OPERATION
•Remove oil fill cap/dipstick and wipe clean, reinsert the dipstick and screw cap tight, wait for a few seconds, remove and read oil level. If necessary, add oil until “FULL” mark on dipstick is reached. Do not overfill.
•For cold weather operation you should change oil for easier starting (See “OIL VISCOSITY CHART” in the Maintenance section of this manual).
•To change engine oil, see the Maintenance section in this manual.
ADD GASOLINE
•Fill fuel tank to bottom of filler neck. Do not overfill. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with a 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 quantities that can be used within 30 days to assure fuel freshness.
CAUTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline near an open flame.
IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING IN TEMPERATURES BELOW32°F(0°C), USE FRESH, CLEAN WINTER GRADE GASOLINE TO HELP INSURE GOOD COLD WEATHER STARTING.
CAUTION: Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can at- tract 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 cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur.
TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 5)
When starting the engine for the first time or if the engine has run out of fuel, it will take extra cranking time to move fuel from the tank to the engine.
•Sit on seat in operating position, depress clutch/brake pedal and set parking brake.
•Place gear shift lever in neutral position.
•Move attachment clutch to “DISENGAGED” position.
•Move throttle control to choke (
) position.
NOTE: Before starting, read the warm and cold starting procedures below.
•Insert key into ignition and turn key clockwise to “START” position and release key as soon as engine starts. Do not run starter continuously for more than fifteen seconds per minute. If the engine does not start after several attempts, move throttle control to fast position, wait a few minutes and try again. If engine still does not start, move the throttle control back to the choke ( 
) position and retry.
WARM WEATHER STARTING (50° F and above)
•When engine starts, move the throttle control to the fast position.
•The attachments and ground drive can now be used. If the engine does not accept the load, restart the engine and allow it to warm up for one minute using the choke as described above.
COLD WEATHER STARTING ( 50° F and below)
•When engine starts, allow engine to run with the throttle control in the choke (
) position until the engine runs roughly, then move throttle control to fast position. This may require an engine
•The attachments can also be used during the engine
NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000 feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32 F) the carburetor fuel mixture may need to be adjusted for best engine performance. See “TO ADJUST CARBURETOR” in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.
MOWING TIPS
•Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing per- formance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.
•The left hand side of mower should be used for trimming.
•Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the machine. This will result in a more even distribution of clippings and more uniform cutting.
•When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished (See Fig. 7).
FIG. 7
•If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip- pings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height.
•Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing.
•Always operate engine at full throttle when mow- ing to assure better mowing performance and proper discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by se- lecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired.
•When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being used.
12