MTD Series 54M warranty Maintaining Your, Engine, Maintenance Schedule, Tasks, Service, Dates

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Maintaining

Your

WARNING: Shut off the engine before performing any maintenance. To prevent accidental start-up, disconnect the spark plug boot.

IMPORTANT: If engine must be tipped to transport equipment or to inspect or remove grass, keep spark plug side of engine up. Transporting or tipping engine spark plug down may cause smoking, hard starting, spark plug fouling, or oil saturation of air cleaner.

Periodic inspection and adjustment of the engine is essential if high level performance is to be maintained. Regular maintenance will also ensure a long service life. The required service intervals and the kind of mainte- nance to be performed are described in the table below. Follow the hourly or calendar intervals, whichever occur first. More frequent service is required when operating in adverse conditions.

Engine

WARNING

Shut off the engine before performing any maintenance. To prevent accidental start-up, disconnect the spark plug boot.

Before tipping engine or equipment to drain oil, drain fuel

Maintenance Schedule

Tasks	First 5 Hrs.	Each Use or	Every Season	Every Season	Every Season	Service
		Every 5 Hrs.	or 25 Hrs.	or 50 Hrs.	or 100 Hrs.	Dates
Check Engine
Oil
Change			††
Engine Oil
Check Air
Cleaner
Service Air			†
Cleaner

Check Spark

Plug

Service Spark

Plug

Clean Finger

Guard

Clean Around

Muffler

† Service more frequently when used in dusty areas.

†† If operating under heavy load or high ambient temperature.

from tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty.

IMPORTANT

Be sure to check engine on a level surface with the engine stopped. Drain the oil while the engine is still warm to assure rapid and complete draining.

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,EVEL $RAIN

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Figure 10-1

Oil Service

•Check oil level regularly.

•Be sure correct oil level is maintained. Check every 5 hours or daily before starting engine. See oil checking procedure on page 16.

Oil Change

IMPORTANT: Be sure to check engine on a level surface with the engine stopped. Drain the oil while the engine is still warm to assure rapid and complete draining.

1.Remove oil fill cap and drain oil by either removing drain plug or turning mower on its side (air cleaner side up) and allowing oil to drain into a suitable container. See Figure 10-1.

WARNING: Before tipping engine or equipment to drain oil, drain fuel from tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty.

2.Reinstall the drain plug (if removed), and tighten it securely.

3.Refill with the recommended oil (see page 16) and check the oil level. See Figure 10-1.

4.Reinstall the oil fill cap securely.

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