Craftsman 917.27631 owner manual Engine

•Tocheck blade balance,you will needa 5/8" diametersteel bolt, pin, or a cone

balancer. (When usinga cone balancer, followthe instructionssuppliedwith balancer.)

NOTE: Do not use a nail for balancing blade. The lobesof the center hole may appear to be centered,but are not.

•Slide bladeon to an unthreadedportion of the steel bolt or pin and holdthe bolt or pin parallelwith the ground. If blade is balanced,it should remainin a

3.Remove filler plug from transaxle. Oil level must be even with plug threads.

If necessary, fill with SAE 30 motor oil, API SG-SL. Replace filler plug.

4.Reassemble wheel to hub.

_Transaxle Filler

_" _, _. Plug

horizontalposition. If either end of the blade movesdownward,sharpenthe heavyend untilthe blade is balanced.

Center Hole

or Pin

BATTERY

Your tractor has a battery charging system which is sufficient for normal use. How-

ever, periodic charging of the battery with an automotive charger will extend its life.

•Keep battery and terminals clean.

•Keep battery bolts tight.

•Keep small vent holes open.

•Recharge at 6-10 amperes for 1 hour. NOTE: The original equipment battery on your tractor is maintenance free. Do not attempt to open or remove caps or covers. Adding or checking level of electrolyte is not necessary.

TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS

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

1.Remove terminal guard.

2.Disconnect BLACK battery cable first then RED battery cable and remove battery from tractor.

3.Rinse the battery with plain water and

dry.

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

5.Coat terminals with grease or petro- leum jelly.

6.Reinstall battery (See "REPLACING BATTERY" in the SERVICE AND AD-

JUSTMENTS section of this manual).

TRANSAXLE COOLING

Keep transaxle free from build-up of dirt and chaff which can restrict cooling.

CHECK TRANSAXLE OIL LEVEL

1.Block up rear axle securely.

2.Remove left rear wheel by removing hub bolts.

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.

ENGINE

LUBRICATION

Only use high quality detergent oil rated with API service classification SG-SL.

Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade

according to your expected operating temperature.

30 -20 10 0 10 20 30

TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE

01 vr_ ch_d_ o

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

Change the oil after every 50 hours of op- eration or at least once a year if the tractor

is not used for 50 hours in one year. Check the crankcase oil level before start-

ing the engine and after each eight (8) hours of operation. Tighten oil fill cap/

dipstick securely each time you check the oil level.

TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL

Determine temperature range expected before oil change. All oil must meet API

service classification SG-SL.

•Be sure tractor is on level surface.

•Oil will drain more freely when warm.

•Catch oil in a suitable container.

1.Remove oil fill cap/dipstick. Be careful not to allow dirt to enter the engine

when changing oil.

2.Install the drain tube onto the valve.

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