17
MAINTENANCE
V-BE LTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after 100 hours
of operation and replace if necessary. The belts are not
ad just able. Re place belts if they begin to slip from wear.
FIG. 13
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.
• Disconnect BLACK battery cable fi rst then RED bat-
tery cable and remove battery from tractor.
• Rinse the battery with plain water and dry.
• Clean terminals and batter y cable ends with wire brush
until bright.
• Coat terminals with grease or petroleum jelly.
• Reinstall battery (See “REPLACING BATTERY” in
the SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS section of this
man u al).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
Keep transaxle free from build-up of dirt and chaff which
can restrict cooling.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated with API service
classifi cation SF-SJ. Select the oil’s SAE viscosity grade
according to your expected operating temperature.
Change the oil after every 50 hours of operation or at least
once a year if the tractor is not used for 50 hours in one
year.
Check the crankcase oil level before starting the engine
and after each eight (8) hours of operation.
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
-20 0 30 40 80 100
-30 -20 0 20 30 40
F
C
32
-10 10
60
5W-30
10W30
FIG. 14
CLEAN AIR SCREEN
Air screen must be kept free of dirt and chaff to prevent
engine dam age from overheating. Clean with a wire brush
or compressed air to re move dirt and stubborn dr ied gum
fi bers.
CLEAN AIR INTAKE/COOLING AREAS
To insure proper cooling, make sure the grass screen,
cooling fi ns, and other external surfaces of the engine are
kept clean at all times.
Every 100 hours of operation (more often under extremely
dusty, dirty conditions), remove the blower housing and
other cooling shrouds. Clean the cooling fi ns and external
surfaces as necessary. Make sure the cooling shrouds are
reinstalled.
NOTE: Operating the engine with a blocked grass screen,
dirty or plugged cooling fi ns, and/or cooling shrouds re moved
will cause engine damage due to overheating.
CLOSED
AND
LOCKED
POSITION
YELLOW
CAP DRAIN
TUBE
OIL DRAIN VALVE
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL (See Figs. 13 and 14)
Determine temperature range expected before oil change.
All oil must meet API service classifi cation SF-SJ.
• Be sure tractor is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm.
• Catch oil in a suitable container.
• Remove oil fi ll cap/dipstick. Be careful not to allow dirt
to enter the engine when changing oil.
• Remove yellow cap from end of drain valve and install
the drain tube onto the fi tting.
• Unlock drain valve by pushing inward and turning
coun ter clock wise.
• To open, pull out on the drain valve.
• After oil has drained completely, close and lock the
drain valve by pushing inward and turning clockwise
until the pin is in the locked position as shown.
• Remove the drain tube and replace the cap onto to the
bottom fi tting of the drain valve.
• Refi ll engine with oil through oil fi ll dipstick tube. Pour
slowly. Do not overfi ll. For approximate capacity see
“PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS” section of this man-
u al.
• Use gauge on oil fi ll cap/dipstick for checking level.
For accurate reading, insert dipstick into the tube
and push down fi rmly into place before removing.
Keep oil up to, but not over, the “FULL” line on dip-
stick. Push dipstick down fi rmly into the tube when
fi nished.