthewasher.
NOTE:Wheninstallinga newsparkplug,tighten1/2turn
afterthesparkplugseatstocompressthewasher.When
reinstallinga usedsparkplug,tighten1/8-1/4turnafterthe
sparkplugseatstocompressthewasher.
IMPORTANT:Thesparkplugmustbe securelytightened.
Animproperlytightenedsparkplugcanbecomevery hot
andmaydamagetheengine.
Clean Engine
If theenginehasbeenrunning,allowitto coolforatleast
halfanhourbeforecleaning.Periodicallyremovegrass
anddirtbuild-upfromengine.Cleanfingerguardand
aroundmuffler.Cleanwitha brushorcompressedair.
IMPORTANT: Do not spray engine with water to clean
because water could contaminate fuel. Using a garden
hose or pressure washing equipment can also force
water into the air cleaner or muffler opening. Water in
the air cleaner will soak the paper element, and water
that passes through the element or muffler can enter the
cylinder, causing damage.
_ARNING:Accumulationof debris
around muffler could cause a fire.
Inspect and cleanbefore every use.
20