OPERATION
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
ADD OIL (See Figs. 7 and 8)
Your lawnmower is shipped without oil in the engine.For type and grade of oil to use, see “ENGINE” in the Maintenance section of this manual.
CAUTION: DO NOT overfill engine with oil,or it will smoke heavily from the muf- fler on startup.
1.Be sure lawnmower is level.
2.Remove oil dipstick from oil fi ll spout.
3.You receive a container of oil with the unit. Slowly pour the entire container down the oil fi ll spout into the engine.
4.Insert and tighten dipstick.
IMPORTANT:
•Check oil level before each use. Add oil if needed. Fill to full line on dipstick.
•Change the oil after every 25 hours of operation or each season. You may need to change the oil more often under dusty, dirty conditions. See “TO CHANGE EN- GINE OIL” in the Maintenance section of this manual.
OIL FILLER CAP/DIPSTICK
UPPER LIMIT
LOWER LIMIT
FIG. 7
GASOLINE |
FILLER CAP |
OIL |
FILLER |
CAP |
FIG. 8
ADD GASOLINE (See Fig. 8)
•Fill fuel tank to bottom of tank fi ller neck. Do not over- fi ll. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane. 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.
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 sys- tem of an engine while in storage. To avoid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied before storage of 30 days or longer. Empty 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 STOP ENGINE
•To stop engine, release operator presence control bar. Wait until blade and all moving parts have stopped and turn fuel valve to OFF position if you do not intend to restart the engine soon.
TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 9)
NOTE: Due to protective coatings on the engine, a small amount of smoke may be present during the initial use of the product and should be considered normal.
1.Be sure fuel valve is in the ON position.
2.Move choke lever to ON ( 
) position.
3.Hold operator presence control bar down to the handle and pull starter handle quickly.Do not allow starter rope to snap back.
NOTE: The choke lever automatically begins moving to the OFF position when operator presence control bar is held down to handle.
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