Sears 917.25545 owner manual Operation, Mulching Mowing Tips

OPERATION

TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 10)

When starting engine for the first time or if engine has run out of fuel, it will take extra cranking time to move fue! from the tank to the engine.

•Depress clutch/brake pedal and set parking brake.

•Place gearshift lever in "NEUTRAL" position.

Move attachment clutch to "DISENGAGED" position.

oMove throttle corrtrol lever to "CHOKE" position for cold engine start. For warm engine start, move throttle control to "FAST" position,

oInsert key into ignition and turn keyclockwise to"START" position and release key as soon as engine starts. Do

not run starter continuously for more than fifteen seconds per minute. If engine does not start after several attempts, move throttle control to "FAST" posi- tion, wait a few minutes and try again,

oWhen engine starts, move throttle control to desired position.

oAllow engine to warm up for a few minutes before engaging drive or attachment&

NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000 feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32 ° F), the carburetor fuel mixture

may need to be adjusted for best engine performance. See "TO ADJUST CARBURETOR" in the Service and Adjust- ments section of this manual

MOWING TiPS

oTire chains cannot be used when the mower hous- ing is attached to unit.

°Mower' should be properly leveled for best mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service arrd Adjustments section of this manual,

The left hand side of mower should be used for trim- ming.

Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has been cuL Have the cut area to the right of the machine This will result in a more even distri-

bution of clippings and more uniform cutting.

When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished (See Fig 11)

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FIG. 11

oIf grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clippings Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height,

•Do not mow grass when it is weL Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing

oAlways operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper dis- charge of materiaL Regulate ground speed by se- lecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired,,

. When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being used.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UPGRASS AND

TRASH CLEAN AFTER EACH USE

•The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip- pings 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 recutting 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 and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun_

,,For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades (See Fig. 12). For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut and mow slowly.

oCertain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path.

oChange 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

MAX 1/3 ! '

FIG. 12

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