Engine

MAINTENANCE

TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS

Corrosion and dirt on the battery and terminals can cause the battery to “leak” power.

•Remove terminal guard.

•Disconnect BLACK battery cable ﬁ rst then RED bat- tery cable and remove battery from tractor.

•Rinse the battery with plain water and dry.

•Clean terminals and battery cable ends with wire brush until bright.

•Coat terminals with grease or petroleum jelly.

•Reinstall battery (See “CONNECT BATTERY” in the Assembly section of this manual).

V-BELTS

Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after 100 hours of operation and replace if necessary. The belts are not adjustable. Replace belts if they begin to slip from wear.

TRANSAXLE COOLING

The transmission fan and cooling ﬁ ns should be kept clean to assure proper cooling.

Do not attempt to clean fan or transmission while engine is running or while the transmission is hot. To prevent pos- sible damage to seals, do not use high pressure water or steam to clean transaxle.

•Inspect cooling fan to be sure fan blades are intact and clean.

•Inspect cooling ﬁ ns for dirt, grass clippings and other materials. To prevent damage to seals, do not use compressed air or high pressure sprayer to clean cool- ing ﬁns.

TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID

The transaxle was sealed at the factory and ﬂ uid mainte- nance is not required for the life of the transaxle. Should the transaxle ever leak or require servicing, contact your nearest authorized service center/department.

LUBRICATION

Only use high quality detergent oil rated with API service classiﬁcation SF-SJ. Select the oil’s SAE viscosity grade according to your expected operating temperature.

SAE VISCOSITY GRADES

							SAE 30
			5W-30

F	-20	0			30 32 40		60	80	100
C	-30	-20		-10	0	10	20	30	40

TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE

oil_visc_chart1_e

NOTE: Although multi-viscosity oils (5W30, 10W30 etc.) improve starting in cold weather, they will result in increased oil consumption when used above 32°F. Check your engine oil level more frequently to avoid possible engine damage from running low on oil.

Change the oil after every 50 hours of operation or at least once a year if the tractor is not used for 50 hours in one year.

Check the crankcase oil level before starting the engine and after each eight (8) hours of operation. Tighten oil ﬁ ll cap/dipstick securely each time you check the oil level.

TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL (See Fig. 13)

Determine temperature range expected before oil change. All oil must meet API service classiﬁ cation SF-SJ.

•Be sure tractor is on level surface.

•Oil will drain more freely when warm.

•Catch oil in a suitable container.

•Remove oil ﬁ ll cap/dipstick. Be careful not to allow dirt to enter the engine when changing oil.

•Remove yellow cap from end of drain valve and install the drain tube onto the ﬁ tting.

	OIL DRAIN VALVE
CLOSED			63
		4
	2
	0
AND
LOCKED
POSITION
YELLOW
CAP			DRAIN
			DRAIN
			TUBE

FIG. 13

•Unlock drain valve by pushing inward and turning counterclockwise.

•To open, pull out on the drain valve.

•After oil has drained completely, close and lock the drain valve by pushing inward and turning clockwise until the pin is in the locked position as shown.

•Remove the drain tube and replace the cap onto to the bottom ﬁtting of the drain valve.

•Reﬁll engine with oil through oil ﬁ ll dipstick tube. Pour slowly. Do not overﬁll. For approximate capacity see “PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS” section of this man- ual.

•Use gauge on oil ﬁ ll cap/dipstick for checking level. Insert dipstick into the tube and rest the oil ﬁ ll cap on the tube. Do not thread the cap onto the tube when tak- ing reading. Keep oil at “FULL” line on dipstick. Tighten cap onto the tube securely when ﬁnished.

CLEAN AIR SCREEN

Air screen must be kept free of dirt and chaff to prevent engine damage from overheating. Clean with a wire brush or compressed air to remove dirt and stubborn dried gum ﬁbers.