Sears 917.257462 manual Mowing Tips, ADD Gasoline, Important When Operating in Temperatures

OPERATION

ADD GASOLINE

•Fill fuel tank. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline. (Use of leaded gasoline will increase carbon and lead oxide deposits and reduce valve life).

IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING IN TEMPERATURES

BELOW 32°F(0°C), USE FRESH, CLEAN WINTER GRADE GASOLINE TO HELP INSURE GOOD COLD WEATHER

STARTING.

WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage. To avoid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied before stor- age of 30 days or longer. Drain 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 Instruc- tions for additional information. Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur.

CAUTION: Fill to bottom of gas tank filler neck. Do not overfill. Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline near an open flame.

TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 7)

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

fuel from the tank to the engine.

•Depress the clutch/brake pedal and set the parking brake.

•Place gearshift lever in "NEUTRAL" position.

•Move mower clutch to "DISENGAGED" position.

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

°Turn ignition key clockwise 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" position, wait a few minutes and try again.

•When engine starts, move throttle control to desired position.

•Allow engine to warm up for a few minutes before engaging drive or attachment clutch.

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 Adjustments section of this manual.

MOWING TIPS

•Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and 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 cut. 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. 12).

•If 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 wet. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing.

•Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by selecting a low enough gear to give the mower cut- ting performance as well as the quality of cut de- sired.

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

FIG. 12