Craftsman 917.377011 owner manual A CAUTION: Alcohol blendedfuels, To Stop Engine, To Start Engine

A CAUTION: Alcohol blendedfuels

(calledgasoholor usingethanolor metha- nol) can attractmoisturewhichleadsto separationand formationof acids during storage. Acidicgas can damagethe fuel systemof an enginewhile in storage. To avoidengine problems,thefuel system should be emptiedbeforestorageof 30 days or longer. Emptythegas tank,start the engineand let it run untilthefuel lines and carburetorare empty. Usefreshfuel nextseason. See StorageInstructionsfor additionalinformation. Neveruse engine or carburetorcleanerproductsin the fuel tank or permanentdamagemayoccur.

TO STOP ENGINE

•To stop engine, release operator pres- ence control bar.

TO START ENGINE

NOTE: Due to protective coatings on the engine, a small amount of smoke may be present during the initial use of the prod- uct and should be considered normal. NOTE: Your engine is equipped with an automatic choke system. No priming or choking is required before starting.

1.To start engine, hold operator presence control bar down to the handle and pull starter handle quickly. Do not allow starter rope to snap back.

MOWING TIPS

A CAUTION: Do not use de-thatcher blade attachments on your mower. Such attachments are hazardous, will damage your mower and could void your warranty.

•Under certain conditions, such as very tall grass, it may be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of grass clip- pings. It may also be necessary to re-

duce ground speed and/or run the lawn mower over the area a second time.

•For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of cut by overlapping previously cut path and mow slowly.

•For better grass bagging and most cut- ting conditions, the engine speed should be set in the FAST position.

•Pores in cloth grass catchers can be- come filled with dirt and dust with use

and catchers will collect less grass. To prevent this, regularly hose catcher off with water and let dry before using.

Keep top of engine around starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff. This will help engine air flow and extend engine life.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep mower housing free of built-up grass and trash. See "CLEANING" in the Maintenance section of this manual.

•The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings 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 provide the best recut- ting 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, yet the newly cut area will not be exposed to direct sunlight.

•For best results, adjust the lawn mower cutting height so that the lawn mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades. If the lawn is overgrown it will be necessary to raise the height of cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of mulched grass. For extremely heavy grass, reduce your width of cut by overlap- ping previously cut path and mow slowly.

1/3

•Certain types ofg rass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a sec- ond time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across

(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 week. This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawn.

11