Sears 917.25051 manual To Start Engine See Fig, Mulching Mowing Tips

OPERATION

TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 7)

When starting engine for the first time or if engine has run out of fuel, it will take extra cranking time to move fuel from the tank to the engine.

•Depress clutch/brake pedal and set parking brake.

.	Place gearshift lever in		neutral	(N) position.
.	Move attachment	clutch	to "DISENGAGED"		position.
.	Pull choke control	out to choke		(JXI) position	for cold
	engine start. For warm		engine	start do not use choke
	control.

-Move throttle control to midway between fast ('_) and slow (,_b) positions.

-Insert key into ignition and turn key ctockwiseto"START" position and release key as soon as engine starts. Do not run starter continuously for more than fifteen

seconds per minute. If engine does not start after several attempts, move throttle controt to fast ('_)

position, wait a few minutes and try again.

•When engine starts, slowly push choke control in. Move throttle control to fast (,_) position.

,Allow engine to warm up for a few minutes before engaging drive or attachments.

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 Adjust- ments section of this manual.

MOWING TIPS

Tire chains cannot be used when the mower housing is attached to tractor.

,Mower should be properly Peveled for best mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

*The left hand side of mower should be used for trim- ming.

oDrive 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 wil! 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. 10).

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 futt throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper dis- charge of material. Regulate ground speed by select- ing 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.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UP GRASS AND

TRASH. CLEAN AFTER EACH USE.

The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip- pings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will biodegrade quickly to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will provid_ the best recutting action of the blades.

Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is the early afternoon. At this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun.

,,For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades (See Fig. 11). For extremely heavy mulching, reduce you rwidth of cut on each pass and mow slowly.

®Certain types of grass and grass conditions may re- quire that an area be mulched a second time to com- pletely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path.

Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow north to south one week then change to east to west the

next weeko This will heip prevent matting and graining of the lawn.

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FiG. 11

FIG, 10

15