Poulan 178249 owner manual Before Starting the Engine, To Operate on Hills, Check Engine OIL Level

OPERATION

•Remove retainer spring and clevis pin which secure each gauge wheel bar.

•Lower gauge wheels to ground. Raise gauge wheels slightly to align holes in bracket and gauge wheel bar and insert clevis pin. Gauge wheels should be slightly off the ground.

•Replace retainer spring into clevis pin.

IMPORTANT: BE SURE TO READJUST GAUGE WHEELS IF YOU CHANGE THE CUTTING HEIGHT OF THE MOWER DECK.

RETAINER

SPRING

CLEVIS

PIN

FIG. 11

TO OPERATE MOWER (See Fig. 12)

Your tractor is equipped with an operator presence sensing switch. Any attempt by the operator to leave the seat with the engine running and the attachment clutch engaged will shut off the engine.

•Select desired height of cut.

•Lower mower with attachment lift control.

•Start mower blades by engaging attachment clutch control.

•TO STOP MOWER BLADES - disengage attachment clutch control.

CAUTION: Do not operate the mower without either the entire grass catcher, on mowers so equipped, or the deflec- tor shield in place.

ATTACHMENT CLUTCH	ATTACHMENT
SWITCH PULL OUT TO	LIFT LEVER
"ENGAGE"	HIGH
	POSITION
	LOW
	POSITION
PUSH IN TO
"DISENGAGE"

FIG. 12

TO OPERATE ON HILLS

CAUTION: Do not drive up or down hills with slopes greater than 15° and do not drive across any slope.

•Choose the slowest speed before starting up or down hills.

•Avoid stopping or changing speed on hills.

•If slowing is necessary, move throttle control lever to slower position.

•If stopping is absolutely necessary, push clutch/brake pedal quickly to brake position and engage parking brake.

•Move motion control lever to neutral (N) position.

IMPORTANT: THE MOTION CONTROL LEVER DOES NOT RETURN TO NEUTRAL (N) POSITION WHEN THE CLUTCH/BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

•To restart movement, slowly release parking brake and clutch/brake pedal.

•Slowly move motion control lever to slowest setting.

•Make all turns slowly.

TO TRANSPORT (See Figs. 9 and 13)

When pushing or towing your tractor, be sure to disengage transmission by placing freewheel control in freewheeling position. Free wheel control is located at the rear drawbar of tractor.

•Raise attachment lift to highest position with attachment lift control.

•Pull freewheel control out and down into the slot and release so it is held in the disengaged position.

•Do not push or tow tractor at more than two (2) MPH.

•To reengage transmission, reverse above procedure.

NOTE: To protect hood from damage when transporting your tractor on a truck or a trailer, be sure hood is closed and secured to tractor. Use an appropriate means of tying hood to tractor (rope, cord, etc.).

FIG. 13

TOWING CARTS AND OTHER ATTACH- MENTS

Tow only the attachments that are recommended by and comply with specifications of the manufacturer of your tractor. Use common sense when towing. Too heavy of a load, while on a slope, is dangerous. Tires can lose traction with the ground and cause you to lose control of your tractor.

BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE

CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL

•The engine in your tractor has been shipped, from the factory, already filled with summer weight oil.

•Check engine oil with tractor on level ground.

•Remove oil fill cap/dipstick and wipe clean, reinsert the dipstick and screw cap tight, wait for a few seconds, remove and read oil level. If necessary, add oil until “FULL” mark on dipstick is reached. Do not overfill.

•For cold weather operation you should change oil for easier starting (See “OIL VISCOSITY CHART” in the Customer Responsibilities section of this manual).

•To change engine oil, see the Customer Responsibili-

14ties section in this manual.